BLOG- JOHN FORD John Ford was one of the greatest film directors. His dramas and
westerns rank among the best films ever made. In 1967 he was invited
to the international film festival at the World's Fair in Montreal.
Having obtained certification from the festival, I attended his press
conference, held around a huge table in the key hotel for the
festival. He had made the landmark western STAGECOACH (1939) that made
a star of John Wayne so I asked him if he had seen the remake that had
been made the year before. He got visibly angry and asked me if I had
and if so what I thought of it. I had, and answered something I don't
exactly recall but had him and the press crowd laughing. I didn't like
the remake. After the press conference he asked me if I had some time and would I
like to go up to his hotel room and talk some more. We spoke of his
career of course and of some of my favorite Ford films, especially HOW
GREEN WAS MY VALLEY, one of the best films, period, THE GRAPES OF
WRATH and others. He had won an unprecendented four Academy Awards for
directing. Ingmar Bergman and Frank Capra said he was the best of all
directors. He spoke of Hollywood, in non-glowing terms. While he didn't know of
my interest in animation, he said Hollywood spawned only two geniuses,
Walt Disney and Charlie Chaplin. We seemed to get along well, the
great figure and the university student and he asked me if I would
come again the next day between his appointments. I did with a friend
to take photos and I brought some original 1939 Stagecoach lobby cards
for him to sign which he did very generously. Ford had a reputation for being difficult and crochety even in his
younger days. He did not suffer fools gladly, shall we say. One of the
best stories has him directing on location and some studio suits show
up to complain that he was overschedule, about four days behind. The
rule of thumb was it usually took a day to shoot one page of script.
Ford listened, called over the script girl, took her copy of the
script, counted out and tore out four pages, announced they were now
back on schedule, and carried on with the scene being shot.
•
• Another story has Ford directing the actress Loretta Young, who
carried with her a small box. Whenever someone would swear on the set
she would collect 25 cents from them and one assumes, gave it to
charity. Feisty John Ford once said two bad words. She came up to him
at the next opportunity to collect 50 cents. He gave her a dollar. She
said she had no change. He said “that's okay, you %#^&! #(*%#! and
got his dollar's worth. But he was nice to me, when he didn't have to pay me the time of day,
and this leads to another aspect of my meeting John Ford that I have
never told publicly but which I think he wouldn't mind my saying as it
brings balance to his persona and character. On the second visit he
seemed sad and told me that his daughter was very ill. He gave no
details but told me that many years earlier his wife had been
seriously ill. John Ford made a pilgrimage to the Basilica of
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre and prayed for his wife's recovery, which came
to be. He wanted to return on behalf of his daughter. He had no way to
get there, about 35 miles northeast of Quebec City, nor did he want
his handlers to know about it. He asked if I would take him the
Saturday morning coming up, that being a free day for him. I made the arrangements but got a call from him late Friday to say
that he could not go. His handlers refused to let him go. Their reason
was that it was unthinkable that John Ford might die in a car crash
with some nobody. He thanked me but it was clear that he was very
disappointed. While I only met with him a few times, he made as deep
an impression on me as do his films to this day.
westerns rank among the best films ever made. In 1967 he was invited
to the international film festival at the World's Fair in Montreal.
Having obtained certification from the festival, I attended his press
conference, held around a huge table in the key hotel for the
festival. He had made the landmark western STAGECOACH (1939) that made
a star of John Wayne so I asked him if he had seen the remake that had
been made the year before. He got visibly angry and asked me if I had
and if so what I thought of it. I had, and answered something I don't
exactly recall but had him and the press crowd laughing. I didn't like
the remake. After the press conference he asked me if I had some time and would I
like to go up to his hotel room and talk some more. We spoke of his
career of course and of some of my favorite Ford films, especially HOW
GREEN WAS MY VALLEY, one of the best films, period, THE GRAPES OF
WRATH and others. He had won an unprecendented four Academy Awards for
directing. Ingmar Bergman and Frank Capra said he was the best of all
directors. He spoke of Hollywood, in non-glowing terms. While he didn't know of
my interest in animation, he said Hollywood spawned only two geniuses,
Walt Disney and Charlie Chaplin. We seemed to get along well, the
great figure and the university student and he asked me if I would
come again the next day between his appointments. I did with a friend
to take photos and I brought some original 1939 Stagecoach lobby cards
for him to sign which he did very generously. Ford had a reputation for being difficult and crochety even in his
younger days. He did not suffer fools gladly, shall we say. One of the
best stories has him directing on location and some studio suits show
up to complain that he was overschedule, about four days behind. The
rule of thumb was it usually took a day to shoot one page of script.
Ford listened, called over the script girl, took her copy of the
script, counted out and tore out four pages, announced they were now
back on schedule, and carried on with the scene being shot.
•
• Another story has Ford directing the actress Loretta Young, who
carried with her a small box. Whenever someone would swear on the set
she would collect 25 cents from them and one assumes, gave it to
charity. Feisty John Ford once said two bad words. She came up to him
at the next opportunity to collect 50 cents. He gave her a dollar. She
said she had no change. He said “that's okay, you %#^&! #(*%#! and
got his dollar's worth. But he was nice to me, when he didn't have to pay me the time of day,
and this leads to another aspect of my meeting John Ford that I have
never told publicly but which I think he wouldn't mind my saying as it
brings balance to his persona and character. On the second visit he
seemed sad and told me that his daughter was very ill. He gave no
details but told me that many years earlier his wife had been
seriously ill. John Ford made a pilgrimage to the Basilica of
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre and prayed for his wife's recovery, which came
to be. He wanted to return on behalf of his daughter. He had no way to
get there, about 35 miles northeast of Quebec City, nor did he want
his handlers to know about it. He asked if I would take him the
Saturday morning coming up, that being a free day for him. I made the arrangements but got a call from him late Friday to say
that he could not go. His handlers refused to let him go. Their reason
was that it was unthinkable that John Ford might die in a car crash
with some nobody. He thanked me but it was clear that he was very
disappointed. While I only met with him a few times, he made as deep
an impression on me as do his films to this day.
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