The Shootist (1976), Directed by Don Siegel from Glendon Swarthout’s eponymous 1975 novel, is John Wayne's final film in which he co-stars with Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard and James Stewart. The film has John Wayne playing a legendary gunfighter who's dying of cancer. “I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid … Continue reading The Shootist: John Wayne rides off into the sunset in a blaze of glory
Sands of Iwo Jima(1949), directed by Allan Dwan and starring John Wayne, John Agar and Forrest Tucker in lead roles, is one of the most popular American war films. It features a fictional story of the events leading up to the factual raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi by the U.S. Marines. Inspired … Continue reading Sands of Iwo Jima: John Wayne towers over this seminal WWII epic with one of his greatest and most iconic performances
Rio Lobo(1970), starring John Wayne, Jack Elam, Jorge Rivero and Christopher Mitchum, marked the fifth and final collaboration between John Wayne and Director Howard Hawks. This Western is also the last theatrically released feature film directed by Hawks. "I've been called a lot of things, but not 'comfortable'!" First there was "Rio Bravo(1959)," then came … Continue reading Rio Lobo: Legendary Director Howard Hawks ended his career with this perfectly comfortable John Wayne Western
The Cowboys(1972), directed by Mark Rydell and starring John Wayne, Bruce Dern and Roscoe Lee Browne in lead roles, is a poignant Western that deals with issues of mortality, fatherhood, mentorship and coming-of-age. "Every man wants his children to be better'n he was. You are" In 1948, John 'Duke' Wayne teamed up with eminent director … Continue reading The Cowboys: John Wayne passes the baton to the next generation of (cow)boy heroes in one of his most poignant late-career Westerns
The Undefeated(1969), directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson in lead roles, is a lavishly mounted, epic Western set during the final days of the American civil war. Loosely based on Confederate States Army General Joseph Orville Shelby's escape to Mexico - with approximately 1,000 of his remaining troops (men later immortalized as "the undefeated" … Continue reading The Undefeated: John Wayne and Rock Hudson teamed up for this epic, civil-war era, south-of-the-border Western
The Alamo(1960), based on the 'Battle of Alamo' that took place in the year 1836, is an epic historical-war Western produced and Directed by John Wayne. This was Wayne's directorial debut, and he also played the role of Davy Crockett in the film alongside an ensemble cast that comprised of Richard Widmark and Laurence Harvey. … Continue reading The Alamo: John Wayne produced, directed, and starred in this stirring epic War-Western
Rooster Cogburn(1975) is the stand-alone sequel to the 1969 Western, 'True Grit', with John Wayne reprising his Oscar winning character of Marshal 'Rooster' Cogburn, this time, opposite screen-legend Katherine Hepburn. This is the only film Wayne and Hepburn made together. “From head to toe he is all of a piece. Big head. Wide blue eyes. … Continue reading Rooster Cogburn: John Wayne reprises his Oscar winning role opposite Katherine Hepburn in this Western version of “The African Queen”
The Sons of Katie Elder(1965), directed by Western veteran Henry Hathaway, and starring John Wayne and Dean Martin, is an entertaining, old-fashioned, atmospheric Western in which 4 brothers take revenge on an evil entrepreneur who killed their father and stole their land. Most famous in John 'Duke' Wayne's filmography for being the first film he … Continue reading The Sons of Katie Elder: John Wayne and Dean Martin reunited after ‘Rio Bravo’ in this old-fashioned revenge-Western
The Comancheros(1961), a very entertaining, big-scale Western, was legendary director, Michael Curtiz's final film. John Wayne, who stars in this film alongside Stuart Whitman, took over the directorial duties and completed the film after Curtiz became afflicted with cancer. Another one of those rollicking, large-scale Western adventures made at a time when John 'Duke' Wayne … Continue reading The Comancheros: John Wayne directed much of this wildly entertaining Western that was legendary director Michael Curtiz’s final film
In Harm's Way(1965), directed by Otto Preminger from James Bassett's novel, and starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas in lead roles, is a war-action drama set during the early days of United States' participation in World War II. Like other Preminger films, this is a sprawling drama encompassing multiple sub plots and flawed heroes. "I … Continue reading In Harm’s Way: Otto Preminger’s sprawling World War II drama rides on the charisma of John Wayne and Kirk Douglas
North to Alaska(1960), directed by Henry Hathaway and starring John Wayne, Stewart Granger and Capucine in lead roles, is a highly enjoyable comic-Western set in turn-of -the-century Alaska, and showcases Wayne's talents for comedy and romance to the fullest. Big Sam left Seattle in the year of ninety-twoWith George Pratt his partner and brother Billy … Continue reading North to Alaska: John Wayne at his romantic-comic best in this rollicking Western adventure
In one of his last outings as the legendary Western hero, John Wayne joins up with a team of adventurers, played by Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson, etc. to help out Ann-Margaret's widow recover half-a million dollars worth of gold from Mexico in this Burt Kennedy written and directed 1973 Western. The Train Robbers(1973), written and … Continue reading The Train Robbers: An alluring Ann-Margaret and a twist ending adds freshness to this unabashedly traditional John Wayne Western shoot-’em-up
Big Jake(1971), directed by George Sherman and starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and Richard Boone, is a deliciously entertaining Western adventure that adds some modern elements to the standard 'John Wayne Western' template. John Fain(Richard Boone): Who are you?Jake(John Wayne): Jacob McCandles.John Fain(Richard Boone): I thought you were dead.Jake(John Wayne): Not hardly.from Big Jake(1971) You … Continue reading Big Jake: The ‘Dirty Harry’ writers spins a ripping, turn-of-the-century adventure yarn for Duke that’s perhaps the last of the great archetypal ‘John Wayne Westerns’
Though Director John Ford has been the pre-eminent chronicler of American history, he has never made a film set during the American civil war. The Horse Soldiers (1959), starring John Wayne and William Holden, which came pretty much at the end of his illustrious career was the only film set during that period. Though not … Continue reading The Horse Soldiers: John Ford’s lone stab at a Civil War Western is consistently entertaining and features strong performances from John Wayne and William Holden
“Wayne’s greatest achievement may have been creating John Wayne. The character he played, the character he invented, was the American persona of the man who is hard and believes in doing right and will do it against all the odds.”Charlton Heston on John Wayne Rio Grande (1950), the third and final film in John Ford's … Continue reading Rio Grande: John Ford brought John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara together for the first time in this final film in his ‘Cavalry’ trilogy
Fort Apache starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda is the first film in what became John Ford's 'Cavalry' trilogy. It's one of John Ford's most balanced, racially sensitive westerns that tries to understand the Native American issue even as it pays homage to the Army Who better than an Irishman can understand the Indians, while … Continue reading Fort Apache: John Wayne and Henry Fonda represents the two sides of the American soldier in this magnificent first film in John Ford’s ‘Cavalry’ trilogy
Chisum(1970), starring John Wayne in the title role and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, is a typical 'John Wayne' Western from the final phase of Wayne's career, and like its legendary star, the film tries to reconcile the traditional with the modern. "Weary, saddle-worn. Can you still keep goin' on?" As William Conrad's deep baritone … Continue reading Chisum: John Wayne stars as a powerful frontier patriarch who knows his time’s at an end
The War Wagon(1967), Directed by Burt Kennedy, is a tongue-in-cheek hybrid of a traditional Western, buddy comedy and Heist movie that brought macho superstars, John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, together for the last time. John Wayne (as Taw Jackson): Did you know why Pierce wanted you to kill me? Kirk Douglas (as Lomax): Sure, so … Continue reading The War Wagon: John Wayne and Kirk Douglas lend their beefy charisma to this breezy Western that subtly parodies genre conventions
Red River(1948), starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, was the first western directed by Howard Hawks. This film was Clift's debut movie and was a major turning point in John Wayne's career. I didn’t know the big son of a bitch could act John Ford after watching John Wayne in Red River Director Howard Hawks … Continue reading Red River: John Wayne and Montgomery Clift battle it out in Howard Hawks’ classic western
John Wayne has never shied away from propagating his socio-political views through his films and McLintock!(1963), co-starring his favorite heroine Maureen O'Hara, is perhaps the ultimate 'John Wayne Western', where his reel and real life personas are seamlessly mixed up. In 1963, two very successful films were released that bore the unmistakable stamp of two … Continue reading McLintock!: John Wayne transitioned into a charming & affluent ‘Patriarch of the West’ with this rollicking comic-Western
MANK'S MOVIE MUSINGS 