Offers a comprehensive examination of Ford's life and career, revealing the frequent intersections between his personal life and artistic vision. This collection focuses on selected aspects of Ford's personal life, specifically his genealogy, Irish heritage, and roots in the coastal community of Portland, Maine.

This collection of essays offers a comprehensive examination of his life and career, revealing the frequent intersections between Fords personal life and artistic vision. Part one provides an overview of Fords importance in the early development of cinema. Part two focuses on selected aspects of Fords personal life, specifically his genealogy, Irish heritage, and roots in the coastal community of Portland, Maine. Part three situates Fords films within a broader cultural and intellectual context, exploring theories that explain why Fords movies have sparked such interest, debate, and enjoyment among Hollywood film critics and the general cinema community.