Drums Along the Mowhak

[George]

The movie Drums Along the Mohawk is an old familiar one which I've seen several times. I like it, in spite of John Ford's heavy-handed and romanticized treatment. There aren't many Revolutionary War movies available. Somehow, I never had read the book. I just finished it, and I was very pleasantly surprised and impressed. Ford messed up a really good book. Written by Walter D. Edmonds, it is a quite long, complex, gritty, frank and historically accurate telling of a part of the war we hear little about. I'm very glad I finally got around to it, and I can recommend it highly to anyone interested in that period of our country's history.

Spence

 

[2172]

Spence, had read the book and seen the movie, didn't have a problem with the movie version. In 1951, moving a military convoy from Ft. Drum south, (pre NY Thruway) we bivouaced, and found a stream to swim in (mid summer). I was delighted to learn it was West Canada Creek, and I was in the heart of Drums country. Shocked to learn that no one else had even heard of the movie or book...have had friends farming in that area for years, and never cease to enjoy the book/movie scenes I stumble across. Hank

 

[wy0mn]

I've yet to see it in any movie version, but the book is awesome! Fall weather, and the advent of hunting seasons, seems the perfect time to read it.
I really like the section on the inspection, where Reall's musket had a bean hidden in the bore. lol

 

[lakota]

My grandparents used to have a heavy metal block that was about 4"x4". on one side it had what looked like a movie poster for this movie engraved into it backwards. Looked like some kind of stamp. I remember playing with it as a kid.

 

[colmoultrie]

The book is excellent! The movie isn't as good as the book, but I still do like it. The "Hollywood-ism" that stands out most in my mind, perhaps because it's in nearly every scene, is the dress or dresses that the heroine (Lana?)wears. It's understandable in the first scene or two to draw the contrast between her settled life and the frontier, but wow! if all the wimminfolks gathering corn in the fields had been dressed like that, there would have been a lot less corn gathered and a lot more childbirth scenes, I'm guessing.

 

[misher]

Just ordered the book,have the movie.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Read the book in high school many, many moons ago, when I war a young'un and impressionable...that book, along with "Crow Killer" and "Mountain Man" and the then-new movie "Jeremiah Johnson" were responsible for my ultimate corruption....along with a High School lit teacher who pushed me over the edge!
I can highly recommend the book. It outshines the movie by a mile.

 

[VtIcon]

I have the movie, will have to go into town and see if I can find the book.