MovieChat Forums > Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) Discussion > Arthur Shields

Arthur Shields

posted 19 years ago by ministerwithoutportfolio
11 replies | jump to latest

Arthur Shields stood out in "How Green Was My Valley" and "Drums Along the Mohawk". I am guessing that as an Irish Protestant nationalist, Shields had studied well the rhetorical eccentricities and physiognomic grotesqueries of the Celtic-Calvanist prototype. And, without apostasizing his own Protestant faith, sympathized with the right of Catholic Ireland to be free from the clutches of that prototype and became that rarity, an Irish Protestant nationalist. Irish-Catholic Ford used Shields to poke fun at the prototype.

[–] filmsteqniques 19 years ago

your talking a lot of *beep* mate

[–] cehbch 18 years ago

WHAT ?????

[–] ragreen259 18 years ago

So what's your point?

[–] daddytolman 16 years ago

I don't know about all that, but he had one of the best lines in the film.
His character is a "fighting pastor" who supports the defense of the valley,
but listen at the end to the way he says "I killed a man." It gave me shivers,
almost tears--he had to fight but he betrayed his calling, so to speak.

[–] DontBogartMe 15 years ago

With all the suffering going on about him, I found it hard to believe that Shields would be sitting there in a daze about his own problems.

[–] bengt-ove 11 years ago

Exactly my feeling! As a pastor, he would have attended to the needs of his flock, many of whom were maimed or dying, not sitting around in a daze. That was the only scene in the movie that did not ring true to me.

We must remember that the idea that Christianity equals pacifism is really a product of the late 20th century. Back in the day when man had to fight literally for survival, they knew better and that 'Thou shalt not kill' speaks of murder, not killing to stop a man in the process of murdering.

[–] boxerrebellion 10 years ago

While I agree with your second paragraph and to the Pastor part of your first, I don't necessarily think it unreasonable that the knowledge that he had taken another man's life would take a moment to process and own. Many scenes have been written in books and movies (that span many centuries) about the fallout of a man or woman's first taking a life, whether it be in defense of self or others or while hunting for food.

[–] ljspin 10 years ago

If this particular scene doesn't ring true, then I would suggest watching the entire movie again, and think about what is happening in every scene.

In Christian teaching, it is not a sin to fight in self-defence. In the scene where the Indians make one of their first assaults on the fort, Reverend Rosenkrantz (Arthur Shields) fires his musket at them, and then calmly states that he is firing to the side.

The scene is question is when the Mohawks wheel a farm cart full of straw into view of the fort. A captured settler is tied in the cart, and the Indians proceed to set the straw aflame. While the settler struggles and his fellow settlers watch in horror, Rev. Rosenkrantz makes a decision and fires his musket. Instead of letting the man slowly and painfully burn to death, he kills him instantly. While you may call this a mercy killing, it is not self-defence. Rev. Rosenkrantz did not kill an enemy. He killed a fellow settler, one of his own congregation. Of course he would be haunted by what he did. Even though he spared the man the pain of burning to death, the idea of shooting and killing a bound and helpless friend would have affected him. I would find the movie unbelievable if it did NOT show this.

[–] bengt_malma 10 years ago

I have read the replies with interest and still maintain that however sick at heart he felt at mercy-killing one of his flock, as a pastor he would have put his own needs and feelings to the side for the time being and attended to the others of his flock. They would look to him for strength and succour, and it was his job to give it to them.

[–] werlecar 16 years ago

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.

YOU TALK LIKE THE OLD PROFESSER COREY !
YOU GOT NAILS IN YOUR MOUTH ??

[–] drogers-18 16 years ago

No wonder you are without portfolio!

"...it's all part of life's rich pageant