Sergeant York

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Sergeant York

1941,

2h 14m,

War

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81%

26 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Prize-winning Tennessee marksman Alvin York (Gary Cooper), a recent convert to Christianity, finds himself torn between his non-violent beliefs and his desire to serve his country when recruited to fight in World War I. Kindly Major Buxton (Stanley Ridges) convinces York to engage in battle, where the pacifist's prowess with a rifle earns him honors as he continues to struggle with his decision to kill. Howard Hawks directs this adaptation of the real York's memoirs.

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Variety Staff

Variety

May 27, 2008

For Gary Cooper the role is made to order.

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Bosley Crowther

New York Times

May 20, 2003

4/5

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.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Jan 1, 2000

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.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Jul 7, 2025

2.5/5

It’s a handsomely mounted dive into the shallows, with the full complement of Warner Brothers' technical polish and the Howard Hawks touch of production panache. But old-time religion is hardly the only thing the film is full of.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Sep 16, 2024

4/10

One of the phoniest of all war pictures, exhibiting limited entertainment value, blandly stereotypical personas, a routine construction (and a painfully overlong runtime), and minimal genuineness.

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Pare Lorentz

McCall's

Oct 30, 2023

It is an uneven production, and no one was comfortable with the locale. Yet it is a strong picture, and an honest one.

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Jan 26, 2019

The best, GREATEST thrilling and inspiring movie ever made! With the best movie character ever portrayed: Gary Cooper as Alvin C. York!

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Rey P

Jan 23, 2019

Very likable. The war scenes are really unrealistic.

Poe S

Oct 10, 2018

I'll be honest. I was mildly disappointed by this. I'm a big history buff. I love me some war movies. Every movie I've seen from Howard Hawks so far has been fantastic. And I think Gary Cooper is the man. So, what went wrong here for me? Well, first and foremost, we don't even get introduced to the notion of war until about two-thirds of the way through this thing. Up until that point, it's us watching Alvin York try to earn enough money to buy a plot of land in his hometown so that he can impress the girl he fancies. And I get it -- you have to build a story and a character before you place them in any sort of fray. But this is most of the story we're given throughout the film. Perhaps I was mistaken in thinking this was going to be a strict war movie, but judging by the poster and logline at hand, I may have to give myself a pass on this one. This isn't a bad movie. It's just a sometimes painfully safe, Hays Code era studio picture looking to Hollywood-ize a complex human being's life down to thematically palatable terms. Yes, the war scenes are terrific. Once we get there. Beyond -- or rather, before -- that, though, I couldn't justify a lot of what the movie chose to focus on instead.

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Albus L

Aug 11, 2018

Gary Cooper with his hillbilly accent knocks this bio-pic out og thye ball park . Won best actor for his role of Sergeant York

Harry P

Jun 14, 2018

Really, acting personified. Came in to this pretty much expecting a bit of a rah rah for the US and Gary Cooper. Came out with SO MUCH TONS more respect for Cooper and his acting. Essentially a 2 hour coup de force acting showcase for Coop. as he portrays a country drunk maturing, falling in love, and then getting called off to war. Why I want to compare this to Forrest Gump, I dunno, but the parralels are there. One of the best movies I have had the pleasure to see this year.

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Finn W

Dec 24, 2017

This movie holds up well for its age.

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Howard Hawks

Director

Gary Cooper

Alvin C. York

Walter Brennan

Pastor Rosier Pile

Joan Leslie

Gracie Williams

George Tobias

"Pusher" Ross

Stanley Ridges

Major Buxton

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Synopsis

Prize-winning Tennessee marksman Alvin York (Gary Cooper), a recent convert to Christianity, finds himself torn between his non-violent beliefs and his desire to serve his country when recruited to fight in World War I. Kindly Major Buxton (Stanley Ridges) convinces York to engage in battle, where the pacifist's prowess with a rifle earns him honors as he continues to struggle with his decision to kill. Howard Hawks directs this adaptation of the real York's memoirs.

Director: Howard Hawks
Producer: Howard Hawks, Jesse L. Lasky, Hal B. Wallis
Screenwriter: Harry Chandlee, Abem Finkel, John Huston, Howard Koch
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Genre: War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1941, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 2h 14m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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