Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on August 6. Watch
it tonight and enjoy.
DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK
Gil Martin and his wife Lana move
to his farm on the frontier near Deerfield, New York after their marriage. Lana
is frightened by the appearance of Blue
Back, an Indian who is a friend of her husband. The couple are soon working
together on their farm and attend a
militia muster. A community field clearing at their farm is interrupted by the
arrival of Blue Back, who gives warning of an Indian attack. The settlers flee
to the fort, but the stress causes Lana to miscarry. The Martin’s farm is
burned, so they go to work for Mrs.
McKlennar, a wealthy widow. The militia march off and fight and lose at the
Battle of Oriskansy On August 6, 1777 [51:46 to 1:01:29] the militia, including
a wounded Gil arrive back at their homes. Things return to normal and Lana and
Gil have a son. Then the Indians attack again, with the settlers again taking
refuge in the now named Fort Herkimer. After the first runner sent to get
reinforcements is killed, Gil volunteers to go. He outruns several Indian
braves who pursue him. Reinforcements reach the fort just as an Indian attack
is about to overwhelm the defenders. The settlers learn the American
Revolutionary War is over and the Unites States is now independent.
A pretty good film. The action
scenes are pretty exciting and the film avoids slipping into the melodrama all
too common in films of the era. On the whole this movie has stood the test of
time and is well worth watching.
Although we are never told the
name of the battle in the movie, in the novel Drums Along the Mohawk by
Walter D. Edmunds (Little, Brown and Company, New York, 1964) we are told that
“they had an action… fetch down Herkimer. He’s hurt bad” at page 212 and that
“the death of Herkimer shook the people” at page 259. In Almost a Miracle
by John Ferling (Oxford University Press, New York, 2007) at page 230 we are
told that at Oriskansy on August 5, 1777 St. Leger ambushed Herkimer’s force,
and Herkimer 10 days later died of the wounds he suffered in this battle, which
lasted six hours. So the battle referenced must be Oriskansy and due to the
distances involved the Americans would have reached home early the next morning.
Awards – The film was nominated
for the Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress (Oliver) Oscars at the 12th
Academy Awards
Screenplay - Sonya Levien and
Lamar Trotti
Producer - Darryl F. Zanuck
Director - John Ford
Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes
Released - November 3, 1939
Starring –
Henry Fonda as Gilbert
"Gil" Martin
Claudette Colbert as
"Lana" Martin
Edna May Oliver as Mrs. McKlennar
John Carradine as Caldwell
Ward Bond as Adam Hartman
Roger Imhof as Gen. Herkimer
Arthur Shields as Rev.
Rosenkrantz
Chief John Big Tree as Blue Back
Francis Ford as Joe Boleo
Jessie Ralph as Mrs. Weaver
Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.
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