This is a very underrated movie from John Ford and a lot of Ford fans don't think much of it. It's not considered one of his best movies and this came out the same year as Mister Roberts. The movie starts out with Tyrone Power coming to America from Ireland and winds up washing dishes at West Point. Power hates washing dishes at gets a better job at West Point as an assistant to Ward Bond, who is head of the athletic department. The movie starts in the year 1911 and has a brief overview of his life at West Point until the 1950's. Power winds up getting married to Maureen O'Hara, who is a maid to Bond, and Power wants to go back to Ireland because of his family. It's a great movie and doesn't even seem that long at over two hours long.

One of the best pictures ever starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara.

Marty Maher comes to West Point and the years just pile on. We see Marty learn the ropes and become a leader among men.

He marries his Mary O'Donnell who acts mute at first. O'Hara is just a joy to watch on the screen.

Their life at the Point is difficult but ever so fulfilling. There is sadness when their child dies at birth and when war comes, Marty's best friend is killed, leaving a widow (Betsy Palmer) and young son. Of course, the son will go to the Point.

Tyrone Power is just fabulous here with a superb Irish accent and emotional appeal as Marty. O'Hara, in an excellent performance, succumbs years later to heart disease, leaving her beloved Marty all

alone.

The supporting cast is fine. Veteran Oscar winner Donald Crisp is wonderful as the father and Palmer is memorable in the scene where her son says to her: "It has been a wonderful day for Marty." Her reply, "It has been a wonderful life for Marty!" How poignant.

A great movie pulling out all the stops. Well worth the handkerchiefs that the viewer will need. Rest in peace Betsy Palmer: Yours was a wonderful career.

Although the film has a running time of two hours+ ,for it tells the story of a man's entire life ,from his enlistment (and even before) to his old age,there is never a dull moment .

John Ford was one of the most wonderful storytellers that ever was.The first part of the film is made of trivia,but everything is endearing ,moving .Take the dad's and the brother's arrival:no syrupy violins and choirs needed: the Irish are doing Mary's cooking justice and they are not in a hurry to hug Marty.The same goes for Marty/Mary when they fall in love:what could be more down to earth than this kitchen ?And however something vibrates ,as the love they all feel for the country they left behind.

The second part deals with wars and if the tone has changed ,the spirit remains intact:what could be more prosaic than burning Mary's toilet to celebrate the end of WW?Although the hero experiments tragedy ,Ford always avoids pathos and melodrama: the child's death during the celebration is given a sober treatment.Mary's passing is perhaps the most beautiful scene in the whole movie,being Fordesque to the core (remember the death of the mother in "three godfathers") and her fleeting reappearance at the very end of the movie is not irrelevant.

A life is made of small joys and big griefs.