Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

bombersflyup Sergeant York is amazingly both laughable and wondrous.The first portion of the film is like watching neanderthals. See girl, have girl, no real dialogue and now they are to be married. The writing is horrible throughout, yet it was still able to draw me in. It's quite sad to see what the world has become, when I see a film like this. The simplicity of it all, what a splendid sight, but I cannot just look past all that is wrong with the film for the good in it. I know this film was made because he was a war hero, but the last third only hindered it for me. Cary Cooper is a wonderful actor though and could of definitely used some support here.

weezeralfalfa Reported to be Gary Cooper's favorite film role, and probably mine as well. In the charisma department, he is abetted by the presence of Walter Brennan, made up to look older than his 47 years. Brennan plays the local parson and store keeper for this rustic community of farmers. He appears to be one of the few of this community who has had significant "book larnin'". Periodically, he showed up to discuss Alvin's problems and philosophy relating to religion and violence.Margaret Wycherly plays Alvin's aged widowed mother, with big soulful eyes, mostly silent and slow to move around. She would play Ma Forrester 5 years later, in "The Yearling" : a very similar type of role, in another rustic setting. Both Brennan and Margaret would receive Best Supporting Actor nominations for their performances in this film. Incidentally, Clem Bevans, who played the minor character of Zeke, would play Pa Forrester in "The Yearling": a very distinctive character.Ex-Little Rascal Dickie Moore played Alvin's kid brother, George. He was the same age as Joan Leslie, who played Alvin's girlfriend and future wife, Gracie. Thus, based purely upon age, George and Gracie seemed a much more likely couple than Alvin and Gracie. 40 year old Cooper came across as more appropriate as her father. Joan was the same age as the real Gracie at this time. The real Alvin was 30: a much more common age spread than the 24 years spread between Cooper and Joan. In those days, a young man often had to wait until he was 25-30 or so before he had the financial means to support a family. In Alvin's case, he also was the sole support of his mother and young siblings. Also, in those days, rural women often were worn out before their time, birthing babies, along with their many indoor and outdoor chores. When looking for a replacement wife, a man often looked for a young woman who was looking for security.The balance between Alvin's civilian and military lives I though was about right. This is not primarily a war movie, although Alvin's fame derived from one war incident, in which he along with 7 privates captured 132 Germans, along with killing a bunch. I thought the battle scenes in recreating this accomplishment were well done. The dismal trench warfare of the western front cried out for a few publicized heros. Alvin wanted to forget about the war as soon as possible, saying he wasn't especially proud of what he had done over there. It was just a job, to reduce the killing. To have cut short his civilian life would have much reduced the general appeal of the film. Like the later "The Yearling", it gives a somewhat authentic snapshot of a segment of Americana early in the 20th century that most urban people had never encountered. York made various demands upon his agreement to sell the rights to his story. Firstly, his share of the profits would go to a bible school. Also, the actress who portrayed his wife must be wholesome, a non-smoker and non-drinker. Third, the screenplay must depict both the good and bad in his character. Fourth, Gary Cooper must play him. In fact, Cooper initially declined the role, and was only persuaded to accept it after meeting Alvin. Alvin had been subjected to repeated pleas to film his life since just after the war. It was only the beginning of WWII that induced him to agree. The Warners were vehemently anti-fascist and anti-communist. I have proposed elsewhere that several Warner-produced Errol Flynn films in the late '30s and 1940 likely had an intended anti-fascist subliminal message. Beginning in '41, this was transformed into 2 flag-waving biops relating the WWI, intended to promote acceptance of the eventual necessity of a formal entry of the US into the war. The other such film was "Yankee Doodle Dandy", released the following year. Warner later produced several musicals that were also blatant war propaganda films. This includes "This is the Army", "Thank Your Lucky Stars" and "Hollywood Canteen". They also released a number of WWII-related Errol Flynn war films during the war, along with "Casablanca".The present film and 'Yankee Doodle Dandy" share a number of similarities besides being nostalgic biop flag-wavers. Joan Leslie was the leading lady in both. Cooper and Cagney were both 40 or so, thus much older than the subjects they represented as well as the 16-17 year old Joan. Both were more than 2 hours long(too long for some, but I didn't think so), about 30 min longer than most feature films. Both were either the top or near top box office earners of the year. In both, the flag-waving aspect was diluted by copious time devoted to other matters.My title is taken from the last line in the film

tavm I had first watched this during the early '80s on TBS when the station was presenting it on their Academy Award Theatre on Sunday morning. It was my first time of watching a Gary Cooper movie. It was also my first time seeing the true story of World War I patriot Alvin York, from his Tennessee background to his Hell-raising to his conversion to religion to his attempt to avoid combat because of it and then his heroism after he realizes how important his defense is to the good of his country. The film is humorous in spots, romantic when York courts Gracie Williams, touchingly played by luminous Joan Leslie, dramatically intense in the battle scenes, and touchingly heartwarming when the results reach the end. Is it possible this film was made to prepare men to go to battle again in another World War? Yes, it might've been propaganda for that. Still, Sergeant York is such an entertaining and inspirational movie, one forgives some bout of glory-mongering that might have crept in. Walter Brennan was also good as York's religious mentor. And Cooper deserved his first Oscar for this role. So on that note, Sergeant York is still highly recommended. P.S. The reason I watched this again was because I recently started watching the Our Gang shorts-some for the second or third time-in chronological order for review on this site and also other films some of their members appeared in the same way though this one is way ahead of the shorts I'm currently reviewing. So former OG member Dickie Moore plays Alvin's teenaged brother George here. He previously played Cooper as a young boy as the title character in Peter Ibbetson. I always like citing when players from my favorite movie-It's a Wonderful Life-appear in other films so that's Ward Bond as one of York's carousing friends at the bar. The other one was Noah Berry Jr. who is probably best known as Jim Rockford's father in "The Rockford Files". And the commentary on the DVD I watched this on was provided by Jeanine Basinger who does a wonderful job of providing info not only on York but also the people behind this film.

Tad Pole . . . as every corporal has his day, but Sgt. Early becomes a late non-commissioned officer. SERGEANT YORK depicts a "feel good" conflict; war at its best, as comrades who've just had their brains blown out by artillery shell shrapnel are accused of napping on the job, mortally wounded men spin in 540-degree pirouettes straight off the ballet stage as they succumb, and war criminals identify themselves immediately when questioned in a language they can't comprehend so they can be executed on the spot. (No drawn out trials, conflicted defense lawyers, or hangings for them; No Siree, just a quick bullet in their back.) Everything is done by the book, and that Book is the Bible. Hardened German infantry troops are not quite as smart was wild American turkeys, giving an experienced gobbler slayer from Tennessee's Daniel Boone Country a distinct advantage. Going from a Conscientious Objector applicant to America's most decorated WWI hero is kind of like one person going from being Cassius Clay to being Colin Powell. According to this movie, SERGEANT YORK, Corporal Alvin Cullum York's real life war exploits were far easier than making a living on his Tennessee farm. As today's economy reduces millions of Americans to Alvin's Pre-War economic status, expect to see scores more Sergeant Yorks emerging from the woodwork.