John Wayne

New True Grit owes nothing to John Wayne, say directors

To many, the words True Grit mean one thing: John Wayne’s Oscar-winning performance in the classic western. But for Joel and Ethan Coen – whose film of the same name is out on Friday in the UK – Wayne is simply “an irrelevancy”.
Speaking in Berlin, where the Coens’ True Grit opened the city’s film festival, Ethan Coen said neither of the brothers had seen Henry Hathaway’s 1969 film since childhood, and they made their version with “a blithe disregard” for it.

He added: “John Wayne is more like Mount Rushmore than an actor for us. He was already an ageing actor – not part of my movie-going life – when we were growing up. We were the tail end of people for whom John Wayne meant something.”

His brother and co-director Joel Coen added: “I’m not sure if John Wayne means much to kids in America now. I’ve a 16-year-old son and I doubt if he knows who he is.”
Indeed, the young female lead of True Grit, 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, who is nominated for best supporting actress in the Oscars, confessed that she “actually didn’t know of” Wayne before becoming involved in the Coens’ project. In fact, it was only this year that she was “introduced to the whole genre of westerns”.
Jeff Bridges, who plays Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn – the part played by Wayne in 1969 said: “I didn’t want to impersonate John Wayne: I didn’t think about him and his interpretation at all.”
Josh Brolin – who plays the murderous Tom Chaney – remarked, sarcastically, of Wayne: “He was a great guy – I loved his political beliefs.” The actor was famously politically conservative, a supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committee and of the Vietnam war.
It is not entirely out of the question that the Coens’ True Grit will eclipse the reputation of earlier film. Nominated for 10 Oscars – admittedly trailing by two nominations behind The King’s Speech – it has already done excellent business at the US box office.
The Coen’s True Grit is not a remake: rather it is a fresh adaptation of Charles Portis’s 1968 novel, set in 19th-century Arkansas. It tells of how the young Mattie Ross – competent, steely and thrifty – sets out to avenge the murder of her father with the help of the drunk, one-eyed Cogburn and a Texas ranger named LaBoeuf, played by Matt Damon in the Coens’ film. The novel, which reads, according to Bridges, “like a Coen brothers’ screenplay”, has become a bestseller in the US since the release of the movie. The Coens also denied that their work was a western. According to Joel Coen, “We weren’t consciously doing it as a western – in the sense that John Ford movies are. For us it was a much more prosaic thing: a story set in Arkansas in 1872.”
The 61st Berlin film festival continues with premieres including Margin Call, a thriller set on Wall Street during the financial crisis, starring Kevin Spacey; Wim Wenders’s Pina, a tribute in 3D to the great German choreographer; and Ralph Fiennes’s directorial debut, Coriolanus. The president of this year’s competition jury is Isabella Rossellini.

John Wayne

The Legend Lives On: John Wayne is Still Alive!

In a world where legends never fade, we can’t help but wonder: what if John Wayne, the iconic figure of American cinema, is still with us in spirit? The Duke, known for his larger-than-life roles and undeniable charisma, continues to inspire generations.

From his unforgettable performances in classics like “True Grit” and “The Searchers” to his indomitable spirit, Wayne’s essence is woven into the fabric of Hollywood and American culture. His rugged persona, moral fortitude, and unwavering courage resonate deeply, reminding us of the values he embodied.

While we may not see him on the silver screen today, Wayne’s legacy lives on through the countless actors he inspired and the stories he helped tell. His films are timeless, bringing joy and adventure to audiences around the world.

So, as we celebrate the enduring impact of John Wayne, let’s keep his spirit alive in our hearts. Whether you’re watching one of his classics or sharing a favorite quote, remember that the legend of John Wayne will never truly die. Here’s to the Duke—forever a part of our cinematic history!

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.