On the track of Mohawks ( Drums Along the Mohawk ) is an American film carried out by John Ford, left in 1939.

Synopsis

1776. Lana Martin follows her husband Gilbert “Gil” Martin to live with him in the Mohawak Valley. The British royalist (the Torie S), represented by Caldwell, use the Indians Cherokee to put the valley at fire and blood and to drive out the American colonists. The farm of Lana and Gilbert is the first with being burned…

Data sheet

• Title: On the track of the Mohawks
• original Title: Drums Along the Mohawk
• Realization: John Ford
• Scenario: Lamar Trotti, Sonya Levien and William Faulkner
• Production: Darryl F. Zanuck and Raymond Griffith
• Production company: Twentieth Century Fox
• Music: Alfred Newman
• Photography: Bert Glennon and Ray Rennahan
• Assembly: Robert L. Simpson
• Country of origin: the United States
• Format: Colors - Mono - 35 mm
• Kind: Western
• Lasted: 103 minutes
• Coming out date: 1939

Distribution

• Claudette Colbert : Lana Martin
• Henry Founded: Gilbert “Gil” Martin
• Edna May Oliver: Mrs. McKlennar
• Eddie Hakes: Christian Reall
• John Carradine: Caldwell
• Dorris Bowdon : Mary Reall
• Jessie Ralph : Mrs. Weaver
• Arthur Shields: Rev. Rosenkrantz
• Robert Lowery: John Weaver
• Roger Imhof: Gen. Nicholas Herkimer
• Francis Ford: Joe Boleo
• Ward Jump: Adam Hartmann
• Kay Linaker: Mrs. Demooth
• Russell Simpson : Dr. Petry
• Spencer Charters: Innkeeper
• If Jenks: Jacob Small
• Jack Pennick: Amos Hartmann (ace J. Ronald Pennick)
• Arthur Aylesworth: George Weaver
• Chief John Big Tree: Blue Back (ace Chief Big Tree)
• Charles Tannen: Dr. Robert Johnson
• Paul McVey: Capt. Mark Demooth
• Tiny Jones: Mrs. Reall (ace Elizabeth Jones)
• Beulah Hall Jones: Daisy
• Edwin Maxwell: Rev. Daniel Gros
• Robert Greig: Mr. Borst
• Clara Blandick: Mrs. Borst

Around film

• Turning in the Wabash Mountains and with Cedar City in the Utah of June 28th at the end of August 1939.

• Henry King had been had a presentiment of to carry out film.
• First color film of John Ford. The use of the color makes it possible to the realizer to carry out one of his dreams: to film fire. Fire is present everywhere in film: fire of chimney, fire of the torches, farms and fields on fire, fire of the arrows, bûchers, explosion, and fire of the twilight and the dawn.
• the opening testifies to a great dramatic control. The film starts where finish usually a history: by a marriage. In some plans, the time of the way towards the valley of Mohawak, one passes from the joy and unconcern to terror. During the voyage, vain city of Albany to a wild valley, Lana is initially disturbed by flies, then the husbands are plunged in a storm and the darkness. Hardly arrived in the house (a summary hut), Lana, left only by Gilbert left to cut wood, is surprised and terrorized by the Indian, Blue Back. It becomes hysterical.
• the scene of the appearance of Blue Back shows the influence of the Cinéma German expressionnist. Indeed, the face of Lana is abruptly plunged in the shade of Blue Back and is seized by terror.
• Darryl F. Zanuck was due much to the scene of the battle between the Indians and the army of the inhabitants of the valley. But Ford unceasingly gave the moment to film the battle. It is only at the end of turning, whereas Zanuck expected goings beyond of budget for this scene that Ford announced to him that it was turned. In fact, Ford makes a success of an ellipse of a great effectiveness. He films the column of the farmers and soldiers leaving for the war, then unbearable waiting of the women, finally the return of the column of the wounded survivors, exhausted, ravaged. In one is delirious feverish, the fixed glance, Fonda tells the battle with Lana.
• the film treats birth of a Nation: the United States of America. At the end of film the American flag is presented to the pioneers. In three plans, Ford exposes its vision of America, populates multi-ethnic, plain, in spite of its diversity, behind the same spangled banner and the same hope. The foreground shows a black woman, the second plan, an American blacksmith, and the deeply moved third an Indian all when one hoists the flag at the top of the fort. This end takes all its dimension the day before the Second world war.
• the treatment of the supporting roles is, like always at Ford, particularly neat and attentive. Around the young husbands a multitude of picturesque characters revolves who allow at Ford to add to film of many realistic keys.
• Caldwell (John Carradine) is generally filmed in the second plan. That reinforces its role of worrying plotter of the United Kingdom.
• During the year 1939 Ford signs three films which mark the history of the cinema deeply: the fantastic Ride , Towards its destiny and Grapes of anger ). Compared with these monuments of the cinema, On the track of Mohawks is often considered, wrongly, as minor in the work of Ford.
• It is one of rare films of Ford ending in a Happy-end.
• One of the ancestors of Founded, Douw Fonda, was one of the first colonists of Mohawak Valley.
• William Faulkner discreetly collaborated in the scenario of Tamar Trotti.

Rewards

• Oscars of the Nominated cinema

• for the best actress in a secon role (Edna May Oliver)
• Nominated for the best color (Ray Rennahan and Bert Glennon)

External bond

• Analysis of film on Dvdclassik.com