John Ford docudrama "December 7th" on TCM

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Mrs. Higgins
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John Ford docudrama "December 7th" on TCM

#1 Post by Mrs. Higgins »

Right now I'm watching the 1943 John Ford docudrama "December 7th" on demand. There is extensive b/w video footage of Oahu from the 40's. Really cool stuff!
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Luther's nephew Dobie
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Re: John Ford docudrama "December 7th" on TCM

#2 Post by Luther's nephew Dobie »

Mrs. Higgins wrote:Right now I'm watching the 1943 John Ford docudrama "December 7th" on demand. There is extensive b/w video footage of Oahu from the 40's. Really cool stuff!
Hi Mrs. Higgins,
That's a good documentary by one of the all time great directors(he also made admiral in the reserves) who spent a lot of time in Hawaii. It can also be seen once in awhile on C-SPAN weekends.
You might also check out Big Jim McLain (1952) starring Duke Wayne, which was filmed in Hawaii and shows plenty of location shots, some no doubt familiar to Magnum devotees. Might be fun to take shots from each and compare them, Duke and Magnum.
If you don't take it too seriously - it seems like there's a Communist under every rock - Big Jim is a entertaining flick with a excellent cast of pros.
By the way, Ford put over perhaps the biggest in-joke in tv history in a Wagon Train episode he directed. It featured a lot of Ford's fave actors in even minor roles, with Wagon Train star (and veteran of many Ford flicks)Ward Bond recalling in a flashback his meeting Grant and Sherman at the Battle of Shiloh. It's a darkly lit night scene in camp, Bonds character of the major is chatting with Grant when General Sherman rides up and greets them. It's too dark to see the actor's face but in the credits he is listed as Marion Michael Morrison, which is Wayne's real name. Once you know it's Wayne you can discern his voice and body movement on a 2nd viewing.
Duke was the greatest star in the world at the time so it was quite a coup for Wagon Train though apparently no one caught on as I never ever saw it mentioned in any Wayne or Ford book, magazine article or newspaper. I started posting about it on many sites some years ago so now people are aware of it. I could be wrong of course and it was noted somewhere, but I have never seen it.
Ford filmed almost the exact scene for his part of How The West Was Won movie which featured Wayne.
By the way, I think Selleck is one of the few modern stars who could go toe to toe with Wayne in a action flick. Tommy Cruise and Sean Penn would look ridiculous next to them.

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