Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Lamar Trotti (screenplay) and
Sonya Levien (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

10 November 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War | Western

Tagline:

Red-Blooded DRAMA !

Plot:

In Revolutionary America, Gil Martin takes his new wife Lana back to his farm in upstate New York. The...

Plot Keywords:

New York | Farm | Fort | Widow | Farmer

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

US TV Schedule:

Sat. June 9

10:00 PM

TCM

Cast

Claudette Colbert	...	Lana (Magdelana)
Henry Fonda	...	Gilbert Martin
Edna May Oliver	...	Mrs. McKlennar
Eddie Collins	...	Christian Reall
John Carradine	...	Caldwell
Dorris Bowdon	...	Mary Reall
Jessie Ralph	...	Mrs. Weaver
Arthur Shields	...	Rev. Rosenkrantz
Robert Lowery	...	John Weaver
Roger Imhof	...	Gen. Nicholas Herkimer
Francis Ford	...	Joe Boleo
Ward Bond	...	Adam Hartman
Kay Linaker	...	Mrs. Demooth
Russell Simpson	...	Dr. Petry
Spencer Charters	...	Innkeeper
Si Jenks	...	Jacob Small
Jack Pennick	...	Amos Hartman (as J. Ronald Pennick)
Arthur Aylesworth	...	George Weaver
Chief John Big Tree	...	Blue Back (as Chief Big Tree)
Charles Tannen	...	Dr. Robert Johnson
Paul McVey	...	Capt. Mark Demooth
Tiny Jones	...	Mrs. Reall (as Elizabeth Jones)
Beulah Hall Jones	...	Daisy
Edwin Maxwell	...	Rev. Daniel Gros
Robert Greig	...	Mr. Borst
Clara Blandick	...	Mrs. Borst
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Baker	...	Commander of Colonial Troops (uncredited)
Noble Johnson	...	Native American (uncredited)
Payne B. Johnson	...	Boy in Wedding (uncredited)
Mae Marsh	...	Pioneer Woman (uncredited)
Lionel Pape	...	General (uncredited)
Tom Tyler	...	Capt. Morgan (uncredited)
Clarence Wilson	...	Paymaster (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Lamar Trotti		(screenplay) and
Sonya Levien		(screenplay)
Walter D. Edmonds		(novel)
William Faulkner		(contributor to treatment) uncredited &
Bess Meredyth		(contributor to treatment) uncredited

Produced by
Raymond Griffith	....	associate producer
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Bert Glennon		(director of photography)
Ray Rennahan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert L. Simpson		(as Robert Simpson)

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Mark-Lee Kirk

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Gwen Wakeling

Makeup Department
Ann Barr	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Irene Beshon	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Marie Brasselle	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Robert Cowan	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Steve Drumm	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Myrtle Ford	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Newton House	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Norbert Miles	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ralph Dietrich	....	production manager (uncredited)
W.F. Fitzgerald	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
Robert E. Goux	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
Bernard McEveety	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
F.E. Johnson	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Edward O'Fearna	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Wingate Smith	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Joe Behm	....	props (uncredited)
Stanley Detlie	....	assistant propman (uncredited)
Fred J. Rode	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Tom Shaw	....	assistant propman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
E. Clayton Ward	....	sound
Harry M. Leonard	....	cable person (uncredited)
Robert Parrish	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Harry Roberts	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Harold A. Root	....	assistant sound (uncredited)
Mert Strong	....	cable person (uncredited)

Stunts
Jackie Hamblin	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alfred Baalas	....	film loader: Technicolor (uncredited)
Charles Bohny	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Fritz Borsch	....	camera maintenance: Technicolor (uncredited)
Nelson Cordes	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
John Grady	....	best boy (uncredited)
John Gustafson	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Fred Hall	....	gaffer (uncredited)
John Lees	....	assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited)
Phil Mandella	....	grip (uncredited)
Frank Powolny	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Irving Rosenberg	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gwen Wakeling	....	costumes
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ollie Hughes	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Joe Kane	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Harry Kernell	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
George Koich	....	tailor (uncredited)
Norman Martien	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Josephine Perrin	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Robert Varnado	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Grace Wilson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mary Crumley	....	assistant cutter: Technicolor (uncredited)
Jack Wells	....	assistant cutter: Technicolor (uncredited)

Music Department
David Buttolph	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	musical director (uncredited)
Frank Tresselt	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Henri Jaffa	....	associate Technicolor director
Natalie Kalmus	....	Technicolor director
Thornton Edwards	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Harold Lloyd Morris	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Henry J. Staudigl	....	continuity: Technicolor (uncredited)
Meta Stern	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century-Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (released through) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Fox Films (1940) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Centfox (1949) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• 20th Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Key Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Darryl F. Zanuck's Production of Drums Along the Mohawk" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:Approved (Certificate #5530) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Australia:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2004) | UK:PG (tv rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Duck Creek, Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

John Ford's first film in color.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gil is running to the next fort for help he crosses a stream with the 3 Indians in hot pursuit. The next scene shows him running into the woods and his pant legs are completely dry.

Quotes:

Reverend Rosenkrantz:Any man failing to report to duty will be promptly hanged. Amen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Ford (1973) (TV)

Soundtrack:

America, My Country Tis of Thee

An Exception To a Rule About American History Films

It is a strange truism about films concerning American History. While some of those films dealing with the Civil War are great ("The General", "Gone With The Wind") or highly respectable ("The Raid", "Gettysburg", "Glory"), this is less true about films about the American Revolution. It's a sad or mediocre commentary. D.W.Griffith's first great feature length film was the controversial - pro K.K.K film: "The Birth OF A Nation". No matter how you hate the film's racism, it's innovation make it a film landmark. But his attempt at a Revolution film, America, was a flop. Just see the titles: "America", "The Howards Of Virginia", "The Devil's Desciple" (slightly better due to its star cast, especially Olivier as "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne), "John Paul Jones", "Lafayette", "Revolution". There are two exceptions. The musical "1776" was a good film, and (despite some historical errors) told the story of the creation of the Declaration of Independence pretty well. This film is the other. It is the only film by John Ford set in the American Revolution (he was more at home in the Indian Wars of the 1870s). It is in glorious color for a 1939 film. It has a dandy cast from Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert as the young married couple, to Edna Mae Oliver, Ward Bond, Arthur Shields, and John Carridine (except that his motivation as a Tory is never developed - possibly his scenes were cut in the editing).

Perhaps it was the source. Walter D. Edmonds is a forgotten writer today, but when I was growing up in the 1960s his novels, "Drums Along The Mohawk" and "Chad Hanna", were still published and read. Interestingly Henry Fonda was also in the film version of that latter novel. Edwards was a regional historical writer (which may explain his contemporary oblivion). All his novels are set in upstate New York, "Chad Hanna" being set in the 1830s. "Drums Along The Mohawk deals with the warfare between settlers in Western New York and the Six Nations of the Iroquois Indians, the latter allied with Tories. It is a grueling warfare - culminating in the battle of Oriskany, where American troops literally slugged it out in forest fighting with the Indians. Commanded by General Nicholas Herkimer (Ralph Imhof in the film)the Americans barely won the battle. Herkimer died of his wounds a few days later (movingly captured in the movie). He is honored today by a county upstate named for him. These events occurred in 1777, and the film seems to end in 1779. It ends with the settlers of the Mohawk River Valley triumphing over the Tories and Indians. What is not shown is what really crushed the Indians - Washington sent General John Sullivan into the area, and in a foreshadowing of the scorched earth policies of General William Tecumseh Sherman, Sullivan burned the Iroquois villages to the ground. It is not a pretty story now, but in that period Sullivan was considered a national hero. Ford does not even touch on that aspect. Probably just as well. But what he does show is first rate Ford, and we are all grateful for that.