This is one of the titles I always remembered for being listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and watching it I was obviously hoping it would be a worthy one, from Oscar nominated director Howard Hawks (Bringing Up Baby, To Have and Have Not, Monkey Business, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes). Based on the true story, poor young Tennessee hillbilly Alvin C. York (Oscar winning Gary Cooper) is an exceptional marksman, but cannot find steady work, which strains the patience of his Mother (Oscar nominated Margaret Wycherly). Alvin then meets winsome Gracie Williams (Joan Leslie), he finds strenuous odd jobs, hoping she will marry him, but he is prone to drinking and fighting, and comes to blows to some of his employers. Late one night, during a rainstorm, Alvin is en route to get revenge on a man who cheated him, he is struck by lightning, he survives the strike, but his mule is knocked down and his rifle is destroyed, following this he enters the church house, he vows never to get angry at anyone ever again. The United States declares the First World War, York is drafted into the army, he tries to avoid induction, claiming to be a conscientious objector, York is denied and reluctantly reports to Camp Gordon for basic training, there his superiors discover he is a phenomenal marksman, he is promoted to corporal. York wants nothing to do with the war and killing, his sympathetic commanding officer Major Buxton (Stanley Ridges) tries to change his mind, citing sacrifices others have made in history, Buxton gives him leave to think about it, he promises York an a recommendation for his exemption if he remains unconvinced. Eventually York reports back for duty after pondering, after reading a particular passage in the Bible, blown open by the wind, he tells his superiors that he can serve his country, despite not having everything figured out, leaving the matter in God's hands, he is ridiculed for his beliefs, but his skill for firing his rifle surprises all. York's unit is shipped out to Europe, as part of the Meuse- Argonne Offensive, deadly machine gun fire pins them down, the lieutenant orders Sergeant Early (Joe Sawyer) to try and take the enemy from behind, but York finds himself the last remaining unwounded non-commissioned officer in the detachment, Early places him in command. York's self-doubt disappears, seeing his comrades being shot down all around him, he works his way to a position flanking the main enemy, he is able to force the Germans to surrender, he then forces a captured German Major (Charles Esmond) at gunpoint to force other officers to surrender, they end up with 132 prisoners. York becomes a national hero and is awarded the Medal of Honor, he explains to Major Buxton he was trying to save the lives of his men, he also goes to New York City to receive a ticker tape parade and the key to the city. York embraces the service at the impressive Waldorf-Astoria hotel, congressman Cordell Hull (Charles Trowbridge) guides him through the city and informs him his fame has brought him many opportunities, totalling around $250,000. York mentions his desire to buy the bottomland he wanted in Tennessee, Hull tells him he has the money to buy it, but York rejects the offers, he says that he was not proud of what he did in the war, but it had to be done. When he returns to Tennessee, the people of his state have purchased the bottomland farm, and paid for a house built on the land. Also starring Oscar nominated Walter Brennan as Pastor Rosier Pile, Joan Leslie as Gracie Williams, George Tobias as 'Pusher' Ross, Ward Bond as Ike Botkin, June Lockhart as Rosie York and Dickie Moore as George York. Cooper gives a great performance as the backwoodsman turned national hero, it should be said that the actual battlefield sequences take a while to come on, they are obviously gripping, but this is also about the character interaction, all in all it is an interesting biographical war drama. It won the Oscar for Best Film Editing, and it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Best Sound and Best Music for Max Steiner. Very good!

All war films have a vested interest in some degree of propaganda, usually for or against any armed conflict. But few come close to the sheer cinematic perfection of "Sergeant York" in this regard. To make a film so thoroughly entertaining is just an added "plus."Casting is always a major consideration in any motion picture, and it's not an overstatement to say that without the choice of Gary Cooper in the lead, it would have suffered as a consequence. He was brilliant... his "aw, shucks" demeanor fitting so seamlessly with the role. All of the many other essential performances in this film were equally brilliant, filling the roles of the many characters in York's life with aplomb. This movie does many things exceptionally well, the telling of a man's life and monumental accomplishments with both grace, charm, and heart.This is a film I never tire of, and never will.

I can't say I find Gary Cooper a great all-around actor. But when he plays a character that is socially backward or awkward, he does a great job. In Sergeant York, he is convincing as the real-life Alvin York. I view this portrayal of a conscientious objector who deals with his inner doubts a companion piece to Cooper's great performance in Friendly Persuasion (1956).This is a compelling story about a simple man of principle. The fact that it is mostly a true story is icing on the cake. The plot, both before and after it involves WWI, is totally engaging.The hokey religious sub-story is mostly true, too. But the plot does a good job of showing that a man of conscience can interpret biblical passages to support any point of view (or its contrary), and shows that the final decision comes from within the man doing the soul searching if he is a self-determinant, which York is. He may be influenced by others, but his decisions are his own. And he always sticks to his principles.The rest of the cast is excellent, especially Walter Brennan as Pastor Pile.There are few stories in cinema that are as compelling as Sergeant York, so I recommend it to all. The main character is a hero in more than war.

Howard Hawks directed Gary Cooper(in an Academy Award winning best actor performance) as Alvin C. York, a Tennessee man who starts off as a drunken hell raiser who is a source of embarrassment to his mother, who still steadfastly stands by him. He turns his life around when, after an accident in a thunderstorm, he sees the light, and converts to his grateful pastor(played by Walter Brennan) becoming a fervent follower, which means a pacifist. He also buys some bottom land, and marries the girl he loves, named Gracie. When WWI breaks out, York is drafted into the army, and does a great deal of soul-searching before deciding to go, and ends up becoming the most decorated soldier of the war, singlehandedly capturing a group of German soldiers by using the same technique applied to winning Turkey shoots! Excellent direction and performances, good script combine to make a memorable film, that is all true, even if it does seem incredible.