JOHN PAUL JONES
US, 1959, 126 minutes, Colour.
Robert Stack, Bette Davis, Marisa Pavan, Charles Coburn, Macdonald Carey, Jean-Pierre? Aumont, David Farrar, Peter Cushing, Bruce Cabot, Basil Sidney.
Directed by John Farrow.
John Paul Jones is a very ambitious film, especially for John Farrow who wanted to make bigger films after his success in winning an Oscar for co-writing Around the World in Eighty Days in 1956. However, Farrow was much more adept at smaller-budget films, especially thrillers. From 1940 to the mid-50s he made a series of short, smaller-budget films on which his reputation rests. He made a number of war films including Wake Island, Commandos Strike at Dawn, China, The Hitler Gang. After the war, at Paramount, he made a number of films like Two Years Before the Mast, Calcutta, Blaze of Noon. In the 1950s he moved to more spectacular action adventures including Hondo and The Sea Chase with John Wayne.
Farrow had spent some time in the navy and was injured. He also became a convert to Catholicism, marrying actress Maureen O’Sullivan? in 1936. Amongst their children was Mia Farrow.
The film has been criticised for not being factually accurate. It is rather a drama based on some legends, propagated during the 19th century, making a hero out of Jones who fell foul of the American Congress after the War of Revolution and found himself sent to Russia to work with the Empress Catherine the Great. He fell out with some of the Russian admirals, especially Potemkin, and finally lived his final years in Paris. Robert Stack is rather stiff and stolid as John Paul Jones. Bette Davis as a guest role as Catherine the Great. The film belongs to the period of the late 50s – with a rather overblown style which does not sit well on succeeding generations of audiences.
1. An enjoyable film? Why? For whom was it made? How strong would it be for Americans? Why?
2. How successful a historical spectacle was this film? The use of colour, locations, costumes, historical sense, battles? Was this important for this film? How much did it rely on this?
3. Critics said the film showed many cliches. Do you agree? What kind of cliches were they talking about? Many said the film was too slow-moving, too much morale-boosting. Was it too slow, too patriotic with propaganda? the success of Robert Stack as the hero?
4. How well did the film show John Paul Jones in his time? The Scottish background and its impact on him, his going to sea and his experience in the Bahamas, the mutiny and the two-year court case, his experience in Virginia and his quiet life, his knowing of the War of Independence and the apathy of America, his participating in the war against Britain? his friendship with those involved in the American War of Independence, the background of France as allied to America? England as enemy and to be raided, the role of Russia at the end of the Eighteenth Century? The meaning of John Paul Jones's life and career in these times?
5. How successful was Robert Stack's performance as Jones? Did he portray him as a rounded character? Or was he somewhat 'wooden' in his performance? Was the ideology behind Jones's life and actions clear in the performance? Trace the history of Jones's life and the influences on his opinions. Did this explain why he was such a naval and patriotic hero?
6. What was the achievement of John Paul Jones? The beginnings of the American Navy? The quality of the individual heroism required, his belief in team spirit, especially when challenged by men like Washington and Franklin? His honesty and against manoeuvring and graft? His humiliations and his daring? The heroism and foolhardiness of his raids? His independence in feeling? the ingredients of a hero? How important was Benjamin Franklin in the film? His importance for American Independence? His role in France, his support of Jones?
7. How important were the sequences in the French court? The American alliance with France - the American flag received in France? The support of the King? Jones's love for France?
8. How interesting wore the minor characters? in themselves, in their influence on Jones? Sir William in the Bahamas and his advice to Jones, Patrick Henry and his support and his introduction to the war effort, Dorothea and her love, her father's influence? McBains? and his loyalty and the two black boys, the other people who supported Jones?
9. How well staged were the battle sequences? The personality of Captain Pierson and the fight of English and American ships? How was this a climax for the film?
11. Did the Russian sequences fit in well with the rest of the film? What impact did they have on Jones's career? The meeting with Catherine the Great (and Bette Davis's performance)?
12. How important was the heroism of this kind of man? its impact on a nation? The need for a nation to continually remind itself of its heroes?
