Western Icon John Ford Won His First Best Director Oscar for This Edgy, Must-Watch Political Thriller

John Fordisn’t only the most iconic filmmaker behind American Western cinema, but the single most successful director when it comes to the Academy Awards; Ford received a record-breaking four wins for Best Director, even though How Green Was My Valley is the only one of his films that also won the award for Best Picture. The Oscars’ affinity for Ford’s work is understandable, as he both crafted a beautiful style of naturalistic visual storytelling and had the bravery to tackle projects that delved into somewhat controversial material. Although his Oscar-winning films The Grapes of Wrath and The Quiet Manhave since been heralded as classics, Ford won his first Best Director Oscar for the thrilling psychological drama The Informer. An edgy study in morality and guilt, The Informer was a brilliant exercise in tension that was radically ahead of its time.