Pappy: The Life Of John Ford [Paperback]

Dan Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 22, 1998

Although he is best remembered for his classic westerns like Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Irish-American director John Ford (1895–1973) made 136 diverse films during his 51-year career, winning Oscars for The Informer, The Grapes of Wrath, The Battle of Midway, and The Quiet Man. A master of psychological manipulation, Ford had a knack for goading brilliant performances out of his actors, albeit often through intimidation and verbal abuse. In Pappy, Dan Ford, John's grandson, draws on the director's personal archives and on intimate reminiscences from his family and friends—including John Wayne, whose acting career Ford had launched, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and George O'Brien—to produce the most complete and honest portrait ever written of the man and his astonishing output. Pappy was often cantankerous, irascible, and drunk and rarely made time for his family, but few who worked with him could resist his appealing energy. This revealing biography brings John Ford to life while painting a vivid panoramic picture of Hollywood as well as of the American landscapes that he so dramatically evoked in his films.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

If there were a Mt. Rushmore of film directors, the face of John "Pappy" Ford would surely be on it. Few directors can match his record for number of Oscars and legendary films to his name. Though immediately associated with the Western, Ford also scored with his depictions of the Irish?he was born John Feeney to immigrant parents?as well as with war documentaries. As an artist he was flawless, but as this biography by his grandson amply shows, his personal life was sullied by hard drinking, preference for friends over family, and extramarital affairs. Drawing heavily from interviews with film cronies, including John Wayne, whom Ford discovered, the book was considered "lacking in critical analysis of the films" while praised for being "realistic and forthright in detailing Ford's character defects" (LJ 11/1/79). Essential for all film collections.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Dan Ford is a production manager/producer who has been active in the entertainment industry for twenty-five years. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kathy and their two daughters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (August 22, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306808757
• ISBN-13: 978-0306808753
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,081,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An intimate portrait of the fimmaker by his grandson, June 21, 2000

By 

Toshifumi Fujiwara (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pappy: The Life Of John Ford (Paperback)

John Ford is THE greatest film director of American Cinema, and perhaps one of the greatest artist of the 20th century. Yet his figure remains enigmatic, part of the reason is because this man never wanted to talk about himslef. This biography is a well-researched piece written by Ford's own grand son, who is also a film producer. As the director's relatibe, he had access to most of his personal papers, as well as interviews with Ford's many collaborators, which includes John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara and many others. It is a very good introduction about the man. I do not share the author's view about Ford's later works, and I have found some contradicting facts about the making of Cheyenne Autumn when I researched the atchive papers of Waraner Brothers, but these are details. This book is a bit sentimental, but so are many of the movies directed by the author's grandfather, so I think that's okay.