1993 - JOHN FORD, a film from British director Lindsay Anderson

Film makers can make for strange bedfellows and nothing is stranger than the friendship of Irish/American director John Ford and left leaning, gay British theater and film director Lindsay Anderson.  This documentary is Anderson's attempt to explain how much Ford's film have meant to him.

In many ways this is a standard tribute to Ford, there has been a lot written about Ford but Anderson attempts to explain and understand Ford and his films with whom he felt he had a spiritual connection.  Anderson actually met and developed a sort of friendship with Ford in the 1950's as Ford was winding down his career.  Surprisingly Anderson does not care for Ford's film The Searchers which he finds well made but very impersonal.

Anderson interviews some of Ford's crew and actors but noticeably missing are John Wayne, James Stewart and  Henry Fonda.  Anderson does have a very touching interview with Maureen O'Hara who had a very complicated relationship with John Ford.  Towards the end of the film Anderson speaks very movingly but without sentiment about his final meeting with the dying director.

This is an interesting film tribute from one very different filmmaker to another.

90 minutes, written by Lindsay Anderson.