Return to the Film Research Academy homepage

Takashi Fujimura's essay: Hitchcock-Hawksianism

Starting a movement of John Ford  

27 Films Where the Movement is Already Initiated at the Beginning 

● "STRAIGHT SHOOTING" (1917) - Begins with a rancher riding his horse to seize water rights (though whether this is considered official duty is debatable) 
● "3 Bad Men" (1926) - Begins with pioneers setting sail for the West 
● "FOUR SONS" (1928) - Begins with a postman delivering letters (though full of detours) 
● "HANGMAN'S HOUSE" (1928) - Begins with a Foreign Legion commander returning to his camp on horseback 
● "BORN RECKLESS" (1930) - Begins with gangsters stealing jewels 
● "UP THE RIVER" (1930) - Begins with prisoners escaping (assuming the escape is considered official duty) 
● "SEAS BENEATH" (1931) - Begins with the captain of a disguised ship giving orders to his marines
● "DOCTOR BULL" (1933) - Begins with a scene of a postman's daughter picking up mail delivered by train. 
● "THE LOST PATROL" (1934) - Begins with a scene of a British army captain being shot and killed after falling from his horse while marching through the desert. 
● "JUDGE PRIEST" (1934) - Begins with a judge presiding over a case in court. 
● "THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING" (1935) - Begins with scenes of office workers and salarymen going about their jobs. 
● "STEAMBOAT ROUND THE BEND" (1935) - Begins with a scene of the newborn Moses preaching. 
● "MARY OF SCOTLAND" (1936) - Begins with a scene of the queen being greeted by her subjects. 
● "FOUR MEN AND A PRAYER" (1938) - Begins with a scene of a military court-martial.
● "STAGECOACH" (1939) Begins with a messenger riding a horse to deliver news of the attack on Geronimo. 
● "YOUNG MR. LINCOLN" (1939) Begins with a politician giving a speech. 
● "THEY WERE EXPENDABLE" (1945) Begins with soldiers conducting torpedo boat exercises. 
● "MY DARLING CLEMENTINE" (1946) Begins with a cowboy herding cattle. 
● "THE FUGITIVE" (1947) Begins with a priest heading to church. 
● "FORT APACHE" (1948) Begins with a cavalry lieutenant colonel traveling to a fort in a carriage. 
● "3 GODFATHERS" (1948) Begins with three wanted men heading to town to rob a bank. 
● "SHE WORE A YELLOW * **RIBBON** (1949): Begins with Cheyenne firing his gun and a radio operator sending a telegraph message reporting the annihilation of General Custer's 7th Cavalry.
● "WAGON MASTER" (1950): Begins with a cowboy heading to town to sell his horse.
● "RIO GRANDE" (1950): Begins with a cavalry unit returning to a fort.
● "WHAT PRICE GLORY" (1952): Begins with the US Marines returning from the front lines after landing in France.
● "THE HORSE SOLDIERS" (1959): Begins with a scene of Union officers heading to a strategy meeting.
● "SERGEANT RUTLEDGE" (1960): Begins with a lawyer arriving in town in a carriage to present a case.

26 Films Where Motion Activates After the Movie Begins 

● "THE IRON HORSE" (1924) - Begins with a scene of the young protagonist and his girlfriend leaning against a fence and watching sheep. 
● "KENTUCKY PRIDE" (1925) - Begins with a peaceful shot of horses. 
● "UPSTREAM" (1927) - Begins with a scene of a male and female actor kissing. 
● "ARROWSMITH" (1931) - Begins with the protagonist's mother heading west in a stagecoach. 
● "THE INFORMER" (1935) - Begins with a scene of the man who will later become an informer peeling off and discarding a bounty poster posted on a street corner. 
● "THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND" (1936) - Begins with a scene of a crowd gathering to hear Lincoln's speech. 
● "THE HURRICANE" (1937) - Begins with a doctor blowing a kiss from a ship to a once-flourishing island.
● "SUBMARINE PATROL" (1938): Begins with a wealthy son driving a car on his way to enlist in the army (he's not yet a soldier, so it's not official duty). ● "DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK" (1939): Begins with a pioneer's wedding. 
● "THE GRAPES of WRATH" (1940): Begins with a man released on parole returning home. 
● "THE LONG VOYAGE HOME" (1940): Begins with weary sailors, bound by a ban on disembarking, gazing at the island women from the ship's deck. 
● "TABACCO ROAD" (1941): Begins with a farmer driving his car to meet an acquaintance. 
● "HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY" (1941): Begins with a man packing his bags to leave town. 
● "THE QUIET MAN" (1952): Begins with a boxer returning home. 
● "THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT" (1953): Begins with a judge's servant fishing. 
● "MOGAMBO" (1953): Begins with a hunter waking up in the morning (a message arrives shortly after this indicating prey has been found, but this happens after the film begins). 
● "THE LONG GRAY LINE" (1954): Begins with a scene of a military academy instructor petitioning the president for an extension of his retirement. 
● "MISTER ROBERTS" (1955): Begins with a cargo officer on a freighter looking through binoculars at a group of friendly aircraft carriers and battleships (this is a personal desire to serve on a destroyer and not part of his duty). 
● "THE SEARCHERS" (1956): Begins with a gunman returning to his brother and sister-in-law's house. 
● "THE WINGS OF EAGLES" (1956): Begins with a scene of a naval admiral's tea party. 
● "GIDEON'S DAY" (1958): Begins with a detective looking out a window at night.
● "TWO RODE TOGETHER" (1961): Begins with a child ringing church bells and a sheriff dozing on the porch.
● "THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE" (1962): Begins with a senator and his wife returning to town.
● "DONOVAN'S REEF" (1963): Begins with a sailor jumping from a ship into the sea and swimming towards an island.
● "CHEYENNE AUTUMN" (1964): Begins with Cheyenne gathering at the site of negotiations with senators.
● "SEVEN WOMEN" (1965): Begins with the director of a Christian mission returning to the fort by car.