Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)
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80% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
55% of users liked it
(2,902 ratings)
John Ford directed this outdoor adventure set in the American Colonial period. Gilbert and Lana Martin (Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert) are a young couple trying to make a home in New York State's Mohawk Valley, but repeated attacks by Indians drive them, along with other settlers in the… More John Ford directed this outdoor adventure set in the American Colonial period. Gilbert and Lana Martin (Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert) are a young couple trying to make a home in New York State's Mohawk Valley, but repeated attacks by Indians drive them, along with other settlers in the valley, into a nearby fort, where they watch helplessly as the natives lay waste to their farms and cabins. A spinster with a large farm, Sarah McKlennar (Edna May Oliver), comes to their rescue when she hires Gilbert to work as a field hand and gives the Martins a place to stay. The rugged life of the farm and frontier doesn't always sit well with Lana, who was raised in wealthy and comfortable circumstances; in time she develops a thicker skin and learns to love their new life in the Mohawk Valley, especially after giving birth to their first son. Gilbert joins the militia, who must do battle both with the local Indian tribes and the British soldiers who are provoking them to battle. Gilbert returns wounded, and as he recuperates, a healthy crop rises in the fields, but their satisfaction is short lived when the Indians once again hit the warpath. 1939 was a stellar year for John Ford; along with this highly successful adventure tale, which was nominated for three Academy Awards, Ford also released the ground-breaking western Stagecoach. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- John Ford
- Written By
- Lamar Trotti, Sonya Levien
- Genres
- Western, Action & Adventure, Classics
- In Theaters
- Nov 3, 1939 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
Duty leads to detachment, as is typical in Ford, and there are sterling examples here of resolute stoicism triumphing over hysteria.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Visually very pleasing.
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Paul Brenner, Filmcritic.com
a revelation
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Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It was Ford's first film in color and contains at least a handful of his most beautifully composed moments.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Sketchy and episodic, John Ford's patriotic Revolutionary War tale is not one of his best dramatic efforts, but as his first color feature, it boasts stunning Oscar-nominated pictorial values.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Claudette Colbert
as Lana Borst Martin
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Henry Fonda
as Gilbert Martin
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Edna May Oliver
as Mrs. Sarah McKlennar
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Arthur Shields
as Father Rosenkranz
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Eddie Collins
as Christian Reall
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Ward Bond
as Adam Hartman
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Dorris Bowdon
as Mary Reall
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John Carradine
as Caldwell
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Jessie Ralph
as Mrs. Weaver
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Robert Lowery
as John Weaver
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Roger Imhof
as Nicholas Herkimer
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Francis Ford
as Joe Boleo
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Kay Linaker
as Mrs. DeMooth
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Russell Simpson
as Dr. Petry
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Spencer Charters
as Innkeeper
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Arthur Ayleswofth
as George Weaver
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Clara Blandick
as Mrs. Borst
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Chief John Big Tree
as Blue Back
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Robert Greig
as Mr. Borst
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Si Jenks
as Jacob Small
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Noble Johnson
as Indian
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Tiny Jones
as Mrs. Reall
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Mae Marsh
as Pioneer Woman
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Edwin Maxwell
as Rev. Daniel Gros
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Paul McVey
as Capt. Mark DeMooth
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Lionel Pape
as General
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Charles Tannen
as Dr. Robert Johnson
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Tom Tyler
as Capt. Morgan
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Clarence H. Wilson
as Paymaster
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Jack Pennick
as Amos Hartman
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Beulah Hall Jones
as Daisy