Summary
Alvin York a hillbilly sharpshooter transforms himself from ruffian to religious pacifist. He is then called to serve his country and despite deep religious and moral objections to fighting becomes one of the most celebrated American heroes of WWI.
Cast
Gary Cooper
Alvin C. York
Walter Brennan
Pastor Rosier Pile
Joan Leslie
Gracie Williams
George Tobias
"Pusher" Ross
Stanley Ridges
Major Buxton
Margaret Wycherly
Mother York
Ward Bond
Ike Botkin
Noah Beery Jr.
Buck Lipscomb
June Lockhart
Rosie York
Dickie Moore
George York
Clem Bevans
Zeke
Howard Da Silva
Lem
Charles Trowbridge
Cordell Hull
Harvey Stephens
Captain Danforth
David Bruce
Bert Thomas
Carl Esmond
German Major
Joe Sawyer
Sergeant Early
Pat Flaherty
Sergeant Harry Parsons
Robert Porterfield
Zeb Andrews
Erville Alderson
Nate Tomkins
Murray Alper
But! Boy (uncredited)
Frank Faylen
But! Boy (uncredited)
James Anderson
Eb (uncredited)
Arthur Aylesworth
Marten - Bartender (uncredited)
Eugene Beday
Private (uncredited)
James Bush
Private (uncredited)
Victor Zimmerman
Private (uncredited)
Sonny Bupp
Boy in Sunday School (uncredited)
Sammy McKim
Boy (uncredited)
Nat Carr
Reporter (uncredited)
John Dilson
Reporter (uncredited)
Eddie Graham
Reporter (uncredited)
Al Lloyd
Reporter (uncredited)
Frank Mayo
Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Mower
Reporter (uncredited)
Lucia Carroll
Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Rita La Roy
Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Kay Sutton
Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Lane Chandler
Corporal Savage (uncredited)
Jack Pennick
Corporal Cutting (uncredited)
Elisha Cook Jr.
Piano Player (uncredited)
Clyde Cook
Cockney Soldier (uncredited)
Will Stanton
Cockney Soldier (uncredited)
Ray Cooke
Orderly (uncredited)
Paul Phillips
Orderly (uncredited)
Roger Creed
Motorcycle Soldier (uncredited)
Jean Del Val
Marshal Foch (uncredited)
Donald Douglas
Captain Tillman (uncredited)
Charles Drake
Scorer (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton
Scorer (uncredited)
Roland Drew
Officer (uncredited)
William Forrest
Officer (uncredited)
Arno Frey
German Soldier (uncredited)
Rolf Lindau
German Soldier (uncredited)
Sigfrid Tor
German Soldier (uncredited)
William Yetter Sr.
German Soldier (uncredited)
Frederick Giermann
German Lieutenant (uncredited)
Jody Gilbert
Fat Woman (uncredited)
Joseph W. Girard
General John J. Pershing (uncredited)
Russell Hicks
General (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson
General Duncan (uncredited)
Kit Guard
Soldier on Rifle Range (uncredited)
Ted Mapes
Soldier in Trench (uncredited)
William Haade
Card Player (uncredited)
Creighton Hale
Associated Press Man (uncredited)
Henry Hall
Mountaineer (uncredited)
Frank McGlynn Sr.
Mountaineer (uncredited)
Charles Middleton
Mountaineer (uncredited)
Herbert Heywood
Man at Church (uncredited)
Si Jenks
Man at Church (uncredited)
Robert Milasch
Man at Church (uncredited)
Eddy Waller
Man at Church (uncredited)
George Irving
Harrison (uncredited)
Jane Isbell
Gracie's Sister (uncredited)
Edward Keane
Oscar of the Waldorf (uncredited)
Victor Kilian
Andrews (uncredited)
Joe King
Draft Board Chairman (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe
Beardsley (uncredited)
Tully Marshall
Uncle Lige (uncredited)
Patrick McVey
Spoldier (uncredited)
Wallace Scott
Spoldier (uncredited)
Frank Orth
Drummer (uncredited)
William Phillips
Sergeant (uncredited)
Harry Strang
Sergeant (uncredited)
Pat West
Sergeant (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox
Sergeant (uncredited)
Walter Sande
Sergeant on March (uncredited)
Mickey Rentschler
Zeb's Brother (uncredited)
Dick Simmons
Marching Soldier (uncredited)
Ray Teal
Marching Soldier (uncredited)
Gig Young
Marching Soldier (uncredited)
Edwin Stanley
Editor (uncredited)
Theodore von Eltz
Prison Camp Commander (uncredited)
Lee 'Lasses' White
Luke - Target Keeper (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson
Tom (uncredited)
Tom Wilson
Turkey Shoot Participant (uncredited)
Douglas Wood
Major Hylan (uncredited)
Crew
Director
Howard Hawks
Screenplay
Howard Koch
Screenplay
John Huston
Screenplay
Abem Finkel
Screenplay
Harry Chandlee
Story Editor
Tom Skeyhill
Writer
Alvin C. York
Reviews
John Chard
April 14, 2019
10
Just like a turkey shoot!
Alvin York of Tennessee was a simple backwoods farm boy who liked a drink and a scrap, then one day, fuelled by drink and anger in his heart, an event gave him religion and a new found respect for life. However, the advent of World War 1, and his subsequent call to duty, tore his pacifist state of mind apart, torn between a patriotic sense of duty and his religious beliefs, Alvin York of Tennessee was to become the name on everyone's lips in 1918.
Sergeant York is pretty much close to being the perfect template for biography movies. It stands out (as it stands up proud) because the makers have the willingness to tell the tale from the humble beginnings of the central protagonist. They then ease it through to the end without feeling the need to rush there. Some allegations of it being a tad slow for its own good may well be valid, but for those of us who crave ultimate detail and flesh on the bones of main characters, well Sergeant York is a peerless joy. By the time that the critical point in York's life is realised, we the audience care so much because we have been party to his life story. From hard working farm boy to falling in love with Gracie, and onto his World War 1 heroics, Alvin York feels like one of us because of the work that all involved have done here.
Producer Jesse Lasky literally spent years trying to persuade the real life York into letting him film his story, the humble and modest Tennessean kept refusing until finally relenting with some conditions. One was that the proceeds go to charity (truly befitting the man that), two was that a non-smoking actress play his wife Gracie, and another that Gary Cooper play the title role!, well he got his wishes, and what a result it turned out to be. Cooper was initially against taking the job but soon relented after a meeting with York himself. Cooper then requested that Howard Hawks direct, which turned out to be the case - but only after the studio failed to attract Michael Curtiz, Henry Koster and a few other notable directors of the time.
As it turned out this was a perfect subject for Hawks, Alvin York boasting all the human traits in a man that Hawks admired, and with Gary Cooper operating on full tilt the resulting picture is a stirring emotive classic that never falls to gung-ho over bearing theatrics. In fact the critical war sequences here are wonderfully subtle. Backing Hawks up is the excellent Sol Polito, whose photography is precious - have a look at one scene as York sits on a cliff edge with his hound, contemplating his being in the war, it's shot in half silhouette and just gives me tingles on my spine.
Critics of the time were mixed on Sergeant York, and many people felt that the film was over propagandist in its aims?, well time has been kind to the film and personally I find the story, and the technical brilliance on show, to be truly remarkable. 10/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$1,400,000.00
Revenue:
$16,361,885.00
Keywords
Recommendations
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Coming Home
Angels with Dirty Faces
Flowers and Trees
Death of a Cyclist
The Fallen Idol
Damn Yankees
You Can't Take It with You
Five Easy Pieces
To Have and Have Not
On Chesil Beach
The Bouncer
The Red Shoes
The Hustler
Thunderball
Roman Holiday
Stalker
Singin' in the Rain
