John Michael Hayes, a Hollywood screenwriter and professor of film studies at the College, will be presented with the Dartmouth Film Award at a Dartmouth Film Society tribute in Spaulding Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The tribute to Hayes will include a retrospective selection of clips from some of his earlier films and a full-length preview of "Iron Will," a Walt Disney film of which Hayes is now the principal screenwriter. The new film will not open nationally until Jan. 14 when it will appear on over 1,200 screens.
"Iron Will" is based on the true story of a teenager named Will Hartman, whose father has died. He decides to compete in the Great Northern Railroad dog sled race in 1916 to try to pay for college and becomes a national hero.
Hayes came across the story about Hartman in old newspaper accounts of the grueling race that ran from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to St. Paul, Minn.
He says this is a story that he has always wanted to write, a story of man against insurmountable odds and the harsh elements.
During his early years in the film industry, Hayes worked with Alfred Hitchcock on several films and even created the character played by Grace Kelley in the classic "Rear Window".
He has also written a number of scripts for television and his other screen writing credits include "To Catch a Thief," "The Trouble With Harry," and "The Man Who Knew Too Much."
Hayes says he enjoys exploring diverse themes and genres in his works. "No matter what type, if I enjoy the story, I enjoy writing it," Hayes said.
Hayes is a native of Worcester, Mass. and an alumnus of the University of Massachusetts. He has been involved with movies for 42 years and, for the past several years, has also been a member of the film studies faculty at the College.
He remarked that his work with Hitchcock was also one of the strong points of his career. He described working on the actual set of four pictures with him as "exciting, educational, and meticulous," but also described Hitchcock as "mysterious."
Hayes is surprised that the Film Society is honoring him with such a large and important event, but he is excited. In fact, he will view his own work for the first time at the tribute.
"Professor Hayes is an inspirational, charming and respected man in the department, by students as well as the people in the film industry," said Professor Albert LaValley, the film studies department chair.
Hayes says he enjoys discussing with his students his experiences in the film industry and values teaching more with regard to practical experience than in theory and hopes to stay involved with the College and its students for years to come.
Admission to the event is free to Film Society members and $5 for general admission.
