John Ford: Poet In the Desert

by Joseph Malham

John Ford:Poet in the Desert is an uncommon biography of one of America's iconic Hollywood directors who made famous such actors as John Wayne, Maureen O'hara, Henry Fonda, and other legends. He won six Academy Awards for his Westerns; The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

Genres: Biography

331 pages, Paperback

First published December 2, 2013

Reviews

[Nancy Dobson Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe a good biography should raise more questions than it answers. This is not to say that a biography should be incomplete, or lack enough details to make me feel like I’ve come to know the subject intimately. But, when an in-depth examination, such as John Ford, Poet in the Desert, by Joseph Malham, leaves me with the desire to know even more about the subject and continue my search past the last page, I know it’s been a good read. Malham trains his eye on Ford, the legendary filmmaker of such cinematic classics as The Searchers, The Quiet Man and Grapes of Wrath, much the same way a director would approach the material of a film. Through in-depth scenes of Ford’s life and career, Malham’s prose reads like well-placed camera shots, and as he writes, I can imagine the “towering poetic genius” nodding his head in agreement with the varying perspectives Malham uses to reveal his subject’s incredible life story. These “camera shots” are very effective in giving the reader a strong visual, which given the subject matter, fits nicely. This is evident throughout the book; for example in this scene where Malham describes Ford’s depiction of Abraham Lincoln in his 1936 film Prisoner of Shark Island:
He [Lincoln] is first seen emerging from the curtains of the White House balcony
to address the crowd reveling in the streets following Lee’s surrender to Grant. A
model of translucent asceticism, Lincoln is draped in a shawl resembling a Jewish
tallit that gives him the air of Moses on Mt. Sinai or Jesus transfigured on Mt. Tabor.
Malham’s visual writing verges on the eerie when, in still describing Lincoln, he “pulls back the curtain” to show us Ford’s last “shot” of Lincoln in this film, “slumped in his chair at Ford’s Theater,[as] a lace curtain slowly pulls across the scene.” Malham’s range of scenes in this book impressed me; from the chill-inducing gloom of this scene with Lincoln to the natural spectacle and beauty of Ford’s beloved locations, such as Monument Valley, Malham seems comfortable, and very capable of taking us on an intimate tour of every corner of Ford’s life and work.
Malham is also to be commended for his even-handed treatment of Ford. Though he obviously conveys a level of respect for the director and his craft, he is careful not to idolize him, and relays Ford’s triumphs, as well as his failures, both personal and professional. The result is that John Ford, a true “poet in the desert,” emerges from the book as a fully-realized human, neither hero nor anti-hero, but managing to dominate the “screen,” and capture our hearts at the same time. As Katherine Hepburn wrote about Ford, in a quote included in the book, “Had he been happy, he never would have been the artist he is.” It’s difficult to capture the essence of such an artist, but Malham’s portrayal is finely-layered, and feels both honest and original.
Malham’s writing also reveals both a deft use of language as well as a playful, drily humorous tone. His description of Hollywood mogul Darryl Zanuck is a perfect example of this:
He was a diminutive force of nature, a walking Krakatoa with curly hair, mustache
and a set of irregular and gapped teeth between which was permanently
clenched a massive stogie.
Malham’s ability to make each new character we meet stand out is truly impressive, and this is no easy task, as the cast of characters in John Ford’s life is quite large. It helps in reading this book to have some knowledge of the early days of movie-making and who was who in Hollywood back in the day. Malham does engage in quite a bit of name-dropping, and while I found this interesting, it could be a bit heavy handed for those not as versed in Hollywood lore.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys movies, biographies in general, or those who enjoy reading about a complex figure who somehow manages to defy society’s expectations while simultaneously paving the way for generations to follow in his footsteps. Joseph Malham’s John Ford comes across as not only a poet, but a pioneer, and by the end of the book, I realized I both needed and wanted to seek out some of Ford’s landmark films I’m chagrined to say I’ve never seen. In John Ford, Poet of the Desert, Malham gives us not just a legend, but a true titan from the history of Hollywood. The story and subject are equally compelling, and the reader closes the book satisfied in knowing John Ford’s story, but also eager to see the body of work he left behind.

[Meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only are Joseph Malham's words inspiring, but he offered me a window into the private world of John Ford which has changed the way I watch and interpret his movies.

[Bob Grove · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of director John Ford and have read extensively about his life and career. "John Ford: Poet In the Desert" was a pleasant biography of Ford. Ford was an extremely complicated individual who was very closed about his approach to filmmaking. Joseph Malham did a workman-like job of looking at many of Ford's more popular films and trying to delve into what Ford was saying with the art of directing these films. If you have read a biography on Ford, this might be an excellent book with which to start. This book, for me, did not add anything new to the topic of Ford's making films.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will say, neither John Ford nor John Wayne interested me very much. In fact, I never knew the name "John Ford" before reading this book. However, the book is an extremely well-written biography of a man who was indeed a natural with film as his medium. Anyone with a distinct interest in Hollywood Golden years or John Wayne or Henry Fonda should take a look!