Leo Grin continues his loving series on John Ford's movie "They Were Expendable." In part 6 he writes about Robert Montgomery, Donna Reed and Ward Bond who stared in the movie along with John Wayne. He also writes about the many character actors in the movie who were part of the "John Ford Stock Company":
Throughout the decades in which he worked, John Ford collected about himself a motley assortment of character actors, stuntmen, ex-soldiers, and personal friends, people he particularly enjoyed working with. Together they became informally known as the John Ford Stock Company, and over the course of thirty years they matured into an experienced acting troupe much greater than the sum of their parts, to the point where you can usually judge the merit of a Ford film based on how many members of his Stock Company are listed in the credits. Astoundingly versatile, they were by turns raucously hilarious or deeply affecting, depending on Ford’s whims. For fans of the director’s films, the sight of one of their weathered, well-loved faces on screen is always a cause for rejoicing.....
One of the members of the "John Ford Stock company was a former soldier , Jack Pennick who in addition to acting in the movies was somewhat of an informal military advisor to Ford:
When today’s filmmakers, flush with the power of CGI and modern camera techniques, declare their gloomy anti-war films more realistic and thus superior to the hokey military movies of yore, I can only think of guys like Jack Pennick, men who infused old movies with their patriotism, optimism, loyalty, and expertise. One of John Ford’s greatest gifts to posterity is his immortalization of such people on screen, reminding future generations of their caliber.
(Jack Pinnock, John Wayne, Robert Montgomery & Ward Bond)
(To read a lot more click on the title for a link.... it also has links to parts 1 through 5 of the series)
UPDATE: Last night (Sunday) I re watched the movie and there is a lot to love in this movie.The scenes between John Wayne and Donna Reed are magical and some of the best scenes to be found in any movie.
