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John Ford

Director

John Ford

Born February 1, 1894 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USADied August 31, 1973146 films

John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach (1939), The Searchers (1956), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath (1940). His four Academy Awards for Best Director (1935, 1940, 1941, 1952) is a record, and one of those films, How Green Was My Valley (1941), also won Best Picture.

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In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Ford directed more than 140 films (although nearly all of his silent films are now lost) and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. Ford's films and personality were held in high regard by his colleagues, with Ingmar Bergman and Orson Welles among those who have named him as one of the greatest directors of all time.

In particular, Ford was a pioneer of location shooting and the long shot which frames his characters against a vast, harsh and rugged natural terrain.

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The best way into John Ford's work
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance posterFirst watchThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance19627.8Questions arise when Senator Stoddard attends the funeral of a local man named Tom Doniphon in a small Western town.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Searchers poster7.7The Searchers1956The Grapes of Wrath poster7.8The Grapes of Wrath1940Stagecoach poster7.6Stagecoach1939The Quiet Man poster7.3The Quiet Man1952My Darling Clementine poster7.5My Darling Clementine1946How Green Was My Valley poster7.3How Green Was My Valley1941How the West Was Won poster7.0How the West Was Won1962Fort Apache poster7.0Fort Apache1948

Filmography

146 films as director
  1. 1976Chesty: A Tribute to a LegendDirector
  2. 19657 WomenDirector
  3. 1964Cheyenne AutumnDirector
  4. 1963Donovan's ReefDirector
  5. 1962How the West Was WonDirector
  6. 1962Flashing SpikesDirector
  7. 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceDirector
  8. 1961Two Rode TogetherDirector
  9. 1960The Colter Craven StoryDirector
  10. 1960Sergeant RutledgeDirector
  11. 1959The Horse SoldiersDirector
  12. 1959KoreaDirector
  13. 1958The Last HurrahDirector
  14. 1958Gideon's DayDirector
  15. 1957The Rising of the MoonDirector
  16. 1957The Wings of EaglesDirector
  17. 1957The Growler StoryDirector
  18. 1956The SearchersDirector
  19. 1955Rookie of the YearDirector
  20. 1955Mister RobertsDirector
  21. 1955The Red, White and Blue LineDirector
  22. 1955The Long Gray LineDirector
  23. 1953MogamboDirector
  24. 1953The Sun Shines BrightDirector
  25. 1952What Price GloryDirector
  26. 1952The Quiet ManDirector
  27. 1951This Is Korea!Director
  28. 1950Rio GrandeDirector
  29. 1950Wagon MasterDirector
  30. 1950When Willie Comes Marching HomeDirector
  31. 1949She Wore a Yellow RibbonDirector
  32. 19483 GodfathersDirector
  33. 1948Fort ApacheDirector
  34. 1947The FugitiveDirector
  35. 1946My Darling ClementineDirector
  36. 1946It's Your AmericaDirector
  37. 1945They Were ExpendableDirector
  38. 1944In Memoriam Manuel QuezonDirector
  39. 1943At the Front in North Africa with the U.S. ArmyDirector
  40. 1943We Sail at MidnightDirector
  41. 1943December 7thDirector
  42. 1943Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy LinesDirector
  43. 1943German Industrial ManpowerDirector
  44. 1942The Battle of MidwayDirector
  45. 1942Sex HygieneDirector
  46. 1942Torpedo Squadron 8Director
  47. 1941Women in DefenseDirector
  48. 1941How Green Was My ValleyDirector
  49. 1941Tobacco RoadDirector
  50. 1940The Long Voyage HomeDirector
  51. 1940The Grapes of WrathDirector
  52. 1939Drums Along the MohawkDirector
  53. 1939Young Mr. LincolnDirector
  54. 1939StagecoachDirector
  55. 1938Submarine PatrolDirector
  56. 1938Four Men and a PrayerDirector
  57. 1937The HurricaneDirector
  58. 1937Wee Willie WinkieDirector
  59. 1936The Plough and the StarsDirector
  60. 1936Mary of ScotlandDirector
  61. 1936The Prisoner of Shark IslandDirector
  62. 1935Steamboat Round the BendDirector
  63. 1935The InformerDirector
  64. 1935The Whole Town's TalkingDirector
  65. 1934Judge PriestDirector
  66. 1934The World Moves OnDirector
  67. 1934The Lost PatrolDirector
  68. 1933Doctor BullDirector
  69. 1933PilgrimageDirector
  70. 1932FleshDirector
  71. 1932Air MailDirector
  72. 1931ArrowsmithDirector
  73. 1931The BratDirector
  74. 1931Seas BeneathDirector
  75. 1930Up the RiverDirector
  76. 1930Born RecklessDirector
  77. 1930Men Without WomenDirector
  78. 1929SaluteDirector
  79. 1929The Black WatchDirector
  80. 1929Strong BoyDirector
  81. 1928Riley the CopDirector
  82. 1928Napoleon's BarberDirector
  83. 1928Hangman's HouseDirector
  84. 1928Four SonsDirector
  85. 1927Mother MachreeDirector
  86. 1927UpstreamDirector
  87. 1926The Blue EagleDirector
  88. 19263 Bad MenDirector
  89. 1926The Shamrock HandicapDirector
  90. 1925The Fighting HeartDirector
  91. 1925Thank YouDirector
  92. 1925The Iron HorseDirector
  93. 1925Kentucky PrideDirector
  94. 1925Lightnin'Director
  95. 1924Hearts of OakDirector
  96. 1923Hoodman BlindDirector
  97. 1923North of Hudson BayDirector
  98. 1923Cameo KirbyDirector
  99. 1923Three Jumps AheadDirector
  100. 1923The Face on the Barroom FloorDirector
  101. 1922The Village BlacksmithDirector
  102. 1922Silver WingsDirector
  103. 1922Little Miss SmilesDirector
  104. 1921JackieDirector
  105. 1921Sure FireDirector
  106. 1921ActionDirector
  107. 1921Desperate TrailsDirector
  108. 1921The WallopDirector
  109. 1921The Freeze-OutDirector
  110. 1921The Big PunchDirector
  111. 1920Just PalsDirector
  112. 1920Hitchin' PostsDirector
  113. 1920The Girl in Number 29Director
  114. 1920The Prince of Avenue ADirector
  115. 1919Marked MenDirector
  116. 1919A Gun Fightin' GentlemanDirector
  117. 1919Rider of the LawDirector
  118. 1919The Ace of the SaddleDirector
  119. 1919The Outcasts of Poker FlatDirector
  120. 1919The Last OutlawDirector