John Ford Goes to War

One of America's greatest directors, the legendary John Ford -- renowned for such films as The Quiet Man, The Grapes of Wrath and How Green Was My Valley -- was already a major Hollywood filmmaker when he volunteered his cinematic skills on World War II's front lines. Showing astonishing bravery, he was injured during the making of the Oscar-winning documentary The Battle of Midway (1942) and went on to earn a second Oscar for December 7th (1943). Highlights from those films and Ford's other war film work, ranging from a sex hygiene short to a poignant film about squadron members embarking on the last mission of their lives, are explored in this fascinating documentary, narrated by Kris Kristofferson. Film fans also will gain new insights into this complex, often contradictory man and his extensive legacy through little-seen home movies and interviews with directors Oliver Stone and Peter Bogdanovich, film scholars and noted critics.