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The movie follows Prize-winning Tennessee marksman Alvin York who was recruited to fight in WWI. Being torn between his non-violent beliefs and his desire to serve his country, Alvin still ends up becoming a war hero.
Setting a precedent by preseting the saga of a celeb sill alive, the Hawks biopic is a tale of transformation of an obscure Tennessee hillbilly into a national hero, thus showing the validity of the democratic credo that heroes are not born but made.
The first half is quite good, documenting York's rural upbringing with great simplicity and charm. But the second part -- the war -- degenerates quickly and grotesquely.
The breathless pace, the good script, and the mostly fine performances made me more forgiving of the dated aspects of this film. Overall, though, it's Gary Cooper's film.
The performance of Gary Cooper in the title role holds the picture together magnificently, and even the most unfavorable touches are made palatable because of him.