Year of Release: 1941Country of Origin: USA
Director: Howard Hawks
Cast: Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie, Margaret Wycherly
Plot outline: A hillbilly sharpshooter becomes one of the most celebrated American heroes of WWI when he single-handedly attacks and captures a German position using the same strategy as in turkey shoot (IMDb).
Based on the true story of WWI hero, Alvin York, and released during WWII, even if it were for propaganda, Sergeant York is a classic and moving war movie. Gary Cooper is convincing as the title role who goes through transformation from a drunken good-for-nothing country bumpkin to a solid man of values and ideals. His performance in expressing his character's confusion and emotions throughout the changes - naive but intelligent - is incredible. For this, Cooper got his first Oscar for Best Actor. Cooper's performance is backed up with a fine supporting cast; two you will remember are: Walter Brennan who brilliantly juggles three roles as a preacher, a postmaster and a shopkeeper (he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor) and Margaret Wycherly who inspirationally brings a matriarch's knowing instincts to the part of Mother York (she got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress). Director Howard Hawks beautifully weaves the story's many threads together and cleverly adds good humour in it.
My judgement: *** out of 4 stars
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