How Will Ford’s Westerns Change My Perspective?

It struck me last night, as I finished watching She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, that I might never be able to look at a western in the same way as I did before.

My current journey through the world of Johns Wayne and Ford has been a bit of a revelation. I’m going to mention the various discoveries I’ve made in future posts, but prior to Ribbon I hadn’t considered the impact of these films on the westerns I’ve already seen. What effect will The Wild Bunch have now? What about something like Unforgiven? Dances With Wolves?

After immersing myself in Ford’s directorial style and experiencing his often sentimental themes, what impact will Peckinpah’s style have on me?

I’ve got quite a way to go before I’m at a point where I’ll break off from Ford - I have The Searchers and Wings of Eaglesto go in the Ford/Wayne boxed set; a further Wayne set containing (amongst other things) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; a Henry Fonda set containing My Darling Clementine, and The Grapes of Wrath; and various individual films like The Quiet Man, and Rio Grande - but once that’s done I’m going to work my way through the Peckinpah boxed set, and I’ll probably pick up Major Dundee too.

Discovering John Ford

I can’t help but marvel at how my perceptions have changed as I’ve grown older. The way I view the world, and the people in it; the way I feel about the food I eat, or the music I once enjoyed so much but now can’t bear.

And the films I once ignored.

And, if I’m honest, ignored is accurate - isn’t it? I knew this body of work existed. As I’ll come on to in a moment, it’s played an important part in my life. And yet, for example, until a few days ago the name Victor McLaglen meant nothing to me.

My Grandad - no pretentious renaming to Grandfather here, thank you very much, he was and always will be Grandad - was a huge fan of John Wayne.

When I was a child, he became utterly synonymous with the man. In my mind, he would move like John Wayne, look like John Wayne. And, yes, if I’m honest, talk like John Wayne. But he didn’t - not really - that’s all just a product of a child’s imagination and capacity for molding ideas in crazy ways. But the image persisted. I must have passed the image on to my wife, because the same thought occurred to her upon meeting him for the first time.

He had an enormous collection of books and videos featuring Wayne. His love of films, Wayne, and the western as a genre, is undoubtedly responsible for his three son’s love of film. Which, in turn, is unquestionably responsible for mine.

And so I find myself, almost 28 years old, in a position to review Warner Home Video’s new John Ford and John Wayne / John Ford boxed sets. And, I realise, I don’t actually know any of the films that either box contains.

I’m aware of them. Who isn’t? She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, The Searchers, Stagecoach - these are all iconic westerns. John Ford is an iconic director. So why am I so ignorant?

I love film. All shapes and sizes, all genres and themes. I’ve always held a preference for horror - and I think I know why, but that’s something to analyse another day - but I’ve never been monogamous. Why have I ignored Ford, and if I’m honest, the western?