The Long Gray Line

Sergeant Martin Maher is in to see President Eisenhower who he knew back in the day when Ike was a West Point Cadet. The army wants to mandatorily retire him. So as Marty pleads his case before the country's most famous West Point Graduate, we're flashed back to the day as a fresh Irish immigrant he arrives at West Point to work as a waiter in their mess.

And the rest of the film is taken up with the telling of Martin Maher's remarkable story which he wrote in a book entitled Bringing Up the Brass on which this film is based. The subject is a can't miss project for John Ford with two of his dearest loves involved, Irish and military tradition.

Tyrone Power who had played in lots of costume pictures as the dashing hero at his home studio of 20th Century Fox, got a chance to do a real character part here. His skill as a player makes us completely believe that he ages during the film from his twenties to his seventies. Of course makeup helped, but I doubt if certain actors could have brought it off.

Maureen O'Hara matches Power equally as Mary O'Donnell the fresh and fiery colleen who marries him. Her relationship with John Ford as she tells in her recent memoirs had its ups and downs, but she respected his talent and gives one of her best acted roles. And O'Hara adored Tyrone Power, she says of him he was a tease at times, loved to play practical jokes, but a fine man and a thorough professional at his job.

The supporting cast is the usual familiar faces in a John Ford production. I would have to single out Ward Bond as the head of West Point's Athletic Department who Power goes to work for as the best of the group. Also note Donald Crisp as Power's father, one of Crisp's best screen parts.

Tyrone Power was very proud of this film, it was a personal favorite and he and John Ford wanted to work together again. They did, but only with Power's voice providing the narration for an anthology film of three Irish stories in The Rising of the Moon in 1957. Tyrone Power's sudden and tragic death in 1958 put an end to what might have been a great actor/director collaboration.

At the beginning of the flashback, Power tells the actor playing Ike that it took him forty years or so to get the hang of the army. At the end he says that now everything he's ever known and loved is in that institution known as West Point. As Power says it, I defy anyone to remain dry eyed.

How did I ever miss this movie either on video or t.v. John Ford has his stock character actors and I was surprised that John Wayne did not have the starring role,which was well handled by Tyrone Power.A small masterpiece ably handled by all mixing the typical Ford traits of humor and serious modes. Loosely based on a true story,it is American propaganda at its finest and a nice tribute to the West Point Academy.One of Tyrone Powers' final films,and one of his best performances showing he could handle comedy,drama and a nice attempt at an Irish accent. The finale did become a bit soppy but does not detract from the overall movie. Sadly this film has been forgotten by the majority of film audiences and those in power who show supposed classics on the oldies channels.If it ever turns up on t.v. take a look and be pleasantly surprised.Maybe even todays so called writers,directors and actors might like to see how the master did it.

If you like Irish character studies you'll love this movie. This movie follows in flash back 50 years in the true-life story of Irish immigrant Martin Maher. Tyrone Power plays Martin wonderfully. When Martin arrives in America he takes a civilian waiter job at the US Military Academy at West Point. Docked for "breakage", he joins the Army and works at several different jobs at the Point. The last job being assistant to the "Master of the Sword" played by the very versatile Ford stock company player (Ward Bond). At West Point, Martin meets and marries the love of his life Mary O'Donnell marvelously brought to life by Maureen O'Hara. Martin and Mary setup housekeeping and are able to bring Martin's father Old Martin (Donald Crisp) and brother Dinny to America. When Old Martin first meets Mary he is impressed when he asks if she still `Has the Irish' and she is able to speak in Gaelic.

As the movie unfolds you will really care about Martin, Mary, old Martin and the cadets Martin helps through the Academy. Due to talent of the director John Ford and cast, the characters appear to be real people--not just a bunch of actors who made a movie. You'll be fascinated by the class "The Stars Fell On " (graduating class of Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, etc.) This movie will stir up patriotic feelings, but also shows the high cost of war. You will smile and just might shed a tear before this one is over. You will not regret the time spent with Martin Maher--and may find yourself thinking about this movie for a long time after you see it. This is indeed, one of Pappy Ford's finest.

The mix of biography, comedy and drama interested me. There are many films where comedy and drama balance well together, but when biography is included in the mix too it is dependent on who is being depicted. Have said more than once about liking John Ford a lot, especially for 'The Quiet Man' and a lot of his Westerns. Tyrone Power is not one of my favourite actors, but he did show more than once that he could give good performances and the supporting cast that includes Maureen O'Hara and Donald Crisp promises a lot.

From personal view though, 'The Long Gray Line' was another case of promising more than delivering. Not in a very bad way, as it's not bad at all and has a fair share of good things. 'The Long Gray Line' more an uneven film, with it getting better as it went on after a deceptively not so good start. Well made and acted in particular but the script and story could have done with more work and been more consistent, it's not a misfire for Ford but it's not one of his must sees. Nor is it quite one of his worst, 'Tobacco Road' for example was worse and 'The Long Gray Line' felt more like it was directed by Ford.

A lot of great things can be seen here. The best asset to me was the acting. Power is excellent, while knowing that he could do comedy and quite well (and he shows that here) he really stretches his dramatic acting chops here as well and in an authoritative and moving way. O'Hara is alluring and looks as if she was having fun in her role, being at ease with her role. Crisp is in the type of role he played well and plays the role with ease. Ford's direction is much better here than in 'Tobacco Road', it's still not inspired as such but there is more of his recognisable style here and he seemed more involved and opened up. The film looks great, especially the photography which is at its best gorgeous. The costumes are handsome enough and the settings don't look phony. The music has jauntiness and elegance.

Moreover, Ford directs with an expert hand. He doesn't seem uncomfortable with the material, nor is he uninterested in it, even if it is not some of his most inspired. The script does have intelligent moments, when the film gets going a good deal of it is quite touching and even though there is a strong sentiment it is not too over-powering. And the characters at least feel like real people.

However, 'The Long Gray Line' doesn't start off all that promisingly. There is more of a comedic tone and the comedy is not particularly funny and can feel a bit corny and try hard. Some of the dialogue early on is banal and doesn't always flow.

Story-wise, it is a case of starting off dully and in a forced way but gets better if stuck with. It would have been even better if the storytelling wasn't as conventional and took more risks.

Concluding, worth seeing but not an essential. 7/10

Although the film has a running time of two hours+ ,for it tells the story of a man's entire life ,from his enlistment (and even before) to his old age,there is never a dull moment .

John Ford was one of the most wonderful storytellers that ever was.The first part of the film is made of trivia,but everything is endearing ,moving .Take the dad's and the brother's arrival:no syrupy violins and choirs needed: the Irish are doing Mary's cooking justice and they are not in a hurry to hug Marty.The same goes for Marty/Mary when they fall in love:what could be more down to earth than this kitchen ?And however something vibrates ,as the love they all feel for the country they left behind.

The second part deals with wars and if the tone has changed ,the spirit remains intact:what could be more prosaic than burning Mary's toilet to celebrate the end of WW?Although the hero experiments tragedy ,Ford always avoids pathos and melodrama: the child's death during the celebration is given a sober treatment.Mary's passing is perhaps the most beautiful scene in the whole movie,being Fordesque to the core (remember the death of the mother in "three godfathers") and her fleeting reappearance at the very end of the movie is not irrelevant.

A life is made of small joys and big griefs.