About John Ford [Hardcover]

Lindsay Anderson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 1996

The career of John Ford, considered by some to be America’s greatest film director, spanned nearly half a century. With masterpieces like Stagecoach, The Informer, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Searchers, he was one of the world’s most popular filmmakers and one of the most universally admired. About John Ford is a critical interpretation and a personal tribute. Lindsay Anderson’s comprehensive survey of Ford’s work has the authority of a writer who was himself a distinguished filmmaker, and the portrait that emerges has the vividness and warmth of friendship. “About John Ford leaves no room for challenge.” — David Robinson, The Times (London)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'About as good a book on Ford as one can get ... Superb.' -- Film Review, March 2000

'No master of the cinema ever had a more just disciple to spread the word and the image.' -- The Evening Standard

Welcome new edition of this classic study of one of America's greatest directors ... Probably the finest book by a film-maker on a film-maker. -- Uncut Magazine, January 2000 --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Plexus Publishing (June 12, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0859650138
• ISBN-13: 978-0859650137
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,008,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for Ford fans-and any film library, August 2, 2000

By 

PonyExpress (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: About John Ford (Paperback)

I've just finished this, and I have to agree with a critic who reviewed "About John Ford" for the Times of London: 'One of the best books published by a filmmaker on a filmmaker'. It certainly is. The author, Lindsay Anderson, was himself a distinguished director("O Lucky Man!"; "If"), a longtime admirer of the films of John Ford-and a damn fine writer on the subject. Anderson uses clear and thoughtful prose and a great, copious selection of stills to illustrate his take on many Ford movies-from his classics such as "The Searchers" to less often discussed titles("They Were Expendable"; the silents). Not a dull page in the book(not always the case with film studies!). Lots of humor. Great frankness. And best of all, several chapters detailing interviews and encounters Anderson had with "the old man"-priceless stories that give the reader a real flavor of Ford-for better or worse. Reading this book produces two tremendous urges: first, to watch all the films discussed again; and second-to make movies. A classic.

5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Hard Book to Read, October 22, 2002

By 

CJS (Hagerstown, MD USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: About John Ford (Paperback)

This book contains a great deal of information about John Ford, including interviews that the author actually conducted with Ford. This is great because Ford was such a difficult interviewee. There are tons of stills from the film. However, a great deal of time was devoted to the film They Were Expendable and just a few sentences to the Ford film that won more Oscars than any of the others - How Green Was My Valley.

However, the thing I found most difficult, which was not the author's fault, was the typesetting and such. I had the paperback edition and feel the type font size could have been one point larger. In addition, paragraphs and paragraphs were printed in italics to indicate material added at a later date. This was very difficult to read and some other solution should have been found as italics should only be used for emphasis. I just found the book very difficult to read because of the format.

0 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fair, January 8, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: About John Ford (Hardcover)

I haven't read this book yet