The Araner: Decoding John Ford | The Plot Thickens (S5 E2)

The Araner: Decoding John Ford | The Plot Thickens (S5 E2) | TCM

Рет қаралды 6,863

Күн бұрын

Episode 2 - The Araner
Ford buys a yacht, named after the Aran Islands off Ireland, where he cavorts, drinks and vacations. But he also keeps an eye on the looming threat in Europe, and uses his new vessel to enlist in the Naval Reserve. He rises through Hollywood and turns his friends into stars, including John Wayne - though he's increasingly abusive towards them on the set. As the ‘30s dissolve into the ‘40s, Ford directs a remarkable string of movies, winning back-to-back Oscars (though he doesn’t show up to the ceremonies). Then war breaks out, and he’s shipped overseas to cover the front.
00:00 - Not-A-Yacht
06:54 - The Informer
11:26 - Stagecoach
17:40 - Making John Wayne a Star
23:09 - Big Man on Set
28:08 - John and Francis
31:54 - The Grapes of Wrath
42:54 - Snubbing the Oscars
47:05 - Recruited for War
He made John Wayne cry.
He placed a real baby in front of galloping horses.
He was a commander at D-Day, a union leader, and a tyrant.
Meet John Ford, the curmudgeon with an eye patch who just happened to be the greatest filmmaker of the 20th century. Ford was a bully and a drunk who ruled Hollywood for five decades, making dozens of seminal movies - though he was incredibly hard to pin down. His behavior swung wildly from loyalty to cruelty, without notice. He won more Oscars than any director in history, but never showed up to accept an award. And he rewrote American history, painting the country with images so beautiful that people wished they were real. John Ford defined the attitudes of his time, ideas about masculinity and heroism that we're still grappling with today. This season on The Plot Thickens, TCM brings you Decoding John Ford, a seven-part podcast about cinema's most mysterious auteur.
Part of that mystery is his classified - and missing - WWII film. In 1944, the U.S. military recruited Ford for the assignment of his career: to cover the largest invasion in history. He went to Normandy Beach to film D-Day and created an on-the-ground film detailing the invasion, but the film goes missing. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists.
The Plot Thickens is the official podcast from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) about movies and the people who make them. Season one premiered in May 2020, diving into the life and work of Oscar®-nominated director, writer, and actor Peter Bogdanovich. Season two, “The Devil’s Candy,” launched in June 2021 and chronicled the tumultuous production of the 1990 film The Bonfire of the Vanities. Season three uncovered fresh insights into the life and times of the iconic Lucille Ball and debuted in October 2021. Season four explored the life and work of trailblazing actor Pam Grier in fall 2022.
The podcast has garnered more than nine million downloads and several industry awards: it was named a Webby Honoree in 2021 and 2022 and a Webby Nominee in 2023; won best branded podcast from the 2021 Adweek Podcast Awards; and was nominated for best entertainment podcast at the Ambie Awards two years in a row. It has been featured on “best-of” lists from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, NPR and Vanity Fair.
Become a fan of Turner Classic Movies on social media:
Facebook: / tcmtv
X (formerly Twitter): x.com/tcm
Instagram: / tcm
TikTok: / tcm
Previous seasons are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, KZfaq, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Qxe9jZ...
iHeart Radio: www.iheart.com/podcast/958-th...
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “where then meets now.” TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With more than two decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through popular events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise. Fans can also enjoy a classic movie experience on the TCM hub on Max.
The Araner: Decoding John Ford | The Plot Thickens (S5 E2) | TCM
• The Araner: Decoding J...
#ThePlotThickens #JohnFord #TCM

Пікірлер: 40

@azohundred1353 Ай бұрын

Hearing the behind-the-scenes of The Grapes Of Wrath, Stagecoach, and The Informer was very interesting. However harsh his directing style was, he did manage to bring out some of the greatest performances from both John Wayne and Henry Fonda, which I think was the whole point. A method to the madness, if you will. John Ford's life in itself seemed to be very movie-like, between his directing of iconic, groundbreaking cinema, yacht spying, rallying, and service. I think Katharine Hepburn was spot-on about her characterizations of Ford. This has been a great series thus far. Well done, TCM!

@jubalcalif9100 Ай бұрын

Well said and well put. Thanks for sharing a refreshingly astute, insightful & perceptive comment with us.

@j1st633 Ай бұрын

Wonderful production. Didn't realize how many people produced this.

@dsnyguy1 Ай бұрын

Wonderful! Thanks Ben!

@jubalcalif9100 Ай бұрын

I heartily concur!

@FIREBRAND38 Ай бұрын

I have to admit at the end of the second episode that I had my doubts about this one because just about everyone that ever knew John Ford would be dead. The story you've been able to tell with existing interviews is amazing.

@jubalcalif9100 Ай бұрын

I certainly have a notion to second THAT emotion!

@lynnturman8157 Ай бұрын

You left out a very important reason why John Ford picked on John Wayne in Stagecoach. Wayne was surrounded by all these veteran actors who weren't particularly supportive of this newcomer who was being handed the whole movie in an obviously star-making role. So Ford purposefully was mean to Wayne so that the rest of the cast would be empathetic to Wayne & be supportive of him & help to make his performance in the movie better. Which was Ford's intent.

@QueenOfTheNorth65 Ай бұрын

It’s so hard to believe that The Grapes of Wrath was once considered controversial.

@juanbarraza1490 Ай бұрын

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m watching Stagecoach right now.

@judygiesbrecht8297 Ай бұрын

Great job TCM. Looking forward to the next episode. ❤️🇨🇦

@markodjuric4282 16 күн бұрын

Thank you for this series! This one and on Peter Bogdanovich are my favourites! Masterpieces!

@RideAcrossTheRiver 17 күн бұрын

Director Peter Bogdanovich had the temerity to ask John Ford about his style: "How did you manage to get those amazing wide shots?!" "............................................................... _[chomps cigar]_ .................... I dunno."

@KohalaLover Ай бұрын

Jeez TCM, a few photos from Ford’s movies would be appreciated. Stagecoach was an amazing film. Never been a Western fan but Stagecoach blew it out of the water.

@karlkarlos3545 Ай бұрын

it's a podcast.

@KohalaLover Ай бұрын

@@karlkarlos3545 Oh, thank you. My mistake.

@et2petty Ай бұрын

What is the emblem on the hat in the cover painting of Mr. Ford? And who does the artwork? Kind regards , Scott Rowland in Texas.

@jonathanstmartin Ай бұрын

I wonder if its like some sort of naval patch.

@FIREBRAND38 Ай бұрын

@@jonathanstmartin Answering a question with a question? If you don't know don't guess.

@FIREBRAND38 Ай бұрын

The emblem is pretty well reproduced from the original photo. At top is a US Civil War era Infantry Bugle, crossed rifles and the number 17 below that. I have no idea why Ford, a Navy man would be wearing an Army cap badge. I can tell you that the photo this was made from was taken in 1945 on the set of _They Were Expendable._

@jonathanstmartin Ай бұрын

@@FIREBRAND38 And there is no reason to make snippy comments, yet you choose to do so

@FIREBRAND38 Ай бұрын

@@jonathanstmartin Answering when you don't know what you're talking about is plenty of reason.

@SueProv Ай бұрын

The story that Maureen O'hara tells about Ford and a Hollywood actor kissing when she walked in on him in the Long Gray Line hints at perhaps a closeted lifestyle. The actor could have been Tyrone Power who costarred in the movie with her.

@jubalcalif9100 Ай бұрын

As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point.

@williamowen9528 Ай бұрын

Ive always been fascinated by John Ford after finding out he punched Henry Fonda while working on Mr. Roberts. This was so wonderful to listen to. Thank you, Ben, for bringing this to us.

@debrabader806 Ай бұрын

He was a brilliant drunk, Director Debra Bader

@debrabader806 Ай бұрын

John Ford made some great movies, but he could be a phony too. Debra Bader.

@TheVid54 Ай бұрын

Ford's fetishes were more than evident in most of his films. He was certainly an interesting director, but definitely a creepy person.

@FIREBRAND38 Ай бұрын

21:00 "A six-shooter rifle"? Really? A Winchester Model 92 Trapper _a six-shooter?_ Tell me you don't know anything about firearms without saying it. I think you meant to say Twirling a rifle *like* a six-shooter.

@Mike-wr7om Ай бұрын

Ford's streak of masterpieces from '39 through '41 is the greatest streak in film history: in '39, Young Mr. Lincoln, Drums Along the Mohawk, and Stagecoach; in '40, The Grapes of Wrath; in '41, How Green Was My Valley. To me, those 3 years are John Ford at his absolute creative peak, which also happens to be the peak of Hollywood filmmaking, in my opinion.

@Rubi-ll8ss Ай бұрын

What about My Darling Clementine, which is playing on The Movies Channel. If you look hard enough, you can find it.

@Mike-wr7om Ай бұрын

@@Rubi-ll8ss My Darling Clementine is one of my all-time favorite movies, but it was released in '46 (I believe), whereas in my comment, I was speaking about the years '39 through '41.

@Rubi-ll8ss Ай бұрын

Mike, you can watch Clementine on the movies channel which on Spectrum is on number 1261. Their library is impressive. Right now they are playing Cat Balue. On Thursday and Sunday evenings, they play Noir Classics, which are many times culled by the Fox Library.

@Mike-wr7om 21 күн бұрын

@@Rubi-ll8ss I love that channel, too. I always check it to see what they're playing. You're right, they play some really good stuff!

@Rubi-ll8ss Ай бұрын

Hey Ben John Wayne was a draft dodger during Ww2. Whereas, Lew Ayers was punished for his stance as a Conciencious Objector, Wayne was rewarded for his draft dodging. By the way, Ayres was a war Hero as a medic. He contracted Dengue Fever. . . .. ..