Directed by John Ford

Bogdanovich assembled an impressive line-up of old Hollywood greats for this documentary about Ford which attempts to understand the man and the artist through an examination of his work and conversations with key collaborators and fellow admirers. As Ford had already retired and New Hollywood was well underway, there is a certain fascination in watching actors from the period wax nostalgically about a bygone era that had only just passed, and Ford himself is amusingly cantankerous.

More interesting than John Ford is the cast, consisting of most of the heaviest hitters of old Hollywood, who each provides insight into their character via their anecdotes about John Ford, even if these pretty much allign fully with extrapolations based on their performances in film.

Excellent portrait of what makes Ford's films so great, with particular attention paid to his knack for poetry and the formal elements that make his films so memorable--music, mise en scene, lack of dialogue, and humor. It also includes excellent contributions from several who worked with Ford: Stewart, Fonda, O'Hara, Wayne, and of course, a few scenes with Ford himself.