SERGEANT YORK

:''For the unsuccessful U.S. weapon system, see M247 Sergeant York.''
'''Sergeant York''' is a 1941 biographical film about the life of Sergeant Alvin York, the most decorated American soldier of World War I. It stars Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie, George Tobias, Stanley Ridges, Margaret Wycherly, Ward Bond, Noah Beery, Jr., June Lockhart and Dickie Moore. It was directed by Howard Hawks, and was the highest-grossing film of the year.
The movie was adapted by Harry Chandlee, Sam Cowan (uncredited), Abem Finkel, John Huston and Howard Koch from the diary of Alvin York as edited by Tom Skeyhill. Alvin York was originally against the idea of making a movie of his experiences. When World War II broke out, York allowed the government to produce his biography on the condition that Gary Cooper played him.
It won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Gary Cooper) and Best Film Editing and was nominated for
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Walter Brennan), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Margaret Wycherly), Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Director, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture, Best Picture, Best Sound, Recording and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

Contents

Plot

Trivia

External links

External links

Plot

Alvin York (Gary Cooper), a poor Tennessee hillbilly, is an exceptional marksman, but a ne'erdowell prone to drinking, fighting and theft. He undergoes a religious awakening and turns his life around
When York is drafted into the army for World War I, he tries to get out as a conscientious objector due to his religious beliefs, but a sympathetic commanding officer persuades him to stay. York still doubts he can kill someone who has not done him any harm. During basic training, his superiors find out that he is a phenomenal marksman and promote him to Corporal.
His unit is shipped out to Europe and participates in an attack. Pinned down by murderous German fire and seeing his friends being shot down all around him, his self-doubt disappears. He works his way around behind German lines and shoots with such deadly effect that the Germans surrender in droves. He and the handful of other survivors take back 132 prisoners. York becomes a national hero and is awarded the Medal of Honor.
York later explains that he did what he did to hasten the end of the war and minimize the killing.

Trivia

★ The actual firearm used by York to dispose of a line of seven Germans was not a Luger as depicted in the film, but rather a 1911 .45 ACP automatic. The Luger was preferred for the filmmaking, however, purely on the basis that they couldn't get the .45 to fire blanks.

★ Henry Fonda, James Stewart, and even Ronald Reagan were all considered for the role of Alvin York, but York insisted that Cooper should play him.

★ The movie utilizes a Springfield 1903 rifle whereas York actually used an M1917 Enfield rifle to capture the Germans.

★ The American Film Institute ranked Alvin York #35 in their list of the top 50 heroes in American cinema.

★ The American Film Institute ranked Sergeant York #57 in their list of the top 100 inspirational movies in American cinema.

External links

★

External links

★ Church of Christ in Christian Union

★ Sergeant York And His People, by Sam Cowan, 1922, from Project Gutenberg

★ Alvin York and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, by Douglas Mastriano, Military History magazine, Sept 2006.
(Corporal York's actions as seen from the German perspective.)

★ Photos and details of the discovery of the site where SGT. York earned the Medal of Honor, Discovered 21 October 2006 by the Sergeant York Discovery Expedition.

★ International Herald Tribune article announcing the discovery of where York earned the Medal of Honor.