film review
Drums along the Mohawk
Cast: Henry Fonda, Claudette Colbert, John Carradine, Edna May Oliver, etc.
Director(s): John Ford
writers:Lamar Trotti, Sonya Levien
Genre(s): Western
Release Year: 1939Running
Time: 103 minutes
Plot:
This film starts with a wedding party of Gilbert and Lana. Gilbert (Henry Fonda) as Revolutionary ware-era farmer with Lana who is a well-born woman that leaves her parents and with her husband in 1776 has went to Gilbert's rustic cabin in the increasingly dangerous Mohawk River Valley and Lana feels this exposing to danger since beginning of entrance. She was frightened with meeting of" Blue Back" who is a robust Indian in Gilbert's cabin. So, they have tried to make a home in land of Mohawk Valley.inthis part, I add a little information about "Mohawk River":
"The Mohawk River is major waterway in north-central New York, United States. The river flows approximately 143 miles (230 km) ESE from Oneida County entering the Hudson River near Albany. The river has long been important to transportation and migration to the west as a passage between the Allegheny and Adirondack highlands. The fertile valley also attracted early settlers, and a number of important battles of the French and Indian War and the Revolution were fought here. During the early westward growth of the United States, the Erie Canal was an important link to the west that followed or used the river's path. The middle course of the Mohawk River runs through Montgomery County, where most of the village sites of the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy are located. The Mohawks were compelled to leave the region during the American Revolution."(http://www.wikipedia.com/)
When Lana adjusts to help husband in the fields shortly, they has encouraged with attacks by Indians that drive them land and Gilbert has lost their home. Their home completely has burnt and they didn't have any money and place for living.
During this disaster, spinster with a large farm, Sarah McKelnnar (Edna May Oliver) comes to their rescue when she hires Gilbert to work as a field hand and gives the Martins a place to stay, and I add that the setting is the Mohawk River Valley during the American Revolution, which was subjected to numerous raids by the British, American Tories and their Iroquois allies. I think it is interesting that I add some information about American Tories and Tories Party:
"The term Tory was used in the American Revolution to describe those who remained loyal to the British Crown and government, or Loyalists. Since early in the eighteenth century, Tory had described those upholding the right of the Kings over parliament. During the revolution, particularly after the Declaration of Independence in 1776 this use was extended to cover anyone who remained loyal to the British Crown and government. Those Loyalists who settled in Canada, Nova Scotia, or the Bahamas after the American Revolution are known as United Empire Loyalists."(http://www.wikipedia.com/)
The man of the Mohawk have gathered in fort and military commander talks about revolutionary position and their duty about American revolution and independence from Britain. In other hand, in church the ardent sermon of priest encourage people for corporation in revolution and assistance with Gorge Washington. He says: all of the men of 16 to 60 years should corporate in Revolutionary War. Gilbert joins the militia and they fail in first war and soldiers have returned to home. Gilbert is wounded and commander has died.
During these happens Lana learns to love their new life in the Mohawk Valley, especially after giving birth to their first son. in second war between Indian tribes and British soldiers with people in Mohawk, they gain a victory over British soldiers with helping of Revolutionary army and the film ends with image of American flag that is hoisted on the church while the young couple stand of the some rank and looking at beginning of American authority.
"Drum along the Mohawk is a novel that is historical one of the American Revolution written by Walter D. Edmonds. Published in 1936 and extremely popular, it was made into a film in 1939 by John Ford and it is Ford's first film in Technicolor (which recently perfected far richer shadings of color than had previously been possible), and the director uses it to stunning effect. So, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actress (Edna May Oliver) and Best Cinematography"(www.wikipedia.com)
Plot:
This film starts with a wedding party of Gilbert and Lana. Gilbert (Henry Fonda) as Revolutionary ware-era farmer with Lana who is a well-born woman that leaves her parents and with her husband in 1776 has went to Gilbert's rustic cabin in the increasingly dangerous Mohawk River Valley and Lana feels this exposing to danger since beginning of entrance. She was frightened with meeting of" Blue Back" who is a robust Indian in Gilbert's cabin. So, they have tried to make a home in land of Mohawk Valley.inthis part, I add a little information about "Mohawk River":
"The Mohawk River is major waterway in north-central New York, United States. The river flows approximately 143 miles (230 km) ESE from Oneida County entering the Hudson River near Albany. The river has long been important to transportation and migration to the west as a passage between the Allegheny and Adirondack highlands. The fertile valley also attracted early settlers, and a number of important battles of the French and Indian War and the Revolution were fought here. During the early westward growth of the United States, the Erie Canal was an important link to the west that followed or used the river's path. The middle course of the Mohawk River runs through Montgomery County, where most of the village sites of the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy are located. The Mohawks were compelled to leave the region during the American Revolution."(http://www.wikipedia.com/)
When Lana adjusts to help husband in the fields shortly, they has encouraged with attacks by Indians that drive them land and Gilbert has lost their home. Their home completely has burnt and they didn't have any money and place for living.
During this disaster, spinster with a large farm, Sarah McKelnnar (Edna May Oliver) comes to their rescue when she hires Gilbert to work as a field hand and gives the Martins a place to stay, and I add that the setting is the Mohawk River Valley during the American Revolution, which was subjected to numerous raids by the British, American Tories and their Iroquois allies. I think it is interesting that I add some information about American Tories and Tories Party:
"The term Tory was used in the American Revolution to describe those who remained loyal to the British Crown and government, or Loyalists. Since early in the eighteenth century, Tory had described those upholding the right of the Kings over parliament. During the revolution, particularly after the Declaration of Independence in 1776 this use was extended to cover anyone who remained loyal to the British Crown and government. Those Loyalists who settled in Canada, Nova Scotia, or the Bahamas after the American Revolution are known as United Empire Loyalists."(http://www.wikipedia.com/)
The man of the Mohawk have gathered in fort and military commander talks about revolutionary position and their duty about American revolution and independence from Britain. In other hand, in church the ardent sermon of priest encourage people for corporation in revolution and assistance with Gorge Washington. He says: all of the men of 16 to 60 years should corporate in Revolutionary War. Gilbert joins the militia and they fail in first war and soldiers have returned to home. Gilbert is wounded and commander has died.
During these happens Lana learns to love their new life in the Mohawk Valley, especially after giving birth to their first son. in second war between Indian tribes and British soldiers with people in Mohawk, they gain a victory over British soldiers with helping of Revolutionary army and the film ends with image of American flag that is hoisted on the church while the young couple stand of the some rank and looking at beginning of American authority.
"Drum along the Mohawk is a novel that is historical one of the American Revolution written by Walter D. Edmonds. Published in 1936 and extremely popular, it was made into a film in 1939 by John Ford and it is Ford's first film in Technicolor (which recently perfected far richer shadings of color than had previously been possible), and the director uses it to stunning effect. So, the film was nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actress (Edna May Oliver) and Best Cinematography"(www.wikipedia.com)
American Dream and world
The film from the beginning shows development of nuclear family and immigration for better life. These are first elements of emotional individualism and its other representation of American Dream: hard working and hard champion for best life. The subject that is always great apprehension for Americans, an eternal restlessness. The other subject that I refer it is the position of minority
The presence of blacks doesn't have any importance but the presence of Indian with being of blue black is worth mentioning.
He is a great Indian with a military cap that spy for colonists and is one of them and this issue that a good Indian is a dead Indian about him doesn’t have application.
It means he has forgotten his own identity Indians invasions were showed too much cruel and savagery and Americans lost their home, farming, lands and properties.
Characters:
Henry Fond as Gilbert:
Conclusion:
In this film, you can find out that politics and religious are untied with gathering people in church for hearing ardent sermon of priest about corporation in war.
Also, important news and declaration about war was announced there. Just as I said in first part the genre of this film is western and you know this genre and this director –John Ford- are representative of "American Exceptionalism".
The concept of American exceptionalism is used frequently to describe the development of American culture identity from Puritan origins to the present. Exceptionalism informs the foundational work of such influential theorists of American culture as Perry Miller and Sacvan Bercovitch, and also in art area is entered by persons alike John Ford.
references:
1-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031252/
2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums_Along_the_Mohawk
3-http://www.amazon.com/Drums-Along-Mohawk-John-Ford/dp/6301798708
4-1-Madsen Deborah, American exceptionalism, Great Britain, Edinburgh University press, 1988
5-http://www.answers.com/topic/drums-along-the-mohawk
posted by Saeedeh @ 5:02 AM
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