Drums Along the Mohawk

Based on the bestselling 1936 novel by Walter D. Edmonds, this historical drama of colonial America has an epic feel thanks to a strong narrative sweep and opulent production values (featuring glorious Technicolor cinematography). The story of pioneering farmers in New York's Mohawk Valley just prior to the Revolutionary War, Drums Along the Mohawk stars Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert as a newly married couple determined to build a family home despite the dangers posed by nature's hardships, hostile Indians, and British agitators. When their first house is burned down, the young couple finds refuge with other settlers, and a militia springs up to meet the challenge of marauding savages. Director John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath) seamlessly blends romance, adventure, and comedy in this expertly made film, one of the most commercially successful for 1939. In addition to Fonda and Colbert, many other members of legendary filmmaker Ford's “stock company” are on hand, including John Carradine, Ward Bond, Arthur Shields, and Russell Simpson. Adding immeasurable value is veteran character actress Edna May Oliver, playing yet another horse-faced spinster (she steals practically every scene she's in). Stirring and evocative, Drums Along the Mohawk brings a fascinating period of American history to vibrantly colorful life. Beautifully restored for DVD release, the disc also features a restoration comparison. Recommended. (E. Hulse)