Entertainment

10 Most Rewatchable John Wayne Movies – Old western – My Blog

Defining the western genre with his grit and gun-slinging skills, John Wayne remains an iconic staple in the film industry. Whether it’s the constant collaboration with supporting character actors, his children’s cameos, or using the same horse for at least seven movies in the latter end of his career, Wayne’s extensive filmography collected a large fan base as his career spanned five decades.Existing in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Wayne, nicknamed “the Duke,” worked with other cinematic legends and titans of industry in front of and behind the camera. Viewers now can stream various films from the Duke instead of digging through a dusty VHS bin or poorly remastered DVD version. With fan-favorites like McLintock, El Dorado, The War Wagon, and more there is no shortage of movies to watch (and rewatch) when you’re hankering for an old film.The following article has spoilers for each movie entry.10) ‘Hellfighters’ (1968)

A burning miss with movie critics, this fiery film still managed to win over Wayne’s loyal fans. His marriage fizzling, international oil rig firefighter Chance Buckman leaves the action behind to his partner Greg Parker (Jim Hutton). When a blaze in Venezuela gets out of hand, Greg is forced to call Chance back on the job.The film features Hollywood starlet Katharine Ross (The Graduate) as Chance’s daughter, Tish who ultimately falls for Greg. In true Duke style, there are always familiar faces costarring like Vera Miles (Psycho), Bruce Cabot (King Kong), and Edward Faulkner (McLintock!)—all of which have appeared in multiple Wayne films across his career. While it’s no guns blazing western, Hellfighters is a worthy rewatch for any loyal fan.9) ‘Sands of Iwo Jima’ (1949)

A darker, less lovable character than audiences are used to, Marine Sgt. John Stryker is another exceptional role Wayne brought to the screen. Loathed by his men, Stryker’s disposition isn’t truly understood until their boots hit the sand and are thrust into one of the Pacific’s bloodiest battles of World War II, the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.Wayne earned his first Oscar nomination for the role, while the film was nominated for four in total with his nomination. Critics and audience members would revere this character as one of Wayne’s best despite his Oscar loss to Broderick Crawfordin All the King’s Men. Wayne would star in several war films, but Sands of Iwo Jima is the perfect choice to watch back.8) ‘Chisum’ (1970)

Another cattle-baron role for Wayne, Chisum finds our hero starring as John Chisum as he teams up with historic figures Billy the Kid (Geoffrey Deuel) and Pat Garrett (Glenn Corbett) as a land developer and corrupt sheriff attempt to take Chisum’s ranch in Lincoln County, New Mexico. With praise from all audiences, Chisum adds a notable touch with its recognizable character names and historical context of the Lincoln County Land War of 1878.As usual, Wayne would bring along familiar faces from his previous films like Cabot, Faulkner, and Hank Worden (The Searchers). Fans would appreciate the wiser, more fatherly role of Chisum, allowing this film to hold a rank in a John Wayne movie marathon.7) ‘Hondo’ (1953)

Based upon the Louis L’Amour novel, Hondo follows the journey of the title character Hondo Lane (Wayne) as he befriends a woman and her young son after they are abandoned by her husband during an Apache attack. The trio forges a strong bond as Angie (Geraldine Page) refuses to leave their homestead.Page’s performance would earn her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Director John Farrow worked alongside Wayne again a few years later in 1955 on The Sea Chase. Hondo features a younger Wayne but is still complete with his iconic vest and bandana. The film earned high praise with movie-goers then and is still worth the praise now.6) ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’ (1962)

Containing a triple threat cast of Hollywood’s finest leading men and another Wayne leading lady, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is one of cinema’s most revered westerns. When Senator Stoddard (James Stewart) returns home for a funeral with his wife Hallie (Vera Miles), an inquisitive newspaper questions Stoddard’s business in town. Through flashbacks, the story of Stoddard’s unexpected friendship with Tom Doniphon (Wayne) unfolds as Stoddard recounts their involvement and search for justice against local criminal, Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin).John Ford directed this film during the height of his career and brought together Hollywood’s finest as the trio of Wayne, Stewart, and Marvin flowed seamlessly throughout the film. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is an excellent film to unpack and watch again whenever you feel the craving for a solid old-Hollywood western.5) ‘The Searchers’ (1956)

Director John Ford demonstrates his presence in the Duke’s cinematic legacy as he directed yet another notable film starring the Hollywood legend in The Searchers. In this epic and dark western, Wayne stars as Ethan Edwards, a Civil War veteran determined to rescue his niece Debbie (Natalie Wood) after she is kidnaped by a Comanche tribe following the slaying of her family.Lacking the jolly and cheerful disposition of the usual Wayne-cowboy, Ethan Edwards is an ominous role in which he spends a considerable part of his life after the war searching for Debbie. Surrounded by regular Wayne-film cast members, audiences rallied around this 1956 film allowing it to be a watershed installment for both Wayne and the genre.4) ‘The Quiet Man’ (1952)

Starring alongside leading lady Maureen O’Hara, Wayne plays retired American boxer Sean Thornton as he retires to his family’s homestead in Ireland where he falls for Mary Kate (O’Hara) despite her brother’s refusal. A romance beloved by critics and cinema-goers, The Quiet Man showcases excellent performances by O’Hara and Wayne.Nominated for seven Oscars, the movie would take home two for Best Director (John Ford) and Best Cinematography. The movie is another excellent collaboration between Ford and Wayne. Like the title displays, The Quiet Man is a quiet, reserved break for Wayne’s large fan base as it turns the focus from conquering the wild west to love and peace.3) ‘The Cowboys’ (1972)

Perhaps the western genre’s most iconic villain and the Duke’s most prominent death, The Cowboys is at the top of the list to be watched over and over again. Aging rancher Wil Andersen (Wayne) enlists the help of a group of schoolboys to help drive his cattle to market. Things turn south when a group of cattle rustlers and thieves led by Bruce Dern follow the herd and ultimately clash.One of the few films in which Hollywood’s hero dies, Wil Andersen’s death by the hands of Dern’s character vilified Dern throughout the industry and created career struggles as no one wanted to cast the man who shot the Duke in the back. Supported by a troupe of young actors, The Cowboys casts Wayne in a fatherly light, making his death even more impactful.2) ‘The Shootist’ (1976)

In his final role, Wayne stars as J. B. Books, an aging gunfighter who devises a plan to avoid dying a slow, painful cancerous death. After renting a room from the widowed Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son Gillom (Ron Howard), Books comes face-to-face with characters coming forth with questionable intentions.Paralleling Wayne’s real-life cancer diagnosis that ultimately led to his death in 1979, Books refuses to go quietly into the night with his terminal diagnosis. For the final time, Wayne would team up with big-names like James Stewart and Bacall to bring audiences a film to remember. The Shootist is an obvious choice to revisit when remembering John Wayne.1) ‘True Grit’ (1969)

No character more memorable than the “one-eyed fat man,” Rooster Cogburn in True Grit takes the top spot of most rewatchable films. After her father is murdered, Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) enlists in the help of drunken U. S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Wayne) and a Texas ranger (Glen Campbell) to hunt down the man responsible as he travels with a band of notorious criminals through dangerous territory.A decade before his death, Wayne would win his only Best Actor Oscar for this role. Cogburn’s unethical and unique methods for hunting down criminals clash against the honest and by-the-book nature of Ross. Fans loved Cogburn so much that Wayne would reprise the role in 1975 with Rooster Cogburn, starring alongside Katherine Hepburn. True Grit is an all-time favorite that withstands the test of time and even successful remake attempts.

Entertainment

John Wayne’s Son Couldn’t Watch 1 of His Dad’s Movies After His Death – My Blog

John Wayne is a legendary actor who successfully personifies Western movies. He has a very loyal fan base, but some of his critics claim that he plays the same character in every movie. However, Wayne delivered several nuanced performances over the course of his career. His son, Patrick, had difficulty watching one specific movie after his father’s death.

John Wayne starred in over 160 full-length movies
Wayne entered the entertainment industry working as an extra, prop man, and a stuntman. He primarily worked for Fox Film Corporation, but ultimately got his first shot with Raoul Walsh’s The Big Trail. However, the film was a box office failure. Fortunately, Wayne’s huge success at the movies would later come to be.
Wayne ultimately starred in popular Western and war movies over the course of the 1940s onward. Some of his most notable performances include titles such as She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, True Grit, and Sands of Iwo Jima. All together, Wayne starred in over 160 full-length movies over the course of his extensive career.

John Wayne’s son, Patrick, couldn’t watch ‘The Shootist’ after his dad’s death

Jeremy Roberts interviewed Patrick via Medium to talk about what it was like growing up in the Wayne family. He talked about some personal stories involving his father, as well as the collection of Wayne movies. The interviewer asked him if he had any difficulty revisiting any of his dad’s movies after his death.
“I’d have to say no to that question with the exception of one film, The Shootist,” Patrick said. “I couldn’t watch that Western as it was so close to reality. He played an old gunfighter who was an anachronism dying of cancer.”
Wayne plays J.B. Books in The Shootist, who is an aging gunfighter diagnosed with cancer. He heads into Nevada at the turn of the 20th century. Books rents a room from a widowed woman named Bond Rogers (Lauren Becall) and her son, Gillom (Ron Howard). When people pursue Books with questionable motives, he decides that he isn’t going to die a silent death.
Patrick continued: “Too many of the elements in there were just too close to what actually happened to him in his real life, so that film took me about 10 years to watch again [of course I saw it when it was originally released in 1976].”
Patrick Wayne thinks ‘The Shootist’ is his dad’s ‘finest performance’

Wayne earned Oscar nominations for his movies Sands of Iwo Jima and The Alamo. However, he wouldn’t take home the gold statue until his work on True Grit. Patrick believes that the iconic film isn’t quite his father’s best work. He gives that title to Wayne’s work in The Shootist, which he didn’t even earn an Oscar nomination for.
Patrick said, “When I did finally watch it for the second time, I have to say that it’s probably his finest performance as a pure actor, using all his skills and being more than just a cardboard cutout, but more of a real human being — a vulnerable human being — and I think he pulled it off really well.”

Entertainment

‘It Was a Pretty Miserable Experience’ – My Blog

John Wayne has worked in a wide variety of filming locations over the course of his career. However, they didn’t all provide comfortable conditions for the cast and crew. Wayne’s son, Patrick, once noted the “worst” film location of them all, calling one of his dad’s filming locations a “pretty miserable experience.” Nevertheless, he still enjoyed making movies with his father.

John Wayne’s son, Patrick, worked with his dad on film locations

Patrick followed in his father’s acting footsteps. His first roles included uncredited roles at Wayne’s filming locations, which gained him momentum moving forward into bigger roles. Some of these include Rio Grande, The Searchers, The Alamo, and The Quiet Man. However, he later moved more into managing the John Wayne Cancer Institute, which pushes to advance research in the fight against cancer.

Patrick has a wide array of stories from the Wayne filming locations. His father remains one of the most iconic Western actors of all time. Patrick looked up to his dad, but they didn’t always have the best time on the set of the more grueling filming location.
‘The Green Berets’ was the ‘worst’ John Wayne film location for his son, Patrick

Jeremy Roberts interviewed Patrick for Medium about some of the iconic Wayne filming locations. He explained that there was one set, in particular, that he just couldn’t stand.
“That would have to be The Green Berets,” Patrick said. “We were on location at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, which is located about 125 miles west of Atlanta. But it was nothing like Atlanta.”
Patrick continued: “Oh my God, it was pretty dreary. That’s fine but it started raining to the point of where we couldn’t even work. Boy, there was nothing to do except sit there and wait ’til it stopped raining. It was a pretty miserable experience from the weather aspect at that time [filming commenced on August 9, 1967]. It was past the worst part of the summer, so the humidity wasn’t that bad.”
Wayne’s difficult conditions on the Green Berets filming location makes sense for the movie’s story. It follows Col. Mike Kirby (Wayne), who selects two teams of Green Berets for a specific mission in South Vietnam. They must build and run a camp that the enemy seeks to capture, but that isn’t all. They must also kidnap a North Vietnamese General behind enemy lines.
‘The Green Berets’ is a controversial war movie

The Green Berets succeeded at the box office, but critics found the film incredibly controversial. They slammed the film for being heavy-handed and predictable. However, its war politics particularly upset a lot of critics. Nevertheless, The Green Berets easily sold tickets to audiences, making it a financial success.
Wayne went through some rough conditions on the filming location, but it proved to be worth his time. Despite its politics, the film made the legendary actor a large sum of money and remains a well-known war picture. It was also an opportunity for Patrick to work with his father on another film.

Entertainment

Ann-Margret’s precious memories of ‘teddy bear’ Duke on The Train Robbers – My Blog

JOHN WAYNE was “slightly infirm” on The Train Robbers but tenaciously pushed through filming despite two fractured ribs, balance issues and a daily lie down, according to co-star Rod Taylor. Ann-Margret remembers Duke appearing strong despite his declining health and admitted the Western star “gave me the confidence I lacked”.

By the 1970s, John Wayne was coming towards the end of his career as a Hollywood star. In 1973, aged 65-years-old, he had been living with one lung for the best part of 10 years and was suffering from emphysema on the remaining one. That year he released two Westerns which aren’t remembered as his best but saw the ageing icon carry on with much determination. One of the films was The Train Robbers, which co-starred Ann-Margret and Rod Taylor.
The Train Robbers saw Ann-Margret’s feisty widow work alongside three cowboys in recovering a cage of gold that was stolen by her late husband.
Before shooting started, Wayne had fractured two of his ribs, which was so painful he struggled to sleep at night.

This meant that his action scenes had to be scaled down and co-star Taylor remembered Duke being “slightly” infirm during the shoot.
The Time Machine star said the Western legend had trouble with his balance and understandably needed afternoon naps.

Despite his health problems on the movie, Wayne refused to delay filming and strived forwards.
Ann-Margret had fond memories of her co-star’s tenacity, recalling: “Duke was still a strong, rugged, formidable man, larger-than-life and incredibly personal. He was a big teddy bear, and we got along famously. Duke gave me the confidence I lacked.”
The Viva Las Vegas star appreciated this given that 1972 had been a very difficult time in her life, having been seriously injured when performing in her Lake Tahoe show.

Ann-Margret felt John Wayne gave her the confidence boost she needed (Image: GETTY)

The Train Robbers poster (Image: GETTY)
In terms of the confidence boost she needed, the actress had to overcome her fear of horses as there was much riding needed for her character. It was here that Wayne gave her the support she needed.
The Train Robbers had average reviews and later Quentin Tarantino would comment the film was “so light it’s barely a movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s not amusing.”
Wayne also released Cahill: US Marshall in 1973, which saw a significantly weakened Wayne having to use a stepladder to climb onto a horse.
That year also marked the death of his most famous collaborator, the director John Ford.
Upon news of the filmmakers’ death that August, Wayne told journalists: “I’m pretty much living on borrowed time.”
Duke would go on to make a couple of better-reviewed Westerns in True Grit sequel Rooster Cogburn opposite Katherine Hepburn and The Shootist.
The latter film was his final one and saw him playing a terminally ill gunfighter.
The Hollywood icon himself died of cancer just a couple of years later in 1979.