John Wayne

REVIEW: THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE

If I’m being honest, when choosing to settle down with a good old western, I usually choose to pick the more stylised, epic works of Sergio Leone or more grittier fare like Sam Peckinpah’s open exit wound of a movie, The Wild Bunch. However, it would be hideously remiss of me to ignore the more stately classics that forgore the blood and dust in favour of honour and dignity; furthermore it would also mean losing out on a sizable chunk of the filmography of the legendary John Ford and that of the Duke himself, the one and only John Wayne.Arguably one the best of their collaborations (if not one of the best westerns of its generation) is The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, a movie that fuses old school, six shooter heroics with a genuine attempt to bring civility to a lawless land.

A movie of staggering nobility, you wouldn’t be a million miles off suggesting that The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the Western equivalent of Casablanca. After all, both ultimately hinge on a cynical man who knows how to follow the rules of a lawless society who gives up his meager dreams in order to help a rival in love for a cause bigger than himself, but Ford weaves politics into the story to suggest that the act of bringing down a chronic ass-hat like Valance is imperative for cilivised life to get its first toe hold in a town like Shinbone – something that ironically is the very opposite of what the upright Stoddard is trying to achieve.Both men, Stoddard and Doniphon, are forced to face ideals directly opposed to their cherished world views while Valance (played by the typically angry brows of a swaggering Lee Marvin) is a symbol of a time that has to pass if the world is to move on – even if it takes one last cold blooded act of the old world to galvanise it into being.Wayne is almost a supporting player as he stares bemused at the idealistic Stoddard’s refusal to give up in the face of Valance’s petty tyranny, but he’s a perfect counterpoint to the passionate decency that James Stewart always seemed to project so well and it is he who is actually the gatekeeper who allows al.ost everything to occur even if it means that his way of life is slowly rendered obsolete by it. It’s a stubbornly subtle performance lurking under Wayne’s usual trademark bluster but it’s incredibly affecting as he plows the moral road in secret in order for the greater good to flourish.

However, despite giving us a western that contains precious little of the kind of action you’d usually expect to see from a movie with “shot” in the title, the movie ends up being riveting stuff and Ford loads the movie with eccentric townsfolk who are every bit as three dimentional as the leads. Be it Peabody, the drunkenly verbose newspaper reporter or Link, the cowardly marshal whose belly makes him look like a giant capital D, everyone has a part to play and even the smallest of roles has significance (hello Lee Van Cleef as one of Valance’s henchmen).

In fact, if you need even further proof as to how well The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance hits you right in the feels with its deadshot aim, it’s all there in the opening scene. As everyone sits by Tom’s coffin, we have no idea how any of them got here or even who the hell Tom actually is and yet you’re utterly gutted even before the film has truly started. If that wasn’t enough, John Ford ballsily tells us that no matter what we’re about to see, we’ll already know that both Stoddard and Doniphon will not only both survive but Hallie ends up with the younger man – and yet even though we know everyone’s eventual destination, we are still utterly hooked on their journey; now if that isn’t the mark of true storytelling genius, I don’t know what is….

At one point someone utters the legendary phrase, “when the legend becomes fact, print the legend”, which are arguably the most relevant words I’ve ever heard spoken in a Western (well, that and everytime Wayne calls someone “Pilgrim”), and that’s exactly what The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is – the Old West forcibly dragging itself into the modern world off the back of it’s own legend – but when it comes to sheer, cinematic decency that’ll rock you to your emotional core, Ford’s classic can easily match Casablanca and To Kill A Mockingbird to the draw…

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.