"A great man and a great American, FrankCapra is an inspiration to
those who believe in the American dream" John Ford"The megaphone
has been to JohnFord what the chisel was to Michelangelo Ford
Cannot be pinned down or analyzed. He is pure Ford Which means pure
great" FrankCapraFrankCapra and JohnFord have directed
many classic movies and it is unfair to only view two of their works and
summarize all there is too say about their styles, so I won't. Instead, I will
be discussing different styles and conventions that FrankCapra and John
Ford used in the four movies I viewed. These movies are Mr. Smith goes
to Washington, Mr Deeds goes to Town both Capra, films and The
Informer and Grapes of Wrath by Ford. America in the 30's was a time of
hardship economically, politically and socially. If you have taken an
American history course you know all about the depression and the crisis
that it bestowed upon the land. Hollywood, the movie making capital of
the world tried its best not to reflect the problems of the country in its
products. Instead of the grim realities of world, Hollywood lured in the
audience with escapist movies. The classic thirties genres like screwball
comedies, glamourous musicals and fantasy movies, were mere ploys to
divert the sad reality of the time and in doing so Hollywood firmly defined
its role as entertainer not critic. Capra and Ford can also be accused of
following this pattern too, with other movies they made. The 30's were
also a time of the great studio system and one had to work under the
control of these institutions, although both directors managed to achieve
enough fame and power that they could create their own visions. With
this power and fame, Capra and Ford were able to turn out movies that
went against the usual Hollywood style; critical of society, authority,
government, newspapers, the police and political rebels. These men
where able to make movies about the injustice in the world and they
created simple folk yet(much like Forrest Gump in Capra's case) complex
enough to deal and in some cases win against the evils of the world.
Although they deal with similar topics and understands about society and
man, they have different ways of delivering their message. Capra used
humor, fantasy, splendor, and a quick moving camera. Ford on the other
hand used gritty realism, harsh environments, and a static camera, with
slower cuts and movements. They both can be considered
anti-establishment directors, but I would say that their movies go beyond
simple anti-establishment attitudes and actually try to and establish a new
more righteous establishment. Ford and Capra believed so much in
America that during her time of great crisis in WWII, they left Hollywood
and all the money to work for the U.S. Forces. Ford became an Admiral
in the U.S. Navy and Capraa Colonel for the Army. Of the four movies
by Capra and Ford, The Informer is the only one that was not a box-office
smash at its time of release, however all four movies carry the prestigious
titles of being called some of the greatest films of all time. All these films
can be enjoyed on a simplistic entertainment level, but there is so much
hidden between the texts that makes them great, therefore they were
obviously made for more than just enjoyment. There are strong issues
being dealt with about man and his relationship within the society he lives
in. From the most basic problems about individuals suffering from lack of
shelter and starvation to mass starvation and political corruption. There
also seem to be the tone in Capra's and Ford's movies that man was
doing fine until society interfered with him, not just society in general but
more city society. There is a feeling that city people are corrupt and infect
all that they touch, while the simple country folk are pure and good. This
point is proven over and over again, it is not the individual that is corrupt it
is the society that corrupts the individual. Deeds and Smith both from
there respective self titled movies are happy and fine living quiet
sheltered lives in their small town. As soon as city society comes
knocking on their door trouble begins. Whereas when we meet Fonda in
Grapes of Wrath, society has already beaten him down and now he must
rise again or perish. Gypo too in The Informer has been defeated by
society and he too must rise or perish. So as Capra's hero's are virginal,
Ford's have already been around the block a few times but insist that they
are still virgins. The character's in Ford and Capra's movies are
microcosms for all that is happening and these movies are mainly
character centered and driven so it is a fair way in dealing with their
idea's. Capra's characters are modeled on the belief that one man can
make a difference and help society, while Ford's characters are almost
incapable of helping themselves. (although Fonda in Grapes of Wrath
speaks of wandering the earth to bring truth and justice to the world,)
Fonda will only effect small minorities of people, while Capra's characters
change the world. Yet both styles of character are modeled on the simple
and common folk. They are naive to the world and as the movie
progresses, they and we, the audience learns how corrupt the world is,
but whereas Capra gives you the golden ending, (believable and happy)
Ford takes a much more cynical look. Gypo the main character is killed
while the Joad family future in Grapes of Wrath is not that much better
than when they statred out. Capra's heroes come from small town,
happy middle America and are the epitome of the common man. They
are well liked and respected in the community that they live in. Capra's
men have greatness thrust on them by luck, while Ford 's characters have
trouble thrust upon them. Both Smith and Deeds achieve their honored
positions by the misfortune of someone else. In both cases it is the death
of a famous individual who perishes and Deed's and Smith are called up
from the ranks of the common people to eventually achieve greatness.
However, their call is based on pure luck. Deeds luck was due because
he was an heir ofa wealthy relative, and Smith because a coin toss ends
with the coin standing erect. Ford's men come from the outside of society,
Fonda from prison and Gypo had been kicked out of the IRA. They have
been disgraced and are at low points in their lives, while Fonda tries to
redeem himself in a society that keeps dropping him down. He is
released from prison, finds out the authorities have taken his home and
starts out with nothing. Fonda tries his hardest not to become a "Mean
Man".(Ma Joad's name for what happens when you go to prison and
become evil) Gypo also wants redemption but is so lost in a society that
rejects him. The society in this case is the IRA and once Gypo is kicked
out he has no money and becomes lost. He wants to do good but is
helpless until the end when he begs and is granted forgiveness and dies
redeemed, religiously speaking. Ford used religion in both movies as
turning points and a way to reflect the inner struggle of characters, the
death of the preacher changes Fonda forever and Gypo's redemption in
the church where he has at last found peace. Capra on the other hand
uses real American monuments in the same way. Grant's Tomb and the
Capitol building are seen by Deeds and Smith as great American
institutions that symbolize the truth and greatness of their nation. During
the monument scenes we learn a lot about the inner emotions of the
characters. No one else see's the beauty and ideological importance of
these monuments as we are told by supporting characters but this
reflects that twentieth century man has lost his faith in the institution.
Although Capra's movies can be considered to show American society
and authority in poor light, he on the surface can be considered
anti-establishment or anti-American, but on a deeper level he is more
pro-establishment and American because he wants the institutes to work
and mean something, not just to be hollow houses to be used by the
wealthy and cunning to swindle the land. Smith actually argues these
point when he is holding the filibuster and is trying to explain why kids
must learn to understand an appreciate the Constituent. So when they
grow up they hold them of value and the principals of the founding father
actually meaning something. Ford too shows the same if not even
stronger anti-establishment views. At the same time as tearing down the
institution they support but not in its present corrupt form making these
directors super-patriots, they are willing to go against something they
believe to be wrong in the hope it will get better. In this way both Ford and
Capra can be seen as Caprasque heroes both men somehow achieved
enough luck that they where in a position to change the world and they
did. Ford and Capra also make comments on the society of the
educated man and the written word. In fact the written word is used by
both directors in various forms, it motivates, destroys and can redeem.
The written word is always paralleled with money or prosperity but, once
unmasked is usually wrong or bad. Gypo sees a poster of his friend that
reads reward 20 pounds, Gypo out of confusion turned to this poster and
betrays his friend and his society for the money. The Joad family is of on
a quest to California on account that they read a pamphlet, this could be
compared to the newspaper clip Ma Joad has of her son's imprisonment.
In both these Fordmovies the news or the written word is somehow a
motivation for people to do something. But the written word always leads
to misfortune. Comparing the pamphlet with the article on Fonda's
imprisonment could symbolize and verify that nothing good ever comes
from the written word. Ford way of secretly criticizing the learned man.
Perhaps he is commenting on the fact that we pay to much attention to
what is written, which could lead to our downfall. Don't just believe what
you read investigate to find out the truth. Later on in Grapes of Wrath we
find out that the pamphlet is actually a tool of the rich man to lure lots of
workers out to California so they can offer really low wages. The wealthy
man controls the news and will always use it to his advantage, even
though most common folks believe what they read they must learn not to
be so blind. The use of newspapers and written words are more obvious
in the two Capra films. They not only affect the characters but they also
help explain the story to the audience. In the Capra films we learn that
news is subjective to mistruths and when silly stories appear of Deeds in
the paper we know they were not meant in the context that they were
printed. Yet it seems that in Capra's films the society believes without
question everything they read in the paper, yet as spectators we learn
the truth about the media. Babe the reporter who loves Deeds says in the
court room she colored the articles to sell more papers. Finally when we
are introduced to Taylor in Smith we realizes how corrupt the news
actually really is. Taylor's name can be used as a metaphor for tailor as
someone who alters something. Although control of the paper is done in
typical Capra fashion, by the power of one man. The newspaper is
another institution that must be unveiled because it has the power to
confuse and corrupt people. Taylor is the ultimate in corruption and when
Babe was working for the paper she too cheats. Anyone associated with
the written word is portrayed in a cynical or devious ways. Finally the
most destructive theme in Ford's and Capra's movies is money. Money is
used in many ways in these four films sometimes their is plenty and some
times their is not any. Money ends up playing a big role in each of these
films, money is also used as a device to show how characters behave
when serious matters occur. Deeds and The Informer are very
similar in their dealing with money. Both movies begin with a large written
banner about money. Gypo is faced with a poster claiming reward money,
while Deeds begins with the newspaper proclaiming millionaire heir not
found yet. In both cases death is the cause that there is the transfer of
money to the main characters. Gypo becomes paranoid and drunk
indirectly due to the money. Deeds also misuses his fortune at first,
getting drunk and running around New York naked. With money comes
responsiablity and both Gypo and Deeds in the beginning are not capable
of handling responsesablity. It takes them many lesson to learn the real
value of money and when they firgure it out they end up givening their
money away to help someone less fortunate. Deeds gives his millions to
the out of work people, while Gypo gives his money to a lady in need of
transportation home. Both cases the money is used for the purpose of
good. In Deeds the twenty million dollars brings many leeches, the same
happens to Gypo with his 20 pounds. Gypo starts to spend money more
and more frequently as the night wares on. He attracts leeches who care
little about Gypo but a lot about his money. These leeches end up guiding
the character into deeper and deeper trouble. Wheras Deeds has
professional leeches like lawyers, because Deed lives in the world of high
fainace the thief where suits and have offices. Both films end up using
money as a test ofa persons strength in the case of Gypo he fails at first
but eventually learns right even though it is too late. Deeds on the other
hand passes the test at first easily, but there are moments when he is
close to failing. Smith and Grapes of Wrath are also very similar with
the use of money potrayed in these pictures. Both are centered on the
fact that society through money is being abused and the little guy can not
fight these odds. The big buisness men who smoke fat cigars and buy up
land and kick off the farmers in Grapes of Wrath are the same men that
work in the Senate in Smith. These men the wealthy are extremly greedy
whereas the Joads just want enough money to feed the family and live.
These rich land owners are willing to starve children just to make more of
a profit. coincidently while the rich steal and make illegal deals to become
richer the Joads do not even try to steal a loaf of bread. Which is the
point of these moves that there is more important thing than money, even
thought are society is based on it. Capra and Ford worked very
hard to achieve the positions in society they did, both grew up in poor
large families and hence started at the bottom and worked their way to
the top. They lived the American dream yet they were not so blinded by
their success that they did not see the misfortune of others. They knew
the American system was corrupt and unfair and set out to criticizes and
even help change it. Either men cannot be labeled as liberal or socialist
because there political allegance was not towards a party or a theory, it
was rooted in simple and obvious universal truths. And because their
movies deal with universal themes and truths I believe there movie do not
or will not ever appear old or dated.American Film IFA/FILM 3210"FORD
& CAPRA"DEC 3 1996
. " ;A great man and a great American, Frank Capra is an inspiration to
those who believe in the American dream" John Ford& quot;The megaphone
has. their
idea's. Capra& apos;s characters are modeled on the belief that one man can
make a difference and help society, while Ford& apos;s characters are almost
incapable