Review of Sergeant York (1941) by Scott S — 02 Sep 2009
Sergeant York (1941) -- [6.0] -- Gary Cooper plays Alvin York, a religious hillbilly who seeks conscientious objector status when the World War I draft is called. He reads his bible, prays, and eventually decides to point his gun and fire.
It's pretty maudlin stuff for my taste, but Gary Cooper does a fine job selling it. The movie is split in two, the first half focusing on York's idyllic life in the backwoods of Tennessee, the second concentrating on his celebrated military achievements.
The first half is sweet and charming, the second is transparent wartime propaganda. It's almost two different movies with two different messages: 'turn the other cheek' becomes 'blow their head off'.
It's a bit schizo as a whole, but the first half and Cooper's performance make it somewhat worthwhile.
This review of Sergeant York (1941) was written by Scott S on 02 Sep 2009.
Sergeant York has generally received very positive reviews.
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