Pappy: The Life Of John Ford
If there were a Mt. Rushmore of film directors, the face of John "Pappy" Ford would surely be on it. Few directors can match his record for number of Oscars and legendary films to his name. Though immediately associated with the Western, Ford also scored with his depictions of the Irish?he was born John Feeney to immigrant parents?as well as with war documentaries. As an artist he was flawless, but as this biography by his grandson amply shows, his personal life was sullied by hard drinking, preference for friends over family, and extramarital affairs. Drawing heavily from interviews with film cronies, including John Wayne, whom Ford discovered, the book was considered "lacking in critical analysis of the films" while praised for being "realistic and forthright in detailing Ford's character defects" (LJ 11/1/79). Essential for all film collections.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.