The family was poor The community's poverty and isolation force them to live a 19th-century lifestyle. He had gallbladder surgery in the 1920s and suffered from pneumonia in 1942. During the war, York attempted to reenlist in the infantry but could not do so due to age and obesity. When Sergeant York finally gave his consent to have a film made of his life, he said the only actor who could play him was Gary Cooper (who won an academy award for his performance). With great effort, Alvin finally manages to come up with the large amount for a beautiful patch of land; however, when the seller breaks his promise, the wronged man seeks retribution, only to be stopped by a nearly fatal bolt of lightning. Alvin works hard to acquire the price for the land, and is given an extension by the owner. In real life, Sergeant York was the eldest son who had to become the man of the house at a young age to provide for his mother and 10 younger siblings. About This Quiz & Worksheet. As depicted in the film, Alvin turned to religion when he was struck by lightning during one of his drunken outings. But York's conduct catches up with him. York is decorated and hailed as a national hero, but desires to return home. Episode Summary. It also rated Alvin York 35th in its list of the top 50 heroes in American cinema. Sergeant York, based on the diary of Alvin York Considering the competition faced by Sergeant York in 1942, it is quite an achievement for Gary Cooper to have won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading role, especially ahead of Orson Welles This was the year of Citizen Kane, which is for many scholars the best motion picture ever, How Green Was My Valley, which has won Best Picture in 1942, … Immediately download the Alvin York summary, chapter-by-chapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more - everything you need for studying or teaching Alvin York. In 2008, Sergeant York was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[4][5]. Although very worried at the prospect of taking another man’s life, the Tennessee native chose to honor his military obligation and shipped off. The Story Of Sgt. York's Medal of Honor action occurred during the United States-led portion of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France, which was intended to breach the Hindenburg lineand force the … An incorrigible troublemaker, he drinks heavily and fights often. The captured are marched up the line as prisoners of war by York and only a handful of his men. What distinguishes “Sergeant York” from oth- er films on the National Film Registry, apart from a bravura performance by its star Gary Cooper, is its ability to capture the mood of a United States teetering on the brink of entry into World War II. It benefited from the attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred while the film played in theaters. Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. Unexpectedly, under the wing of the community's pastor, Rosier Pile, York finds solace in religion; nevertheless, when WWI breaks out, his application as a conscientious objector to avoid service will be rejected, complicating further his already thorny pacifist conflict. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, gathered 35 machine guns, killing at least 25 enemy soldiers and capturing 132 prisoners. Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Sergeant York. Young men went directly from watching the movie in theaters to the enlistment offices, to sign up for … Author: John Perry. | Taglines Directed by John Mulholland. Sergeant York. One of 11 children, he was born on a farm in Tennessee in 1887. York shoots his initials into a nearby tree. Alvin C. York finds a local girl he is interested in courting, Gracie Williams (Leslie). The book excellently portrays the life story of a humble Tennessean who placed his life into the hands of the Father after 27 years of recklessness. Part One: We first meet Alvin York as a rebellious young man sunken deep in the ways of society. Alvin C. York (born Alvin Cullum York; December 13, 1887–September 2, 1964) was one of the U.S. Army's most notable heroes during World War I. York received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 8, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. There's a disturbance outside. Known as one of America’s greatest war heroes, Alvin York was a profoundly religious man who found himself plenty conflicted when he learned he’d been drafted into the U.S. Army. One night, he has a conversion experience while in a storm. Described in 1919 as a "red-haired giant with the ruddy complexion of the outdoors" and "standing more than 6 feet... and tipping the beam at more than 200 pounds," by 1945 he weighed 250 pounds and in 1948 he had a stroke. Sergeant York brought him Hawks one and only Oscar nomination for Best Director, and it's arguably his least interesting film. Summary. Sergeant York was a success at the box office and became the highest-grossing film of 1941. Sergeant York, set during WW1 and WW2, is filled with so much hope and faith. York seeks the guidance of his local pastor (Brennan), with whom he studies the Bible and discusses life. Will York's extensive hunting knowledge help him outsmart the Germans and their devastating machine guns in the blood-soaked battlefields of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive on October 8, 1918? Sergeant York: His Own Life Story and War Diary. Just before America's entry into World War I, Alvin York is a poor, young farmer in rural Tennessee, near the Kentucky border, living with his widowed mother, sister, and brother. He rejects commercial offers that would make him wealthy, explaining that he could not take money for doing his duty. | It's 1916 near Pall Mall, at Three Forks of the Wolf, in Tennessee. [1], On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 88% rating based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. A drunken brawler who found God and a hero of World War I who spent the rest of his life using his fame to help people: that just about sums up the life of Alvin York. After meeting Gracie Williams, the love of his life, the Tennessee backwoodsman and exceptional sharpshooter, Alvin C. York, decides to straighten out and settle down. York returns home to marry his fiancé, Gracie. Alvin's leisure time is spent fighting and getting drunk with friends. Updated July 03, 2019. Behind the scenes documentary on the making of Sergeant York. The film's patriotic theme helped recruit soldiers; young men sometimes went directly from the movie theater to military enlistment offices. Recommended For: Intermediate and Advanced (5th through 8th grade) This succinct and gripping new account of Sgt. Alvin's goal is to purchase a piece of fertile farmland, called "bottomland", to improve his lot. Sergeant York is a 1941 American biographical film about the life of Alvin C. York, one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War I. The Review. Synopsis Alvin took his newfound religion seriously claiming to be a conscientious objector when receiving his draft notice. Parents Guide. 34 $16.99 $16.99. Prize-winning Tennessee marksman Alvin York (Gary Cooper), a recent convert to Christianity, finds himself torn between his non-violent beliefs and his desire to serve his country when recruited to fight in World War I. Kindly Major Buxton (Stanley Ridges) convinces York to engage in battle, where the pacifist's prowess with a rifle earns him honors as he continues to struggle with his decision … During the Meuse-Argonne offensive, York distinguishes himself by killing and capturing many German soldiers. York refused, several times, to authorize a film version of his life story, but finally yielded to persistent efforts to finance the creation of an interdenominational Bible school. The film was based on the diary of Sergeant Alvin York, as edited by Tom Skeyhill,[2] and adapted by Harry Chandlee, Abem Finkel, John Huston, Howard E. Koch, and Sam Cowan (uncredited). York, Alvin Cullum (13 December 1887–02 September 1964), World War I soldier, was born in Pall Mall, Tennessee, the son of William York and Mary Brooks, farmers.A skillful hunter and marksman, York worked as a farmer, a laborer, and a blacksmith before the war. Sergeant York (Trailer 1) Predictable, a trifle slow, but ultimately winning. On Oct. 8, 1918, while serving on the Western Front, Army Cpl. The film begins when York—one of 11 children born into a poor family in northern Tennessee—is a young man. Sergeant York (1941) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. However, after being struck by lightning, he undergoes a religious awakening that turns his life around. The American Film Institute ranked the film 57th in the its 100 most inspirational American movies. When the U.S. enters World War I, Alvin seeks exemption as a conscientious objector, which is denied. In the course of an attack, he led a small group that captured more than 130 prisoners and he single … More strokes and another case of pneumonia followed, and he was confined to bed from 1954, further handicapped by failing eyesight. 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