Review of Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) by Joe E — 24 Feb 2015
Another reviewer called "Drums" "...one of the better films about the Revolutionary War". Well, yes ... but how many films about the American Revolution can you name? I can think of only "April Morning" and ''The Crossing".
(Can't count "Johnny Tremain" -- sorry.) So it's difficult to make a judgment like that, with so little to compare it to. That said, "Drums" does handle the "feel of the times" better than the others mentioned, if not the history itself -- but one must always keep in mind that films are made to make money, not to be models of historical accuracy; and on the cusp of World War II, Ford simply couldn't portray the British as villains as they were fighting for their lives against the Nazis.
Which left the Indians to take the blame for pretty much everything, like so many other frontier films of that period. So, subtract a star for Native American stereotypes and historical license -- but it's still a good tale, and cinematically significant as Ford's first color film and Fonda's first major role.
Recommended.
This review of Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) was written by Joe E on 24 Feb 2015.
Drums Along the Mohawk has generally received positive reviews.
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