The Long Gray Line

The Long Gray Line is a whitewashed, but nonetheless entertaining look at life at the United States Military Academy at West Point through the eyes of an Irish immigrant, played by Tyrone Power.

Rumor has it that director John Ford wanted to cast John Wayne in the lead role, which would have been a mistake. Granted, Power lacks the larger-than-life presence to carry a film this size on his own, but Wayne’s considerable stature and presence would have been overkill. What Ford really wanted, likely, was a young Victor McLaglen, but Power was the next best thing.

To compensate for Power’s shortcomings, Ford surrounds him with a strong supporting cast including Ward Bond and Maureen O’Hara. Outshining Power at nearly every turn, the supporting cast nearly turns the film into an ensemble piece.

The biggest problem with the film, and one that befalls many film’s spanning a character’s life over many decades, is that it’s hard to gauge the passing of time. The age makeup on Power is poor, coming in spurts, rather than a gradual weathering of the features one would expect. Granted, screenwriter Edward Hope tries to anchor the film with dates, but these are abstract numbers, and since the film is set almost exclusively at the never-changing Academy, you rarely get a sense of how much the world changes outside.

That said, The Long Gray Line is still an absorbing melodrama, and Ford’s love-letter to military tradition. It’s got its rough patches, but the surprisingly effective ending leaves a very pleasant taste in your mouth, making for an enjoyable experience.