John Wayne
John Wayne’s Bear-Hunting Trip Went Horribly Wrong on ‘Red River,’ Montgomery Clift Hated It
Movie star John Wayne himself saw a major turning point in his career when Red River came about. He played Thomas Dunson, who was significantly older than the actor’s real-life age. Nevertheless, Wayne delivered a powerful performance in Red River, claiming it to be the first time he considered himself a “real actor.” While filming, the Western film star went on an awful bear-hunting trip that especially soured his co-star, Montgomery Clift.
‘Red River’ actor John Wayne went on a bear-hunting trip
L-R: Montgomery Clift as Matt Garth and John Wayne as Thomas Dunson | John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
Todd McCarthy’s Howard Hawks: The Grey Fox of Hollywood explored some of the most memorable moments while filming Red River alongside major stars, such as Wayne and Clift. Director Howard Hawks’ son, David, shared his favorite memory when it came to a bear-hunting trip that he took alongside the two lead actors. Even though he looked upon the memory with fondness, it didn’t go so well.
“We had an old Army sergeant as a guide,” David said. “It was near the Mexican border. We were looking for smaller Mexican brown bears, and we rode and rode through the mountains. We never saw any bear, but we did get lost. The guide admitted that he didn’t know the way back. So, John Wayne took charge, and he really and truly led us back. One horse fell, lost its footing, and broke its leg, and we had to shoot it.”
Montgomery Clift hated the bear-hunting trip John Wayne trip
According to McCarthy, Clift was a true outsider from the group that included Wayne on Red River. He initially tried to be a part of the group, demonstrated by his attendance on the bear-hunting trip. Additionally, the young actor joined Wayne and Hawks in their late-night poker games. Yet, he eventually found that he simply didn’t fit in with their crowd, and that’s OK.
“They tried to draw me into their circle, but I couldn’t go along with them,” Clift said. “The machismo thing repelled me because it seemed so forced and unnecessary.”
Clift didn’t like the trip, nor did he appreciate the vibe of the group, As a result, he spent a lot of time alone and would frequently leave the set when he didn’t have to be there.
John Wayne and Montgomery Clift had off-screen tensions
Wayne and Clift had to have a certain amount of animosity on the screen for Red River. Their characters increasingly butt heads while they’re on a cattle drive, which changes the power dynamic between the two. The tension between them wasn’t only on the silver screen, as it extended into real life.
In response to the bear-hunting trip, Clift teased, “You see what happens when you turn a bunch of fascists loose in the hills?”
Makeup artist Web Overlander said, “Clift couldn’t take a piss by himself. Hawks must be an idiot if he thinks that s.o.b. can act.” Meanwhile, Wayne added, “Clift is an arrogant little bastard.”
Wayne blamed Clift for not earning an Oscar nomination on Red River, although they both gave extraordinary performances that pushed their careers forward in ways neither of them expected. The Western was Clift’s first major Hollywood role, propelling him into an Oscar nomination for his second film in The Search.
John Wayne
The Legend Lives On: John Wayne is Still Alive!
John Wayne
Why John Wayne Turned Down the Chance to Work With Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are the two biggest legends in the history of Western movies, however, they never worked together. The duo did have the opportunity to work together once in the 1970s. Here’s why the film never came to fruition.
How John Wayne responded when Clint Eastwood tried to work with him
Firstly, a little background. According to the book John Wayne: The Life and Legend, it all starts with Larry Cohen. Though Cohen is not a widely known director like Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino, he’s a huge name to fans of B movies. He directed famous B movies like The Stuff, Q: The Winged Serpent, It’s Alive, and God Told Me To. He also wrote a script called The Hostiles shortly after Eastwood released his classic High Plains Drifter.
The Hostiles was about a gambler who wins half of an estate of an older man. The gambler and the older man have to work together despite the fact that they don’t like each other. Eastwood optioned the screenplay with the intent of playing the gambler alongside Wayne as the older man.
Eastwood sent a copy of the script of The Hostiles to Wayne. Although Eastwood felt the script was imperfect, he saw its potential. However, Wayne was not interested. Eastwood pitched the film to Wayne a second time and Wayne responded with a letter. Wayne’s letter complained about High Plains Drifter. Wayne was offended by the film and its portrayal of the Old West as a cruel, violent place.
John Wayne
Ann-Margret Refused to Call John Wayne ‘Duke’ While Introducing 1 of His Movies
Ann-Margret once starred in one of John Wayne’s lesser-known movies. However, she refused to call him by his popular moniker Duke. Here’s a look at the film they made together — and why she declined to call him by a nickname.
The one time Ann-Margret and John Wayne made a movie together
Ann-Margret is probably most known for her work in musicals, specifically Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, and The Who’s Tommy. However, she also dabbled in the Western genre. She starred alongside Wayne in the mostly forgotten movie The Train Robbers.
Wayne was also known as The Duke or just Duke. According to USA Today, the nickname was derived from his childhood dog. It stuck with him for many years. It continues to be used today — even on the box covers of the DVDs for his movies.
John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
During an interview with Interview Magazine, Ann-Margret explained why she didn’t refer to the Rio Bravo star by this famous name. “When I came to this country, first of all, mother and I didn’t know English,” she said. “I would curtsey, then say, ‘Thank you,’ and then when I was leaving, curtsey. For example, we went to Dallas to introduce a film I did with John Wayne. And I never called him Duke. I just couldn’t. That’s the way I was raised. When you meet someone, you say either Mr. or Mrs. or Miss. You stand up.”
Ann-Margret revealed she treated other famous people in much the same way. For example, she worked with director George Sidney on Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas. She always called him Mr. Sidney.
What Ann-Margret thought about John Wayne
Ann-Margret refused to use Wayne’s most famous moniker. However, she had a positive view of the actor. During an interview with Fox News, she was asked what she expected when she met Wayne. “Oh, I didn’t know what to expect,” she revealed. “But when he hugged me, it’s like the world was hugging me. He was so big and wide with that booming voice.
“We were shooting in Durango, Mexico and my parents came down to visit me,” she added. “He was so great with my parents. So absolutely welcoming and gentle with them. And anybody who was great to my parents was on a throne in my eyes.”
How the world reacted to ‘The Train Robbers’
Wayne starred in many classic Westerns, including The Searchers, Stagecoach, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. However, The Train Robbers is mostly forgotten. It didn’t gain a cult following like Once Upon a Time in the West or Dead Man. It wasn’t a critical success either, garnering a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Ann-Margret had some fond memories of making the film — even if she refused to call Wayne by his famous nickname.
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