john ford and frank capra

John Ford and Frank Capra: A Study of Their Movies
"A great man and a great American, Frank Capra is an inspiration
to those who
believe in the American dream" John Ford
"The megaphone has been to John Ford what the chisel was to
Michelangelo Ford Cannot be pinned down or analyzed. He is
pure Ford Which
means pure great" Frank Capra
Frank Capra and John Ford 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 Frank Capra 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
Capra a
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 of a
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 Ford movies 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 of a 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.