Sergeant York (1941 Box Office Champ)

Sergeant York (1941 Box Office Champ)

Author: Awesome Movie Year March 12, 2025 Duration: 58:53

The first episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features the box-office champion, Howard Hawks’ Sergeant York. Directed by Howard Hawks and starring Gary Cooper, Joan Leslie, Walter Brennan, Margaret Wycherly and George Tobias, Sergeant York is based on the diaries of real-life World War I veteran Alvin York.

The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Bosley Crowther in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/1941/07/03/archives/sergeant-york-a-sincere-biography-of-the-world-war-hero-makes-its-a.html), Time Magazine, and Herbert Cohn in the Brooklyn Eagle.

Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyear 

You can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/

You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/

If you’re a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.

You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ 

Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.

All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.com

Subscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosen

Please like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1941 episode, with our pick for a notable debut feature, John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon.


Ever wonder what makes a particular year in cinema truly stand out? Awesome Movie Year digs into that very question, one remarkable film at a time. Co-hosted by film critic Josh Bell alongside filmmaker and comedian Jason Harris, this podcast picks a single, noteworthy year each season and meticulously explores what made it so special. Rather than broad overviews, every episode zooms in on a different movie from that chosen year, offering a deep dive into its impact, its cultural moment, and its lasting legacy. The conversations blend critical analysis with a genuine love for the medium, thanks to the hosts' complementary backgrounds. Produced by David Rosen of Piecing It Together for the All Points West Podcast Network, the show has a polished yet conversational feel. You’ll hear about blockbusters and hidden gems alike, all through the lens of why they mattered then and why they still resonate. It’s for anyone who loves to look beyond the screen and understand the context that creates a classic. Tune in to Awesome Movie Year for a thoughtful and engaging tour through some of cinema’s most fascinating periods.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 375

Awesome Movie Year
Podcast Episodes
Point Blank (1967 Josh’s Pick) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:36
The sixth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features Josh’s personal pick, John Boorman’s Point Blank. Directed by John Boorman from a screenplay by Alexander Jacobs, David Newhouse and Rafe Newhous…
Don’t Look Back (1967 Documentary) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:25
The fifth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features our documentary pick, D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Back. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker and featuring Bob Dylan on his 1965 U.K. tour, Don’t Look Ba…
Blow-Up (1967 Cannes Palme d’Or Winner) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:58
The fourth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up. Directed and co-written by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Dav…
A Countess From Hong Kong (1967 Box Office Flop) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:02
The third episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features the year’s biggest flop, Charlie Chaplin’s A Countess From Hong Kong. Written and directed by Charlie Chaplin and starring Marlon Brando, Sophia…
Who’s That Knocking At My Door (1967 First Feature) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:55
The second episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features our pick for a notable filmmaking debut, Martin Scorsese’s Who’s That Knocking at My Door. Written and directed by Martin Scorsese and starring…
The Graduate (1967 Box Office Champ) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:20
The first episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features the highest-grossing film at the box office, Mike Nichols’ The Graduate. Directed by Nichols from a screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingha…
Purple Rain (1984 Bonus Episode) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:53
NOTE: This episode was a timed exclusive over on our producer David Rosen's Patreon. Sign up to one of the tiers for access to this bonus episode and more great content from us, Piecing It Together, All Rice No Beans and…
2003 Epilogue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:58
In this epilogue to our season on the awesome movie year of 2003, we talk about alternate movies we considered including in all of our different categories this season, and read suggestions from some listeners about whic…
Bad Santa (2003 Audience Choice) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:29
In the finale of our season on the awesome movie year of 2003, we’re talking about this season’s audience choice pick, Terry Zwigoff’s Bad Santa. Directed by Terry Zwigoff from a screenplay by John Requa and Glenn Ficarr…
The Room (2003 Future Cult Classic) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:42
The twelfth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2003 features our future cult classic pick, Tommy Wiseau’s The Room. Written and directed by Tommy Wiseau and starring Wiseau, Greg Sestero, Juliette Daniell…