John Ford - Interview

Filmcuts of a BBC interview from 1968 that never been sent on TV.

[@MrJoemolin]

'When did you come to America?' 'I was born here.' This interviewer didn't stand a chance after this question. It also didn't help that he was a posh bloke from the BBC !

[@ollyf5088]

Awful

[@jameshudson169]

I think the interviewer does a good job. He asks questions that Ford isn't sure if he should take offense at. But they're good questions.

[@eddie12454]

Yes, I think he did. There was always this Irish v Brit ish thing that bugged Ford as Ford had Irish ancestry. He did though have a sort of friendship with British director Lindsay Anderson who was a fan of Ford's films.

[@taylorwhite-hg7ml]

Fun fact: John Ford was actually 27 years old in this interview

[@jacobrichardson3051]

Bull honky John wayne was not 27 years old in this interview go find the marbles you lost

[@SOLIDSNAKE.]

😂

[@mygumybear]

Who came here after watching David Lynch acting as John Ford?

[@stevencoardvenice]

Me

[@MrPINHEAD123]

Yup

[@tommasanauskas3070]

Correct

[@Illustraful]

Moi.

[@Illustraful]

@@tommasanauskas3070 Where's the horizon?!

[@sonja3659]

The most influential filmmaker of all time

[@NickCADA]

The Searchers, The Grapes of Wrath, Stagecoach, The Quiet Man. Four incredible movies. His directing in The Searchers was stunning.

[@twomindz79]

@@NickCADA I hated ' the quiet man ' Rest are brilliant.

[@spactick]

Wrong! most influental filmaker of all time? Thomas Edison. Without Mr. Edison there is no film, period

[@ReadIcculus93]

@@spactick Edison did no such thing. Like most things he "Invented" he took other ideas that existed at the time and tweaked them to mass produce and market them. His Kinetoscope (1890s) was really just a more perfected version of the Phenakistiscope from 1832. or you got the Zoopraxiscope from the 1880s. In fact, you might have a hard time finding Edison's name in the first few chapters of a history of motion pictures textbook.

[@knownpleasures]

No he’s not . Steven Spielberg for starters. Ford ‘s style of film has long gone .

[@enriquetexu846]

-Mister Ford, how came to Hollywood? - In train.

[@enriquetexu846]

He pay double the Navajos as the mormon cowboys. Natani nez, Jefe Alto, Tall Leader, theys call him.

[@agatematt]

What type of man was John Ford? Prior to the Battle of Midway in June 1942, Ford, a naval commander, did some filming on the carrier Hornet including the 30 officers & men of Torpedo Squadron 8 before flying to Midway in time for the battle. In an attack on the Japanese carriers, all 15 planes were shot down & 29 of the 30 men killed. After the battle, Ford used the shots of the squadron members to create a short colored film which he had delivered to each of the aviators' families.

[@mikewolf417]

John Ford was a man of few words, but those words meant a great deal. john Ford is one of the greatest directors of this century and 4 Oscars for Best Director proves it. Steven Spielberg when he was starting out asked for a interview with John Ford to ask him about movie directing. Ford gave him 1 minute. Spielberg sat in Ford's office and Ford said, "So you want to be a film director." Spielberg said yes he did. Ford said, "Do you see these photos around the room? (They were photos of Fords westerns). Ford said, "What do you see in this photo?" Spielberg said, "I see Indians." Ford said, "NO NO NO, what do you see in this photo?" Spielberg had no answer. For took him to the next one and asked what he saw in that picture. Spielberg said, "I see cavalry and......Ford cut him off. "Listen he said....where is the horizon?" Spielberg said it was up top and on the other photo Spielberg said it was on the bottom. Ford said, "Listen, when you can know the difference of a horizon being on the top of a shot or on the bottom of a shot and not right in the dam middle you may one day make a good director. now get the F**K out of here." That was John Ford and Spielberg said that interview helped him more than he knew at the moment.

[@gmar7836]

Where is that interview??

[@themoreyouknowfools4974]

@@gmar7836 look up John ford doc by peter bogdanovich

[@ignaciobentley8747]

I know I'm pretty randomly asking but does anybody know of a good site to stream new series online?

[@leonleroy1291]

@Ignacio Bentley Flixportal :P

[@ignaciobentley8747]

@Leon Leroy thanks, I signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) I really appreciate it!!

[@heartfire451]

I think Ford was uncomfortable admitting that he was a poet at heart or something.

[@stevenhosea4849]

No. Thanks Bye. No. And. Yes. Very. Nice. Great. Happens. Goodness

[@lxH4WK3Rxl]

He simply didn't give a fuck because ruled the films history, so it's nothing to him

[@phughes4224]

A truly fascinating and straightforward man.

[@frankopaddo9647]

Ford not passionate? Ford not professional? The subtelties of Ford are lost on you. Go read a book on Ford ...there are at least a dozen of them. Some written by pasionate, professional film directors (Anderson, Bogdanovich) In any event his place, at the top, in film history is assured. With or without your appreciation.

[@frankopaddo9647]

What Ford says and what he belives are two different things. He DID NOT like being interviewed by people who where ignorant or would obsess about art, which he found pretentious. "Passion" he also would find pretentious. He refuses to enter into a discussion on those terms. If he was not "passionate" then how do you explain "Wagonmaster", "The Sun Shines Bright", "The Rising of the Moon" and others? You may not have seen those "acclaimed" films but he made them for himself alone. That's passion!

[@DarraghC]

When he started asking about how he was eccentric I couldnt help but think of Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, "What do you mean I'm funny? Funny how?"

[@DustinSteckler-lh6cb]

The word eccentric can only be used by others to describe you. Not to describe yourself.

[@kailgrosser]

John Ford (in Joe Pesci style)- In what way am I excentric?

[@tiarnan76]

haha he really did :)

[@KULP11]

exactly,, ha ha

[@gmar7836]

It would’ve been even more funny if Ford continued by saying “how am I eccentric? Really? How the fuck am I eccentric? Because I really want to know. Do I amuse you?” Lol

[@MacJaxonManOfAction]

A man so old school even the video turned black and white for a while.

[@dovestones]

"I'm afraid you're going to hate this question..." You're damn right he did

[@MrRadiorobot]

'how the hell do you expect me to answer that?'... And then he did. Not the easiest director to interview.

[@thebrownfilmshow]

it's refreshing to hear a filmmaker who's not up the butt hole of art. not blown away by a shot or a shadow on the wall. he was a craftsman who enjoyed what he did

[@jasonphillips2718]

Man Ford was ready to kick his ass for the eccentric remark.

[@garyteague3406]

Jason Phillips yes he tried to stir him around and away from it but ford kept coming back to it lol

[@HaroonChest]

I seriously think a lot can be learned from this man. This is why he is one of my favourite directors, and not someone like Kubrick or Tarkovsky, he was humble, he never overplayed the importance of his films or was showy. When I can sense the director's presence and their agenda behind a film, it takes me right out of it, but with someone like Ford, he let his images and his characters speak. It's like he was saying, "Forget who directed it, just remember the picture, that's what is more important". We need more like him.

[@graydonmiller7832]

That's why I 'm soaking him up in interviews. He really responds to a question, often seizing on a flaw in the questios, makes it his banana peel. That's how he he is funny, wise and a great listener.

[@jadezee6316]

@@graydonmiller7832 lol..he is crude and abrasive...defensive too...

[@jadezee6316]

@Peter Kelner i guess that depends on your definition of what being artistic means...and i hate to tell you this...BUT YOU..do not get to decide who is or isnt...you are only entitled to your opinion...

[@jadezee6316]

@Juan Perez thats the problem with guessing.....you might BE WRONG

[@angkrishsoti7853]

@Juan Perez The same script can be made into one really bad movie and one grest movie. I guess that atleast somedirectors are artists.

[@One21Jiggawatts]

I love this interview. He's hilarious.

[@janetramey199]

Love his wisdom: retire from retiring!

[@eddie12454]

The man was an awkward cus but a wonderful film maker. His films have made me wonder,laugh and cry..

[@Ruby20111000]

You can see what John Fords thinking about this interviewer.

[@toinimoore3463]

I could read him so easy he was trying to be polite on camera bet anything he told the guy off in his usual gruff manner that guy really did not know who he was messing with,a dumb jerk reporter who wanted what he wanted out of someone else not caring how they feel am very sure he was told off and to go back to school and get his education as I feel myself the guy had to be one who flunked!!

[@quarantinebored1427]

I can see why David Lynch was cast as John Ford

[@Ruby20111000]

Wish I'd met him.

[@philiplewis7252]

Great video. I admire the interviewer for maintaining his composure in the face of an icon.

[@MrDeAdHeAd1989]

Love it! I could listen to him for hours. Dude smoked those cigars like nothing. Lol

[@cynthiachronister4082]

I'm sure this Irishman didn't appreciate the interviewers obnoxious English attitude love the way he corrects the questions 😊

[@HelenaRedgrave]

Don't get me wrong, Ford was an outstanding director, and I love most of his movies... but damn, he sounds like a very hard person to deal with :

[@bliss9745]

He just doesn't like stupid interviewers.

[@mexicanfries5336]

Ford was Irish to the core.

[@pal9876]

@@bliss9745 I think the interviewer did a pretty good job

[@twomindz79]

@@mexicanfries5336 Nah. He was just American.

[@65g4]

ive only seen 5 Ford films just about all of them are masterpieces

[@Rick-mx5kh]

Read character actor Harry Carey Jr.'s book, "Company of Heroes". It's about the nine Ford films that he acted in and gives a pretty good idea of John Ford.

[@danielstanwyck2812]

curmudgeon. brilliant. silly interviewer.

[@geniusmchaggis]

MAN that guy could SMOKE! and he lived almost 80 yrs. not bad.

[@kaluga30]

Don't believe the hype. It's all about the DNA.

[@geniusmchaggis]

kaluga30 well it wasnt really DNA. he lived much of his life as a coughing emphysemaic. its AMAZING that he ACTUALLY LIVED to 79!

[@norelcopc2431]

A lot of people who smoke ALMOST make it to 80. Many people who don't smoke make it past 80.

[@DSRZONATYCHI]

Little man john ford big man john wayne. Look who served in ww2

[@nohandle62]

Wayne was asked by the government to remain home and make pictures to boost morale. He did what the government asked him to do and said he regretted it the rest of his life. ETA, I forgot to mention that Wayne WANTED to enlist. When he tried to do that the government said we'd like you to continue making pictures.

[@lostlearning8654]

"Eccentric? Eccentric how? How am I eccentric?" I felt like it was going to turn into Goodfellas :)

[@elpresidio]

Is it just me or does John Ford have a British accent in this interview?

[@acmarston]

Doesn't sound it to me.

[@billdanitz5954]

New England I believe.

[@TheConorsmithusa]

Transatlantic accent actually

[@RedcoatsReturn]

An insightful interview I thought. A rough around the edges fellow, used to boss everyone about and insult them. I think he was one of the most feared and even hated director (Bill Holden would have agreed I think). Still, he was nevertheless right about the courage of the little man and he had a masterful talent at his job. If he was a chum of John Wayne, he must have a lot of good in him somewhere.

[@SteveShredda]

John Ford was a touchy bugga at the best of times but he was still the greatest ever film producer and director

[@eddie12454]

Absolutely.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Ford was bored shitless by this interview.

[@mrdokim1150]

John ford rockin those white vans doe

[@reyesrodriguez4360]

I Love Ford. He is my kind of artist, a difficult guy to deal with for sure, but from whom you could learn a great deal. He’s one of my top favorite filmmakers.

[@Qwerty-db1js]

Same. Some people are difficult, sure. But it does not mean those people are not intelligent or great. Difficult personalities could be hardworking and geniuses as well.

[@Flapperdame16]

Maureen O'Hara was right. In her memoir: Tis' Herself, she told readers Ford would BS every interview and twist his own vision. Perfect example in this interview John Wayne and stagecoach. Ford crafted the role for Duke. The studio pushed for Gary Cooper, Ford wouldnt budge and ended up cutting the budget in order to secure Duke.

[@ryancarroll3961]

I understand this man somewhat He was very good at what he did, but that’s just how his brain worked and he didn’t understand why people thought it was extra special. When you’re truly great you’re the only one that doesn’t see it

[@BC99]

Interesting character for sure.

[@ericsimon2672]

a wonderful director and old school gentleman; and a genius

[@chandanchatterjee7242]

what a style , attitude of giving an interview ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I love it

[@serc_]

Directing a movie is easy and most rewarding. That is a known fact. Why the interviewer shocked was probably because he didn't interview with directors but auteurs. Because writing is the hard part. Especially at a younger age.

[@waynemcauliffe2362]

Grumpy old bugger but a great director

[@rcadenow7543]

he is like those old strict that fought in war man. lynch was amazing as him.

[@danimal111ify]

he only wore a patch when he directed so he could look through the viewfinder.

[@tyronequin2981]

From TYRONE QUIN to JOHN FORD. FOR A DAY WHEN HE IS AT HIS LOWEST, AND THERE IS NO COMFORT IN THE WORDS OF A LOVER OR IN THE WORDS OF A FRIEND. ~ THIS IS A SONG OF KING DAVID. IT IS ABOUT MEN DOING BUSINESS OVERSEAS. ~ PSALMS 107:23-28.

[@alexb7858]

He was baffled that he'd perceived as an eccentric! He didn't think maybe chewing on handkerchiefs all day long had something to do with that.

[@kingoftheseamusic]

terrible interviewer

[@MichaelSmith-sv4mn]

Terrible interviewer but Ford is in good form. Love the red socks.

[@andreasobuaculla9511]

well facts say mr dylans priority is bank account,guess that counts for a lot,and your priorities too,bet your favorite word is aawsome?

[@Shagrat65]

+Trev Gibb He gets better mate if you watch the full interview. He seems overly excited more than anything but I have to admit some of the questions he asks Ford are pretty stupid.

[@cobeycobb]

"Can you use guts in BBC?" Ahhh the good ol' days

[@strutherhill]

Great director and obviously a man of considerable intelligence. Rather defensive as an interviewee. Perhaps too sensitive for this kind of format. Did he agree to the interview in order to promote a film?

[@fede018]

He was simply an old cranky man.

[@GiantSandles]

This is like the 'Funny how?' scene stretched out over 10 minutes

[@danielm8840]

Fantastic Maine accent

[@michaelhellwarth9357]

He reminds me of my Great Uncle George who was an Irish gangster from Philly from the late 20’s to the early 60’s. He always tried to make people feel stupid because, he said,”most people are stupid and talk to dam much!”

[@garethburch6015]

The irony is that calling Ford “Eccentric” doesn’t really make any sense.

[@saeedyarahmadi9913]

God he was so proud and old school director.

[@anthonyelwick3600]

I've heard shorts about what a genius yet legendary jerk ford was. Look at him with his hand over his face making shadows ruining the shot at the beginning. I love how he understands who and what he is when he calls himself a coward even after all the brave things he did in the war. It's important to understand who you are and your limits.

[@65g4]

interested in movies as a child he couldnt have been there werent really any movies when he was a child he was born in 1894 movies barely existed

[@WastedNights]

They don't make director's like this anymore...

[@kylebittner5100]

What a man!

[@merceplanella]

amazing Jack Ford!!!

[@mrdokim1150]

I don't like this interviewer. 😂

[@phoenixzappa7366]

Aww snowflake.

[@guileniam]

3:16 Wayne already was the lead in a Raoul Walsh western

[@kennethroyston]

A brilliant filmmaker

[@Kombi-1]

Wow! I didn't believe his voice to be that similar to David Lynch's!

[@buckybucky8596]

"'I'll do the best I can with it', and it always turns out bad." Classic!

[@greyeyed123]

"I'm really a coward." lol

[@j-mharari3374]

Walsh discovered John Wayne first, before Ford !

[@ronniebishop2496]

J-M Harari walsh is Ford isn't he?

[@danphillips2784]

@@ronniebishop2496 Raoul Walsh put Wayne in THE BIG TRAIL in 1930...but Wayne WAS Ford's prop man, and Ford always had him earmarked for stardom.

[@robertbrandywine]

Like pulling teeth with this guy.

[@willisattack]

This guys attitude is great...

[@guileniam]

James Cagney stood up to John Ford, which is why he left Mister Roberts. Ford was a proud irishman and would talk shit to just about everyone, but when he did it to fellow Irishman Cagney, whom was an amateur boxer, beat up gangsters and loved keeping the crew happy, Cagney flipped and said he was gonna kick his head in. Ford just walked off and never came back.

[@phoenixzappa7366]

James Cagney was 3 foot one

[@guileniam]

Scotty Nguyen's 80s Mullet Nah 5 ft something, was a good fighter regardless

[@phoenixzappa7366]

He was 2 foot seven

[@guileniam]

Scotty Nguyen's 80s Mullet I presume your IQ is less than average?

[@phoenixzappa7366]

+Dizzy Blu Oh the irony

[@2011sjw]

..........................................................fantastic.........................................!!!

[@robertdolle9985]

How am I eccentric? Eccentric how?

[@sclogse1]

Jack dropped his eye patch in my toilet a long time ago. I wish he was as accurate with his ashes.

[@gmar7836]

Clever.

[@richiefrench]

John Ford is God

[@MrRadiorobot]

For an American he doesn't much sound like one.

[@michaelwalsh2498]

He's from Maine. He has a New England accent.

[@soulballet]

damn hes surly and fantastic

[@danjameson1572]

IMO the only American director who can be compared to Kurosawa, Renoir, etc.

[@danphillips2784]

Ford met Akira Kurosawa in the Fifties, and Kurosawa told him how much he admired Ford's movies with John Wayne...something Ford proudly told Wayne in a letter.

[@cesarzpontu8886]

What about Orson Welles or John Huston?

[@danjameson1572]

@@cesarzpontu8886 Hitchock and Welles have to be up there too

[@BiffJackson-o4i]

I've read three biographies of Ford and, trust me, this is not a human being you would want to spend much time with.

[@aluiziojr]

always Ford... hahaha

[@hulkhogan4203]

@9:26 it looks like there's a shadow of a kitten on his face

[@MrFredSed]

+Chris Schmidt Who said men can't multi-task!!!

[@andyhall7032]

wonderful...just wonderful...the interviews with peter bogdanovich are also great you should take a look at them too...he's more relaxed in those as he knew and respected bogdanovich

[@calebburns8894]

“Were you interested in movies as a kid” Man was born the year before movie cameras were invented

[@custardflan]

A tough interview.

[@Derrymcg]

John Wayne was a son , that why he was always a little tough on him, bless his memory.

[@garethvcross]

difficult ford is difficult

[@Officerasim]

Where did you find this? It's amazing.

[@ChiSportsNut18]

No, no, no! Where's the GODdamn horizon?

[@michaelwalsh2498]

Who's the dummy interviewing Ford?

[@moviecowboy2012]

He irritates the hell out of me - the way he analyzes every question... but somehow I respect him more for it

[@robertbrandywine]

He's not someone who "gestalts". He is a sequential thinker. I'm surprised he was a director as that's something you think of as sequential thinker work.

[@ThePearlofeire]

I think this was included in the documentary "Dreaming The Quiet Man".

[@erikramaekers63]

A genius and one of a kind director

[@tammybettiga3390]

DID NOT KNOW THAT JOHN WAYNE HELPED BLACK BALL FOLKS....WOW....

[@christhompson3750]

He had it in for several writers, hated them with a passion.

[@AngelArtists]

He makes Robert De Niro seem like a dream interviewee lol

[@buffery333]

john wayne started as Ford's 3rd prop man.......

[@dougie1968]

John says in what way is he eccentric as he acts very eccentrically.

[@TheConorsmithusa]

I had a bit of anxiety listening to him being interviewed