Hope everyone is having a merry Christmas Eve-in the John Ford brilliant The Long Gray Line (1955) – After the death of his lovely wife Mary O’Donnell (played to perfection by Maureen O’Hara) with whom he had many happy years, Sgt. Marty Maher (Tyrone Power) was having a very lonely Christmas Eve in his empty house until the doorbell started ringing and friends starting bringing him holiday joy. This was John Ford’s first venture into cinemascope and being the master of composition he successfully positioned Tyrone Power at the extreme left of the frame to highlight the now emptiness of what had been such a lively kitchen-and then gradually Ford populates the widescreen with the joyous friends lifting Marty’s spirits. No wonder why John Ford won the best director Oscar four times!
Lawrence of Cinema 