PORTLAND — The Maine Historical Society will show a month of films celebrating the work of native son John Ford. Born and raised in the Portland area, Ford went onto direct many of the Twentieth Century’s most beloved films.

Each Thursday in July, MHS will screen a selection of Ford’s movies chosen and introduced by local Ford aficionados, ranging from classic westerns to celebrated literary adaptations. Appealing to life-long fans and those new to Ford’s work.

All screenings will begin at 7 p.m. in the Earl G. Shettleworth, Jr. Lecture Hall. Included with museum admission.

* July 12: “How Green Was My Valley” (1941) winner of the 1941 Academy Award for Best Picture, “How Green Was My Valley” chronicles the emotion and physical toll exacted on a small Welsh town by the coal mining industry. Introduced by Ford scholar Kevin Stoehr.

* July 19: “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940) Based on John Steinbeck’s classic American novel, “The Grapes of Wrath” follows the Joad family’s journey out of the Dustbowl to California in search of work and prosperity. Introduced by film scholar Juris Ubans.

* July 26: “The Last Hurrah” (1958) Spencer Tracy stars as Frank Skeffington, an Irish-American politician loosely based on Boston mayor Michael Curley, in this 1958 political drama. Introduced by Irish Studies scholar Michael Connolly.

For more information, call 774-1822 or visit mainehistory.org

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