Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • John Ford: An American film director and producer, widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in history. He is best known for his Westerns and adaptations of classic American literature.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The cinematography in John Ford's films is often breathtaking.
  • Many film scholars consider John Ford a master of the Western genre.
  • We studied the works of John Ford in my film history class.

Advanced Usage

• "A John Ford film": Used to describe a movie directed by him, often implying specific stylistic or thematic qualities like epic landscapes, themes of community, and moral complexity.

  • You can recognize a John Ford film by its use of Monument Valley as a backdrop.

• "Fordian" (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of John Ford's style or themes.

  • The movie has a Fordian sense of honor and sacrifice.

Variants and Related Words

• Ford, John Ford: The full name and the common reference are interchangeable.
• Director Ford: A formal or respectful way to refer to him in critical or historical writing.

Synonyms

• Filmmaker: A general term for a director or producer of movies.
• Auteur: A filmmaker whose personal influence and artistic control over a movie are so great that the filmmaker is regarded as the author of the movie.

Related Phrases

• "Print the legend": A famous line from Ford's film , often cited to discuss the conflict between truth and mythmaking in history.
  • The journalist decided to print the legend, much like in that John Ford movie.

Related Idioms

• In the tradition of John Ford: Describing a film or director that follows the stylistic or thematic patterns established by Ford.
  • This modern Western is very much in the tradition of John Ford.

Noun

1. United States film maker (1896-1973)