ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY
Sergeant York: Of God and Country chronicles how Alvin York’s life was adapted for the 1941 Warner Bros. film Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper. It covers casting, script development, performances, production problems and the film’s release.
The documentary is narrated by Liam Neeson, written and directed by John Mulholland, and produced by Shannon Mulholland and Richard Zampella.
THE POLITICAL SETTING
The film was developed while the United States was debating its role in the war in Europe. The documentary examines isolationism, anti-Semitism and other political pressures that affected the production before the United States entered World War II.
GARY COOPER AND THE SCREENPLAY
The documentary follows the long development of the screenplay and Gary Cooper’s involvement in shaping the finished film. Cooper won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Alvin York.
ON-CAMERA PARTICIPANTS
Participants include Maria Cooper, Joan Leslie, June Lockhart, historian Michael Birdwell, M. Z. Ribalow and film historian Robert Osborne.