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Summary: This book is the best introduction to John Ford life & work.
Review: At the end of "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," the newspaper reporter interviewing James Stewart discovers that Stewart's hero didn't really kill Lee Marvin's villain. His response is: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." That's just what John Ford did in all 140 of his films over five decades. Ford used a fledgeling medium and created it into an art form. In doing so, he reformulated the American "legend," how we understand our past. Much of how we see ourselves as Americans, for better or worse, has its basis in the film depictions that Ford created. There have been numerous books on Ford and his films, but Scott Eyman's is undoubtedly the most comprehensive treatment of a brilliant artist who was also a deeply flawed man. Previous biographies of Ford have either concentrated on the meanings of his films or on his personal life. Eyman's book does both, but he also looks at how Ford directed actors, how he related to them and how he elicited such great performances from them (sometimes gently and sometimes harshly). No other book on Ford has done this to the same degree, and this is what makes the book so good. Also, Eyman interviewed dozens of Ford's peers from the silents through the sixties. The book is well written, comprehensive and fair in the treatment of its subject. More importantly, like a good Ford movie, it never ceases to hold your attention. I came away from this book with a better appreciation for the films, and a healthy respect for an often difficult yet gifted director. Orson Welles was once asked who he thought were the three greatest American directors. His response was "John Ford, John Ford and John Ford." Whether you agree with Welles or not, Eyman's biography is a great read.
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Summary: Biography that's a page turner!`
Review: Having read a fair number of biographies in my time, in subjects from Science to American and military history, this book is as fine a work as I've seen. It is quite probably the best work of its kind on John Ford and pulls few punches when presenting the dark side of this complex man's character.
Genius often goes hand-in-hand with madness, and the odd juxtapositions of cruelty and sensitivity, visciousness and generosity within in the same man leaves it difficult for the reader to like him, much less understand the deep love so many of his peers and actors had for him.
The vast limits of his brilliance as a film maker are far clearer to me now and the more so since reading other works on the man's work and times ("Tis Herself" by Maureen O'Hara and "John Ford, the Man and his Films" by Tag Gallagher, to name two).
I am a recent "student" of film after years in other pursuits, and I have always considered Ford's pictures to be the best of the best, among which are "The Grapes of Wrath", "The Quiet Man" and "The Searchers".
It is apparently popular for current budding directors to attempt to attempt to emulate the work of the current crops of popular directors (generally those of the preceding five years or so) without paying sufficient attention to the classics; perhaps even trying to ride their stylistic coattails to success.
I believe that in order to be successful in any discipline, it is imperative to study closely the great works of past generations, just as most successful musicians should have a background in classical music.
I can recommend this work unreservedly both to the casual film fan (it's a damned good read!) and to the serious film student.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Another Ford Bio
Review: I certainly wish I could join the parade of accolades on Scott Eyman's "Print the Legend." It is just yet another version of the many-times-told tales of the life of the eccentric, gifted director, John Ford. It seemed that Eyman was using a lot of words to say much less than other biographies on Ford - specifically that of Ronald L. Davis who wrote "John Ford - Hollywood's Old Master" my John Ford bio of preference.As I read Scott's book, I began affixing red flag tabs on pages that have passages that are totally contradictory to what other people "who were there" had shared with me. I also had problems with quoted statements of Ford's co-workers and/or friends - sometimes having to look to a preceding page to see the identity of the person Eyman was quoting. I know it is extremely difficult to write a bio when so many of those significant in life of the subject have passed on; much of the information is hopefully well substantiated facts, mixed with hearsay. Eyman is certainly a fine writer, and writing about the life of a man who thrived on telling lies to confuse and irritate as many people as possible, is not an easy project. This is not a book I would buy - just check out at the library.
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Summary: Herculean Effort
Review: I have always been a fan of John Ford films, although I have not seen every one of them. My favorite movies of his are "The Quiet Man," "The Searchers," and "Liberty Valance." I watch each of them at least once per year (guess which one I watch around March 17?). I loved the stories behind the movies, although I would have loved to have seen more behind the scenes stuff. For example, there were some wonderful moments in Liberty Valance that had subtle social commentary in them; an example is when Rance is teaching the Reading class at Mr. Peabody's newspaper office, and Pompei can't remember the part of the Declaration of Independence that states "all men are created equal." Rance helps him out and says, "That's OK Pompei, a lot of people forget that part." Where did some of these lines originate? The book offers great insight into how the movies were made, and his mercurial personality. Ford, like many of us, has his flaws. But his work stands on its own, and this book helps us to see a very balanced view of a very complex icon of modern American entertainment.
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Summary: Excellent book about John Ford
Review: I have read a number of the available books about John Ford. While this book doesn't convey a lot of the warmth that Harry Carey's personal treatment does, it is perhaps the best attempt to sum up what made John Ford one of Hollywood's greatest directors. It is clear the author has made an intensive study of Ford's work, and even more clear that he admires it. This book largely doesn't try to judge Ford, just to explain him. For that, we owe Eyman a great degree of gratitude. Too many other authors have, confronted with the genius of Ford's direction, tried to discount it because of the cracks in his personal approach to life and actors, or possibly because of personal jealousy. You must judge Ford the director on his work, and his time, not on our opinions of what he could have done better in his personal life, or according to our "politically correct" views of what he should have done, and this book does an excellent job on judging Ford by the standards of his time, and his life. This is a masterful attempt at explaining Hollywood's master director.
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Summary: Excellent book about John Ford
Review: I have read a number of the available books about John Ford. While this book doesn't convey a lot of the warmth that Harry Carey's personal treatment does, it is perhaps the best attempt to sum up what made John Ford one of Hollywood's greatest directors. It is clear the author has made an intensive study of Ford's work, and even more clear that he admires it. This book largely doesn't try to judge Ford, just to explain him. For that, we owe Eyman a great degree of gratitude. Too many other authors have, confronted with the genius of Ford's direction, tried to discount it because of the cracks in his personal approach to life and actors, or possibly because of personal jealousy. You must judge Ford the director on his work, and his time, not on our opinions of what he could have done better in his personal life, or according to our "politically correct" views of what he should have done, and this book does an excellent job on judging Ford by the standards of his time, and his life. This is a masterful attempt at explaining Hollywood's master director.
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Summary: One of the best film bios - a "must"
Review: I'm not sure why Amazon let so many reviews of the subject - rather than the book itself - post. Listen, if you're a film buff (whether or not you're a John Ford buff), student or just appreciate a good biography this well crafted work is for you. Scott so thoroughly researched his subject, it's hard to believe Ford knew any more about himself than this book shows! The title is ironic i.e. Scott tells an event as the legend tells it, then retells it from as many points of view as were available to him. Of course, Ford was the worst legend-spreader of all (several friends used the word raconteur) but Scott digs beyond myth and legend to find the truth. But, he never claims "I decided John Wayne's (e.g.) version was the correct one." He realises that, like Rashomon, each story may have some portion of truth. Some reviewers panned the book because Ford wasn't Mother Theresa, well I doubt Van Gogh or Michelangelo were very easy men to deal with either!
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Summary: Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford
Review: I've read other books on this great Hollywood director, and while I can't comment on their relative accuracy, I can say that Eyman's book is the most readable I've found. He writes with a wonderfully fluid style, finds exactly the right balance between enough detail and too much, and mixes in some penetrating observations about the films and their style. He really captures that curious paradox of how artistic genius and personality disturbance can coexist within the same mind.
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Summary: Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford
Review: I've read other books on this great Hollywood director, and while I can't comment on their relative accuracy, I can say that Eyman's book is the most readable I've found. He writes with a wonderfully fluid style, finds exactly the right balance between enough detail and too much, and mixes in some penetrating observations about the films and their style. He really captures that curious paradox of how artistic genius and personality disturbance can coexist within the same mind.
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Summary: Knew the man, read the book
Review: In my early 20s I found myself working with John Ford and John Wayne. I spent a lot of time with both men and others who were mentioned in Mr. Eyman's book. Even if I hadn't known Ford, I would have been riveted to this book as it reads like a novel. It also brought back vivid memories to me by describing some of Mr. Ford's traits. Although I wasn't present at the episodes he mentioned, they (his traits) were vividly and accurately portrayed. I was amazed at how extraordinarily well Mr. Eyman, who never met his subject, was able to capture the character of this complex man and gifted filmmaker. It triggered memories I'd completely forgotten about. I've recommended the book to people who aren't big film fans and they've found it to be a great read. I obviously can recommend this to anyone without further qualification. After reading it, you'll feel like you knew John Ford yourself.
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