John Wayne Once Admitted ‘Undoubtedly 1 of My Worst Movies Ever’ – My Blog
Actor John Wayne knew that he excelled in Western and war movies. He could acknowledge which of his films were good and which left something to be desired. However, Wayne really couldn’t stand one of his features that he called one of his “worst movies ever.”
John Wayne starred in many cheap B-movies
Wayne originally took part in many B-movies over the course of his career. As a result, the Hollywood industry associated him with cheaper productions throughout the 1930s. Director John Ford had difficulty getting funding for Stagecoach because his lead actor’s name didn’t necessarily ensure guaranteed success at the box office. All major studios turned him down, but he was able to strike a deal with independent producer Walter Wanger.
Stagecoach would go on to become a critical and box office success. As a result, Wayne started to get requests for bigger movies after starring in Stagecoach. Some of his co-stars, such as Louise Platt, felt his undeniable potential to become famous for his portrayal of the “everyman” in his performances. Wayne had movies he would much more proud to star in further along in his career, such as She Who Wore a Yellow Ribbon.
John Wayne considered ‘Jet Pilot’ 1 of his worst movies ever
Marc Mompoint’s John Wayne: A Photographic Celebration shares some critical quotes over the course of the actor’s career. Wayne called 1957’s Jet Pilot “undoubtedly one of my worst movies ever.” Unfortunately, the critical response certainly didn’t disagree with him regarding the level of quality here.
Jet Pilot takes place during the Cold War when a Russian jet is taken to an American air base. Anna Marladovna (Janet Leigh) is the pilot onboard who demands asylum. However, she refuses to come clean regarding any Soviet-related information. Meanwhile, Col. Jim Shannon (Wayne) must befriend Anna to gather information on the Soviets. Their situation becomes complicated when they fall in love, but is there any truth to their connection?
Unlike many of Wayne’s movies, Jet Pilot went through some behind-the-scenes issues. There were several directorial changes that further complicated the production. Josef von Sternberg initially worked on the movie until Philip Cochran took over for aerial sequences. Jules Furthman, Edward Killy, Byron Haskin, Don Siegel, and Howard Hughes all had a shot in the director’s seat.
Jet Pilot publicized that it would show off the U.S. Air Force’s latest jets, but they were all terribly outdated by the time the film hit silver screens. Hughes took quite some time tinkering with the feature, and it went through a distributor change from RKO to Universal-International after the sale. Modern aircraft already replaced the ones in the movie, making the feature unable to deliver on its major marketing point.
Director Howard Hughes disagreed with the actor
While Wayne called Jet Pilot one of his worst movies, Hughes absolutely loved the film. He called it one of his favorite motion pictures that he repeatedly watched in the later years of his life. Some critics could appreciate the film’s sense of humor, but critics at the time considered the film outdated beyond its aircraft. The general consensus considered the direction, script, and performances as missing the mark.
Wayne’s most dedicated fans might want to check out all of his movies, but even the Duke himself turned his back on this one.
Actor John Wayne had a very good idea of what type of movie worked best for him. However, his critics judged him for sticking too close to his lane. As a result, they called him a poor actor. Wayne wanted to make one final movie called Beau John, but the “half-Western” film would never come to be.
John Wayne’s final movie was ‘The Shootist’
John Wayne | Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images
Unfortunately, Wayne died on June 11, 1979 from stomach cancer. However, he never wanted to retire from his passion for making feature films. Wayne starred in his final movie, The Shootist, in 1976. Many folks thought that his performance as J.B. Books would earn him another Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, it never did.
Wayne previously earned Oscar nominations for Sands of Iwo Jima and The Alamo. However, he finally earned the golden statue with 1969’s True Grit for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Wayne had another movie in mind that could have put him back in the awards season conversation.
John Wayne wanted to make one final movie called ‘Beau John’ that was a ‘half-Western’
“Don’t ever for a minute make the mistake of looking down your nose at westerns.” ???? What’s your favorite John Wayne Western? (photo by @johnhamiltoncollection) pic.twitter.com/dE1g0mtDvK— John Wayne Official (@JohnDukeWayne) August 29, 2021
Scott Eyman explored Wayne, his various movie projects, and his personal life in John Wayne: The Life and Legend. Toward the end of 1978, the actor didn’t work on any films in a couple of years. Wayne started to feel a bit aimless without having a movie to work on.
The Utah Film Festival awarded him its John Ford Medallion, although his health didn’t allow him to travel. As a result, he asked Peter Bogdanovich to accept it on his behalf. He later brought the medallion to the actor, where they had iced tea. They discussed the old days of John Ford, Howard Hawks, and Ward Bond, where Wayne said, “Christ, everybody’s gone.”
Wayne asked Bogdanovich if he would be interested in directing a movie for him called Beau John. “It’s kind of a half-western thing, it’s not cowboys and Indians, you know, it’s—oh, the humor and the wonderful relationship between this grandfather and the son and the son-in-law and the grandson,” Wayne described. “I hope to hell I live to do it. Just a wonderful story.”
Bogdanovich agreed to direct it and reassured Wayne that he would live long enough to make the movie. Beau John became the primary focus of his life and he later proposed the project to Ron Howard. However, he didn’t want to make it without him.
“I found a book,” Wayne told Howard. “I think it’s a movie. It’s you and me or it’s nobody.”
However, Wayne never had the chance to make the movie.
“It never got past the verbal stage,” Howard recalled. “And at that point, he was showing signs of not being well. I was a little doubtful.”
The actor reflected on Hollywood stars
“I’ve worked with Bette Davis, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda. Here’s the thing they all have in common: They all, even in their 70s, worked a little harder than everyone else.” – Ron Howard pic.twitter.com/YnINN6ftOg— John Wayne Official (@JohnDukeWayne) April 27, 2019
Wayne had a lot more time toward the end of his life without any movie projects to work on. According to Eyman, he looked back on his career and explained his thoughts on some of his peers. He never liked Clark Gable, telling his daughter, Aissa: “You know why Gable’s an actor? It’s the only thing he’s smart enough to do.”
However, Wayne absolutely loved Gary Cooper. He also had a “soft spot” for Paul Newman, but thought that he needed to stop playing anti-hero roles and directing his own movies.
Additionally, Wayne’s personal favorite actor was James Garner: “I think the best actor in the world today is James Garner. He can do anything—comedy, detective. Just his facial expressions alone are enough to crack you up. They rave about Brando and Scott, but they couldn’t hold a candle to him.”
Wayne disagreed with the movie audiences and thought that Gene Hackman was “the worst actor in town.”
John Wayne’s ”expensive” sayings made the fans ”nod”’. – My Blog
John Wayne (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was an American movie Actor, director, and producer, known in movies like Stagecoach, Angel and the Bad Man, Red River, and The Shootist.They say that life is a good teacher and through them who lived this life we can learn a lot, especially from great people like John Wayne a.k.a Duke.Today I am going to share with you Wayne’s 5 rules you should be remembering in your daily life:
1. Money cannot buy happiness but its more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.
This is a long debate everywhere, rich people say that “those who say money can buy happiness are the ones who don’t have” and broke people reply that “you don’t know how miserable we are just because we don’t have coins in our pocket”.John Wayne made it clearer that though money cannot buy happiness but when unhappy moments arrive money can make someone comfortable.
2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard’s name.
Forgiving your enemy is in your favor, most of the time carrying such burden in your heart is more painful while the bastard doesn’t even know.Just to be careful, put their names somewhere in your mind. Once a soldier always a commando and once enemy, I don’t know.
3. Help someone when they are in trouble and they will remember you when they’re in trouble again.
Do what is right, help people but never expect something in return.According to John Wayne, the only thing you can expect from people is that if you have helped them in the hard times, they will remember you when they’re in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.
Everyone has enemies and some people do harm to us to the level we even wish to kill them. Not only our enemies would be killed if to kill was not illegal but also some innocents and powerless people.About this rule, something you have to learn is that we’re surrounded by people that don’t kill us only because it’s illegal.
5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.
Haha this rule is somehow funny but it is true on the other hand. You will find people telling you stop drinking alot it will solve nothing but at least you’ll have that sedative moment.Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.
Interesting things happen at the “Duketober” celebration at the John Wayne museum . – My Blog
The enduring legacy of actor John Wayne, America’s ultimate cowboy, was celebrated last month, fittingly enough, by the Cowboy Channel in association with the John Wayne: An American Experience museum in Fort Worth, Texas.
The “Duketober” celebration is a month-long airing of classic John Wayne movies via broadcast and streaming. It will culminate with a 50th anniversary live panel discussion on Nov. 3 in remembrance of Big Jake, the 1971 movie that bought Wayne together with sons Ethan and Patrick, who will participate in a discussion about his films and career.Wayne’s legacy has taken a few hits in the last couple of years.
A 50-year-old Playboy magazine interview outlining some of his controversial views on race surfaced, sparking his USC alma mater to remove an exhibit on him. There’s also a movement to remove his name from the Orange County airport. So far, that action has failed to gain ground . But Wayne’s cinematic legacy, particularly his western movies, continue to rank among the finest ever produced by Hollywood. Such films as The Searchers, True Grit, Stagecoach and Rio Bravo are considered classics of the genre.
“The John Wayne: An American Experience (JWAAE) museum in the Fort Worth Stockyards has created a perfect synergy for the Cowboy Channel to highlight this incredible western film legend and showcase many of his classic films for our audience,” said Cowboy Channel CEO Raquel Koehler Gottsch.
“Our fans absolutely adore John Wayne, and we couldn’t be happier to have a great relationship with his family and be able to share his movies with our audience and dedicate an entire month to such a western star legend.”“He would be thrilled to learn that so many people still cherish his films after all these years and I know he’s smiling somewhere,” said son Ethan Wayne.
The Cowboy Channel will also feature a Halloween movie marathon of Wayne films, and fans can tune-in to such classics such as Rio Grande, Sand of Iwo Jima, and The Shootist.
James Caan shares a memorable collaboration with John Wayne on the set of El Dorado. – My Blog
In 1997, James Caan joined The Late Show with David Letterman to starred on John Wayne after they alongside one another on the hit movie El Dorado.While Wayne portrayed the noble elder gunfighter Cole Thorton, Caan plays his loyal friend, Mississippi. Furthermore, the movie was directed by esteemed producer Howard Hawks.
James Caan notes that the first big-name he worked with in Hollywood was John Wayne. Wayne was 33 years older than Caan and already had boomed success in the industry, so naturally, James Caan admired the Duke.“He was great because he could intimidate you,” explains Caan. “He’d stay on you forever, and you’d just crumble. I mean, he’d just try you.”However, on the set of El Dorado, James Caan recalls getting directions from Howard Hawks, also known as Coach.
“So this one night I remember I was between he and Mitchum and Howard Hawks was about 72 at the time, and we’re outside in this old Tucson. This big old western town and Hawks comes up and says, ‘now look, Kid, when you say that line, here’s what’s going to happen. Duke, you go down the middle of the road right down the center because we are going to surround this bar. Mitchum, you go around that way, and Kid, you go around.’ I said, ‘alright, Coach.’ because that’s what we called him, Coach.’
“He was coach,” notes Letterman. “John Wayne was Duke, and you’re the Kid.” After Hawk gave the instructions, he began walking back to the cameras. James Caan, who does a perfect John Wayne impression, reflected on when Wayne tried to offer the then-youngster a few tips.“So now he has to walk back up 50 yards back to the camera. There’s all kinds of extras, and he’s walking back, and the dude looks at me and goes, ‘now look, Kid.’ He says, ‘when you say that there line, I want you to turn around and give me that look you give me.’
“Give Me That Look That You Give Me.”The men begin to laugh hysterically because Jame Caan has no idea what John Wayne is talking about. Regardless, Caan still gave it a try.“I have no idea what he’s talking about. But the truth is that Mitchum explains me that I was laughing at him all the time. Every time he talked because you had to. How can you take him seriously? That ‘why did you do it’ look. So he said, ‘give me that look that you give me.’ I said, ‘alright. Alright Duke.’
At this point, it isn’t Wayne who is mad about Cann’s performance. It is Hawks. However, the Duke still offered his advice. James Caan must.“He gets behind the camera everything starts going, and they go ‘ACTION!’ and I send my one line and I take a step, and I turn around. Coach goes ‘CUT’. Comes running up, and he goes, ‘look, when you take the step. Don’t take the step. I want you to say the line and go. Just go!’ He starts to walk back to the camera, and Wayne goes, ‘now look, Kid. Don’t take a whole step, take a half a step and then turn around and give me that look you give me.’