Based on a true WWI story, this film follows a religious Tennessee boy, who is initially opposed to war. York is drafted into the Army, where he realizes that there is indeed justification for fighting. In the course of service, he becomes one of the most decorated heroes of WWI.
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 to kill. Howard Hawks directs this adaptation of the real York’s memoirs.
Starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie.
Not rated.