Sergeant York (1941)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Abem Finkel (screenplay) &
Harry Chandlee (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 September 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

America's Greatest Modern Hero! Timelier today than ever . . thrilling and inspiring story of the kind of men that America is made of!

Plot:

True story of a hillbilly sharpshooter drafted in WW1 despite his claim to be a pacifist, who ends up becoming a war hero.

Plot Keywords:

WWI | Turkey Shoot | Subway | Sunday School Teacher | Farm

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

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 (as Howard da Silva)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Cordell Hull
Harvey Stephens	...	Captain Danforth
David Bruce	...	Bert Thomas
Carl Esmond	...	German Major (as Charles Esmond)
Joe Sawyer	...	Sergeant Early (as Joseph Sawyer)
Pat Flaherty	...	Sergeant Harry Parsons
Robert Porterfield	...	Zeb Andrews
Erville Alderson	...	Nate Tomkins
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Murray Alper	...	Butt Boy (uncredited)
James Anderson	...	Eb (uncredited)
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Marten (bartender) (uncredited)
Sonny Bupp	...	Boy in Sunday school (uncredited)
Lucia Carroll	...	Saloon girl (uncredited)
Lane Chandler	...	Cpl. Savage (uncredited)
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Piano player (uncredited)
Roger Creed	...	Motorcycle soldier (uncredited)
Jean Del Val	...	Marshal Foch (uncredited)
Donald Douglas	...	Capt. Tillman (uncredited)
Charles Drake	...	Scorer (uncredited)
Roland Drew	...	Officer (uncredited)
Frank Faylen	...	Butt Boy (uncredited)
Jody Gilbert	...	Fat woman (uncredited)
Joseph W. Girard	...	Gen. John J. Pershing (uncredited)
Kit Guard	...	Soldier on rifle range (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Card player (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Associated Press man (uncredited)
Herbert Heywood	...	Man at church (uncredited)
Russell Hicks	...	General (uncredited)
George Irving	...	Harrison (uncredited)
Jane Isbell	...	Gracie's sister (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Gen. Duncan (uncredited)
Si Jenks	...	Man at church (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Oscar of the Waldorf (uncredited)
Victor Kilian	...	Andrews (uncredited)
Rita La Roy	...	Saloon girl (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe	...	Beardsley (uncredited)
Tully Marshall	...	Uncle Lige (uncredited)
Charles Middleton	...	Mountaineer (uncredited)
Frank Orth	...	Drummer (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton	...	Scorer (uncredited)
Jack Pennick	...	Cpl. Cutting (uncredited)
Walter Sande	...	Sergeant on march (uncredited)
Dick Simmons	...	Marching soldier (uncredited)
Kay Sutton	...	Saloon girl (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Marching soldier (uncredited)
Theodore von Eltz	...	Prison camp commander (uncredited)
Eddy Waller	...	Man at church (uncredited)
Lee 'Lasses' White	...	Luke (target keeper) (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson	...	Tom (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Turkey shoot participant (uncredited)
Douglas Wood	...	Maj. Hylan (uncredited)
Gig Young	...	Marching soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Howard Hawks

Writing credits
Abem Finkel		(screenplay) &
Harry Chandlee		(screenplay) and
Howard Koch		(screenplay) &
John Huston		(screenplay)
Alvin C. York		(diary) (as Sergeant York)
Tom Skeyhill		(diary editor)
Sam Cowan		uncredited

Produced by
Howard Hawks	....	producer
Jesse L. Lasky	....	producer
Hal B. Wallis	....	producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Sol Polito		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William Holmes

Art Direction by
John Hughes

Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Siegel	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Harper Goff	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound

Stunts
Roger Creed	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Mapes	....	stunt double: Gary Cooper (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Arthur Edeson	....	battle sequences photographer

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestral arranger

Other crew
Donoho Hall	....	technical advisor
Paul Walters	....	technical advisor (as Paul Walters Capt. F.A.R.)
William Yetter Sr.	....	technical advisor (as William Yetter)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1942) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Key Video (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (USA) (video)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (video rating) | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7090)

Filming Locations:

Burro Flats, Simi Hills, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Alvin C. York had been approached by producer Jesse Lasky several times, beginning in 1919, to allow a movie to be made of his life, but had refused, believing that "This uniform ain't for sale." Lasky convinced York that, with war threatening in Europe, it was his patriotic duty to allow the film to proceed. York finally agreed - but only on three conditions. First, York's share of the profits would be contributed to a Bible School York wanted constructed. Second, no cigarette smoking actress could be chosen to play his wife. Third, that only Gary Cooper, could recreate his life on screen. Cooper at first turned down the role, but when York himself contacted the star with a personal plea, Cooper agreed to do the picture.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Sgt. York is shown with his pistol shooting a line of German soldiers coming at him from front to back. In reality he shot them in a line from back to front as he quoted himself, "just like a flock of turkeys".

Quotes:

Alvin: I ain't a-goin' to war. War's killin', and the book's agin' killin! So war is agin' the book!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Warner at War (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Star-Spangled Banner

It all adds up to a great film

The authentic portrayal of mountain life, an honorable protagonist portrayed by a great actor in his finest role, hard decisions in the time of war mixed with a healthy dose of levity, not to mention an outstanding supporting cast are just a few of the reasons why this film has always been my favorite movie. I am aware that this was a WWII propaganda film but I'm just idealistic enough that I buy the whole package.