Sergeant York (1941)
(Howard Hawks, US 1941, 134 min., 35mm)
WWI. Alvin Cullum York, a third-grade dropout who found religion, vowed to obey the commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” That vow put him at odds with the US Army as a conscript in World War I. Turned down twice as a conscientious objector, York ended up being one of the most decorated heroes of the war. After years of refusal, York agreed that Warner Bros. could make a film of his life provided that no “Oomph” girl would play his wife, York’s share of the film’s earnings would be donated to a bible school, and Gary Cooper would portray him. When accepting his Best Actor Oscar for the role, Cooper insisted, “It was Sergeant Alvin C. York who won this award.”
Also showing: Saturday, September 16, 7:30 p.m.