Alvin York
Alvin and his little mother
Alvin and Gracie's wedding
Alvin, Gracie with their barefoot children
Alvin York was a faith filled man that God called forth in a time of need. A little study of his life is very inspiring and is very reminiscent of the Bible heroes that God anointed and worked through.
The movie made of the life of Alvin York, hero of WWII, was very good to have come out of Hollywood. York was very strict about how his life and Christianity were represented. There was much much more to this man than the short film was able to reveal.
The trivia about the making of the movie is loaded with actual happenings and insights. When Alvin first came to the movie set an unthinking worker asked him how many Germans he had killed. York immediately broke down into tears at the unfeeling, harsh question. They were going to fire the man but York demanded that he kept his job. The man later apologized.
Alvin C. York had been approached by producer Jesse Lasky several times, beginning in 1919, to allow a movie to be made of his life, but had refused, believing that "This uniform ain't for sale." Lasky convinced York that, with war threatening in Europe, it was his patriotic duty to allow the film to proceed. York finally agreed - but only on three conditions. First, York's share of the profits would be contributed to a Bible School York wanted constructed. Second, no cigarette smoking actress could be chosen to play his wife. Third, that only Gary Cooper, could recreate his life on screen. Cooper at first turned down the role, but when York himself contacted the star with a personal plea, Cooper agreed to do the picture.
The highest grossing film of 1941. Adjusted for inflation, it still remains one of the highest grossing films of all time.
The scene where Alvin becomes converted because of the bolt of lightning was an invention of the screenwriters. In reality Alvin C. York was converted from his hard-drinking, roustabout ways to a Sunday-school teacher by his wife, and it was a longer and less dramatic process, unsuitable for a film depiction.
The film turned out to be a highly accurate representation of history, mainly because of the studio's fear of lawsuits. Alvin C. York and several of the townsmen in Tennessee, including the pastor who counseled him, refused to sign releases unless the film was portrayed accurately
Gary Cooper was initially reluctant about playing a seemingly too-good-to-be-true character. It was only after he met the real Sergeant Alvin C. York that he reconsidered.
This picture was shown on the deck of the USS Enterprise (CV-6), to the officers and crew on the evening of Saturday, December 6, 1941, when the carrier was anchored off Hawaii. The next day was the Japanese attack which brought the United States into World War II. Some of the Enterprise's aircraft took part in repulsing attacking Japanese planes, when in the process of augmenting SBD dive bomber aircraft, and F4F Wildcats based at NAS Ford Island. Several were lost, mostly due to friendly anti-aircraft fire.
The real insights to Alvin the York come from his diary. He kept this diary from the time he left Tennessee until the time he returned. It is a day by day account if his life and devotions to God. He was far more a man of God and minister that the movie was able to portray. It is well worth the time necessary to read it and will only increase your respect for him.
"The Diary of Alvin York" by Alvin C. York
In his diary Alvin goes back to the place of combat and stands. Every bush, shrub was mowed down by the machine gun fire coming at him. He was aware that it was a miracle to survive such a hail of lead.
88 years later the actual site where York earned the medal of Honor was rediscovered.
Alvin York was a hero but even more he was a Christian, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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