Daily Dialogue — March 18, 2019

“What we done in France, we had to do. And some as done it, didn’t come back, and that kind of thing ain’t for buying and selling.”

— Sergeant York (1941), original screen play by Abem Finkel and Harry Chandlee & Howard Koch and John Huston, based on the diary of Alvin C. York

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: World War I.

Trivia: Alvin C. York had been approached by producer Jesse Lasky several times, beginning in 1919, to allow a movie to be made of his life, but had refused, believing that “This uniform ain’t for sale.” Lasky convinced York that, with war threatening in Europe, it was his patriotic duty to allow the film to proceed. York finally agreed — but only on three conditions. First, York’s share of the profits would be contributed to a Bible School York wanted constructed. Second, no cigarette smoking actress could be chosen to play his wife. Third, that only Gary Cooper, could recreate his life on screen. Cooper at first turned down the role, but when York himself contacted the star with a personal plea, Cooper agreed to do the picture.

Dialogue On Dialogue: A powerful movie that anticipates the military industrial complex.