Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)

            “Drums Along the Mohawk” is a John Ford (“The Horse Soldiers”) film set in the Revolutionary War. It was based on the novel by Walter Edmonds. It was nominated for one Academy Award – Best Supporting Actress (Edna May Oliver). The movie was a box office hit.

            The movie begins in 1776 Albany, New York. Lana (Claudette Colbert) marries Gilbert (Henry Fonda) and she leaves her upper class urban life for life on the frontier on a small farm. Her new home is a log cabin. It’s quite a contrast to the civilized life of the cities. It is a rough transition and she wants to go home. Next scene we see her as a proper frontier woman. We all know she is going to get there so why bother using film to show how she evolves?  It’s tough life even if they didn’t have the Indian and Tory problems in the valley. They are going to have to deal with Indians led by the dastardly Caldwell. How do we know he is a villain? He has an eye patch and he is played by John Carradine. Caldwell is balanced by a friendly Oneida Indian named Blue Back (Chief John Big Tree). He’s a “good” Indian. (I won’t get into the fact that Blue Back was a fool to support the Americans.) The naïve Gil wonders why this is happening. “I don’t know why we’d have trouble with the Indians.” Duh, you are taking their valley! There are times when the pioneers have to take refuge in Fort Schuyler. It’s built of lincoln logs. One of those times, Gil and Lana return to a burned out farm. They are forced to live and work for a feisty widow named Mrs. McKlennar (Oliver).  It’s on now. Gil’s militia unit marches off to get revenge. They should have taken their drilling more seriously become back with their tail between their legs. This was the Battle of Oriskany, but we don’t get to see it for obvious reasons. Gil claims that the whupped the Indians, but in reality they got their asses whipped. For a while, the valley is quiet and the farming is good, but that would be a boring ending act, so we get another Indian/Tory siege of the fort.

            “Drums Along the Mohawk” is very much a John Ford film and is very much of its time. It is basically a western set in the east. The Indians are evil, whooping savages being used by the British. The only good Indian is the one who warns them about Indian attacks. Ford directs many of his stereotype characters. The cheerful drunk, the crust old widow, the anti-pacifist preacher, the pampered young woman who is forced to adjust to frontier life. The cast is full of recognizable character actors. Surprisingly, the cast includes an actual Indian playing Blue Back. Chief John Big Tree appeared in over 50 movies. Fonda and Colbert are excellent as the central couple. It can be argued that Lana is the central character. The movie does not go to war with Gil. It stays with Lana. She’s the one who is most impacted by life in the Mohawk Valley.  The film is stolen by Edna May Oliver. The Best Supporting Actress category was created for perfomances like hers. It reminds me of Margaret Wycherly as momma York in “Sergeant York”.  Oliver lost to Hattie McDaniel in “Gone With the Wind”. No shame there.

            Ford gives a taste of life in colonial America. There is a church scene with a hymn. We see a birthing. There is a wedding. All of this in vibrant Technicolor (Ford’s first use of it.)  It is a beautiful film to watch. Ford interjects his trademark humor. The soundtrack fits the film well and pushes emotional buttons to enhance the visuals. Although it has the feel of an epic, it is actually only 104 minutes long. There is little action, but there is a great chase scene (I bet you did not see that coming) where Gil has to outrun three Indians to go for help. That’s right, Henry Fonda outruns some Indians. (Thank God none of them had a bow and arrow.)

            The movie is actually based on historical events, even though it is based on a novel. It has the feel of a chapter in a 4^th grade American History textbook. Some of the characters are historical persons, including Caldwell who was a British agent who was a British officer who fought in several places during the war. Sometimes he commanded Indian allies. He survived the war and fought in the War of 1812. He probably did not wear an eye patch. Herkimer did die after his leg was amputated after the Battle of Oriskany. The fort was not actually in the center of the farmland. When it was besieged, it was garrisoned by Continental Army soldiers, not militia. And it was attacked by British soldiers. Because of the timing of the movie, it was determined that the British could not be the bad guys at a time when America was looking at the possibility of fighting on their side in the upcoming world war. The movie resonated with audiences who could imagine the men going off to war in the near future, just like Gil was forced to do.

            “Drums Along the Mohawk” is a must-see movie. It is Ford at his best with a top notch cast. Like many of his westerns, it passes on the myths of frontier life. That makes it a shaky history lesson. So watch it as a novel brought to the screen in vibrant color.

GRADE  =  B-

           

The Devil’s Disciple (1987)

               In my opinion, “The Devil’s Disciple” (1959) is one of the 100 best war movies. It is also one of the top five movies about the American Revolution. Based on a play by George Bernard Shaw, the dialogue is excellent and so is its cast that included Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, and Sir Laurence Olivier. There was absolutely no reason to remake it. The new version could not equal, much less exceed, the original. I can only assume that someone thought there were enough people who had not seen the 1959 version and were not aware of it, to justify a reboot. At least no one spent money in a theater to see it. It was made-for-tv and it shows.

               For those not familiar with the 1959 film, “The Devil’s Disciple” is set in 1777. Gen. John Burgoyne (Ian Richardson in the Olivier role) and his army are on their campaign to cut the New England colonies off from the rest of the colonies. He is frustrated with the unsporting rebels who are fighting a guerrilla war against the Brits. Into this historical event are thrust a trio of colonists. Reverand Anderson (Patrick Stewart in the Lancaster role) and his wife Judith (Susan Wooldridge) are living peaceful lives with no connection to the Revolution. Richard Dudgeon (Mike Gwilym  in the Douglas role) is a ne’er do well who some would call the devil’s disciple. Judith is repulsed by Dudgeon because he is the opposite of her stable, rule-following husband. Guess who falls in love with this bad boy. Dudgeon breaks character to admit to a rules violation by the rule-following reverend. Dudgeon, masquerading as the reverand, is put on trial for treason. The previously pious prior has to tap into his inner machismo to prevent an atheist from being hanged.

               I already mentioned there was no reason to make this movie. It pales by comparison to the original. This is especially apparent in the acting. Even Stewart does not acquit himself well. Gwilym has nowhere near the charisma to play Dudgeon. It is much more like a play than the previous film which means it has less action. Unfortunately, it does not even bother to be witty. Do not watch this movie instead of the 1959 version!!!

GRADE  =  D

 

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (2025)

                 The eagerly awaited documentary series “The American Revolution” premiered tonight. It has been long in the making. Directed by Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein, it covers the American Revolution starting with the British actions that led to the rebellion. The shooting lasted 165 days and took place in 150 locations. 100 new maps were created. The largest replica of a redoubt in America was built. The series is narrated by Peter Coyote and has an all-star roster of voices including Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Jeff Daniels, and Ethan Hawke.

                 The first episode is entitled “In Order to Be Free”. It starts off shaky by trying to link the Iroquois confederation with the Revolution. Ben Franklin did use it as a template for his urging the creation of a union. While true, it’s a stretch to link the Iroquois to the American republic. It comes off as an attempt to force Native Americans into the series. And yet, when it covers the French and Indian War nothing is said about most of the Indians siding with the French. However, it does focus on the anger of colonists when the British government prohibited settlement west of the Appalachians. This was one log on the fire that will become the revolution. Having taught the Revolution, I would not put relations with the Indians high on a list of causes of the Revolution. The series takes a similar approach to slavery in the colonies. This of course is used to up the irony that the colonists were fighting for liberty and yet they allowed slavery. That is certainly inexcusable, but I do not view it as a cause of the Revolution. This information would have been better placed in the discussion of the Declaration of Independence, specifically its reference to “all men are created equal.”

Early in the series we are introduced to George Washington. He will obviously be a central figure in the series. It will be interesting to see how many negative aspects of his personality and actions will be covered in the series. Most Americans will learn for the first time that Washington started the war and later came close to being killed with Braddock’s force in the wilderness of Pennsylvania. Washington’s bitterness about not being offered a commission in the British army is used to foreshadow his participation in the rebellion. Washington will be one amongst many key figures that are quoted in the series. Burns has managed to find some common people who left primary source material. I think we will see these individuals pop up occasionally to give a different perspective. I predict Joseph Plumb Martin will be a frequent source for what Continental soldiers went through.

The first episode covers from 1754 to 1775. It is outstandingly educational and covers all the greatest hits like the Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, and Boston Tea Party. It concludes with Lexington and Concord. This segment is excellent as it blends Burns’ famous location shots with reenactors. But the real strength of the series is the paintings that play the role photography played in the Civil War series. The paintings include portraits of all the historical figures. I did not realize that you can find numerous paintings for a power point on the Revolution. Another strength are the maps. The effort put into them is clear. The maps are animated with arrows showing movement. They are great.

The series will not disappoint. (Unless you are British.) So far it has not been overly patriotic. In fact, it has emphasized some negative aspects of the Revolution. It is not interested in making the British the villains. So far, I have not noticed any link to our current political situation. The series does not make a great case for the rebellion. Taxation without representations get a shout out, but the episode does not debate the causes. Perhaps this will come in the Declaration of Independence segment. Based on the coverage of Lexington and Concord, I look forward to the other battles.

GRADE = A

THE 100 BEST WAR MOVIES - 81. The Devil’s Disciple (1959)

 

                “The Devil’s Disciple” was based on the George Bernard Shaw play.  The play was a strange choice for a movie considering Shaw did not like the play and never staged it in England.  Considering the Irishman’s view toward England, Shaw probably would have appreciated the movie.  The film was directed by Guy Hamilton (Seven Days in May) and stars Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and Laurence Olivier (billed in that order).  Olivier did not enjoy the experience and did not get along with his co-stars.  He would purposely get their names mixed up.  The movie was not a success.  Possibly because of the egregious tag line:  “Burt, Kirk, and Larry are coming – by George!”

            The movie opens with a nifty animated map explaining Burgoyne’s campaign to separate New England from the rest of the colonies by invading New York.  It summarizes the Revolutionary War as the “suppression of a rebellion” versus “the pursuit of liberty”.  The Reverend Anderson (Lancaster) attempts to prevent the execution of a rebel and then is prevented from giving the victim a Christian burial.  That night the rebel’s son Richard Dudgeon (Douglas) steals the body.  He’s a rogue who dresses like a dandy.  The title refers to him.  He is the opposite of the pacifist, moral Anderson.  Anderson’s wife Judith (Janette Scott) is repelled, yet intrigued by this bad boy.  When Gen. Burgoyne arrives, he insists on arresting Anderson for burying the rebel.  Dudgeon claims to be the Reverend and is found guilty in a trial.  Anderson leads the militia in an assault to rescue him.  Judith is torn between the two.

ACTING:                      A

ACTION:                      N/A

ACCURACY:                 N/A

PLOT:                            A

REALISM:                    B

CINEMATOGRAPY:   B

SCORE:                         B

BEST SCENE:  when Anderson blows up the gunpowder

BEST QUOTE:   Major Swindon:  What will history say, sir?

General Burgoyne:   History, sir, will tell lies, as usual!

                This is not your typical war movie.  However, it is certainly more warlike than the play.  The movie does a good job fitting some action in a the play that did not have any.  The movie is undoubtedly better than the play.  The acting is stellar, as can be expected.  Lancaster and Douglas made seven movies together and it looks like they are enjoying themselves.  While Olivier may not have enjoyed the experience, his mood was perfect for Burgoyne.  He probably found a kindred spirit in “Gentleman Johnny”.  He is wittically sarcastic.  Janette Scott is in over her head and if the movie was remade today, Lancaster and Douglas would go riding off into the sunset at the end.  The plot is fine even if Shaw was not proud of it.  Even lesser Shaw is still pretty darn good.  It is a bit predictable and simplistic.  When Anderson changes his personality to action hero, he also changes his clothes to buckskin.  The dialogue is outstanding, of course.  At the end of the film, someone asks Burgoyne what history will say about the events and he responds with:  “History will tell lies, as usual.”  Dudgeon gets some great lines in the trial.  The movie is a deft blend of romance, comedy, and action.  The action is surprisingly vigorous.   The rebel assault includes some effective cannon fire. 

            How accurate is it?  John Burgoyne was an actual figure and his personality is portrayed based on his reputation.  The Anderson character finds a loose equivalency in Peter Muhlenberg – the “Fighting Pastor of the Revolution”.  Muhlenberg was an Anglican minister who left his pulpit to command the 8^th Virginia Regiment.  Muhlenberg had been active in rebel politics before this so he did not have the transformation that Anderson undergoes.  The background of  Burgoyne’s campaign is a fairly good tutorial on what may have been the most important event in the Revolution.  Burgoyne did flounder in the American wilderness due to the recalcitrance of the rebels.  They did fell trees to slow the British.  The aftermath of the fictional events in Springtown is going to be the Battle of Saratoga.  The movie accurately reflects the divided loyalties among the colonists and the frustrations this created for the British.  Burgoyne is also frustrated by the lack of support from the British high command.  One theme that is very Shawian is the movie is critical of the clergy and religion.  It is a bit of a surprise that the screenwriters did not substitute action for the cynicism about religion.  Kudos on that.

            “The Devil’s Disciple” has its detractors, but I am not one of them.  To me it is a fun movie as evidenced by the unique animation.  Of course, it did not hurt that I am a huge fan of Lancaster and Douglas.  Throw in Olivier and I’m all in.  Besides, considering the paucity of movies about the Revolutionary War, you have to take what you can get.

You can watch it here:  The Devil's Disciple:   https://archive.org/details/ydd6673439