Drums Along the Mohawk

19 Replies

I love movies and have a special love for classic films. Even though they do not have the special effects of modern films they often make up for it with the writing, acting, and cinematography. The film makers of those days had to work harder to create the effects with set decoration, lighting, music, and the acting itself. There are times when I watch a modern film with all the bells and whistles of computer generated effects and feel that that is all that is carrying the picture. Like “where’s the beef? ”

Via Jack T You Tube:

A classic film I just watched again is Drums Along the Mohawk, (in color), based on the novel by Walter D. Edmonds, starring Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert about the first pioneer American settlers of the Mohawk Valley in New York State. William Faulkner was an uncredited contributor to the screen play. It takes place during American Revolutionary War times. I was reminded about this film by the blog Cinematically Insane.  The restored film was chosen to be among those shown at the 53rd Annual New York Film Festival this year. The settlers have a beef with the British (The Revolutionary War) and some of the Native Americans the British have convinced to fight with them. John Ford is the director. I am a big fan of John Ford movies and the cast is made up of some of his regulars like Ward Bond, Chief John Big Tree, Francis Ford, and Arthur Shields. Edna May Oliver is very funny as the widow Mrs. Mc Klennar. There is a scene where two Seneca braves raid her house and she orders them to carry her bed downstairs before burning down her house. The film is not historically correct in that the Seneca did not raid with the British in the Mohawk Valley. But the British did send in a small force. There is a battle that the local militia men are involved in in the movie which is based on the Battle of Oriskany (1777) which was one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War.  I love the performances of many of these great character actors. I have wanted a copy of the film for a while. After seeing the post about the film’s screening at the festival I decided to order it, and I did.

This is the original trailer for the film and I do not know why it is in black and white via retrotrailer on You Tube:

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19 thoughts on “Drums Along the Mohawk”

  5. morgaine620

    Ironic:they just showed it here on TV but I haven’t seen it. I’m more into comedies and am a huge fan of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg since I worked in a DVD shop and a co-worker suggested “Shan of the Dead” to me. And funnily my now husband is a fan too. Life is funny so.etimes 🙂 Hope you have a lovely Sunday.

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    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      That is a coincidence that the movie was just shown in your country. I like comedies as well. I think I have heard of that movie Shan of the Dead. My husband and I both love to watch DVDs and we have a large library of them. Lately we have been watching Star Trek TNG. We are both big Star Trek fans. We just saw The Martian which was quite an adventure survival story.

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      1. morgaine620

        We don’t watch a lot of films mainly because the husband is a bit picky with them. It doesn’t matter too much to me because I prefer books anyway. But I love Star Trek and used to watch all the series. Now I’m into Grimm and other supernatural series :-).

        Liked by 1 person

      3. morgaine620

        In a way it’s better this way because you can chose what you like and not “have to” watch what TV stations offer you. I watch Grimm on Amazon Prime even though I am not too comfortable with supporting Amazon that much. But I decided I wanted it to spoil myself a little. Sometimes you have to compromise 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Jenn

    Wow, I’ve never heard of that movie. Thanks for the suggestion. I love old films. Some of my favorites are All About Eve, Sabrina, Roman Holiday, Carmen Jones, and The Women. Like you said, no bells and whistles for the actors to fall back on, just great scripts and great acting!

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    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      The films you mentioned are good ones as well. The Women movie I am thinking about is the one about the women who go on a wagon train out west to meet their husbands. They were recruited due to the shortage of women in the west.

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      1. Jenn

        The Women movie I’m thinking of has all women, no men in the entire film from start to finish. It’s a big scandal surrounding one of the women getting a divorce. Really funny.

        Liked by 1 person

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