How John Ford Saved Hollywood’s Integrity
A true titan of the western movie genre, admired universally for his storytelling ability, mastery of the visual narrative arts, and deep realization of the human condition – when it comes to American cinema icons, they don’t come much bigger than the monumental John Ford.
Now, Hollywood has always been a controversial part of the entertainment world, and the film industry, in general, has never been without its fair share of rifts. Back in 1950, Ford was involved in a General Hollywood meeting of the Screen Directors Guild that marked a pivotal moment in the history and future of American cinema.
Also attending the meeting were Cecil B. DeMille, the legendary director of The Ten Commandments and Cleopatra and Joseph L. Mankiewicz of All About Eve and A Letter to Three Wives, who was at the time the director of the Screen Directors Guild. DeMille had wanted to oust Mankiewicz from his position while also discussing the challenges that Hollywood was undoubtedly facing.
The three directors, along with several other fellow filmmakers, all agreed on promoting and protecting the rights of film directors, and with the increasing power of television, Ford, Mankiewicz, and DeMille recognized the threat to the income that cinema provided, urging the industry to adapt to the new environment while preserving its artistic integrity.
Censorship had also been a big issue at the meeting, and just a few years after the introduction of the Hays Code, filmmakers found themselves with a barrage of political and moral constraints. It was Ford and Mankiewicz who spoke up for their artistic freedom, pushing back against those who wanted to banish cinema from being able to explore controversial subject matter.
DeMille had raised questions about the foreign-sounding names of the directors involved in the American meeting, drawing accusations of xenophobia. According to the film historian Kevin Brownlow, Ford stood up after DeMille had spoken and said, My name is John Ford, and I make westerns. Cecil, your films make more money than any other films. I admire you, Cecil, but I don’t love you! This outspokenness drew the admiration of Ford’s contemporaries and helped to push back against DeMille, who sought to sterilize Hollywood.
The 1950 General Hollywood meeting of the Screen Directors Guild was a momentous event in the history of American cinema, and it served as a testament to the beliefs of directors like John Ford in preserving the integrity of the medium of film. The legendary western director was already admired by this point, but he announced himself as a true hero on that fateful day.
