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

Revisiting John Wayne’s Final, Touching Oscars Speech

John Wayne was an iconic actor that sadly passed away after several bouts of cancer. His last role was very close to home as he played a gunfighter dying of cancer in The Shootist. His final public appearance was at the 1979 Oscars and he shared a touching speech.

He said, “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. That’s just about the only medicine a fellow could ever really need. Believe me when I tell you that I’m mighty pleased that I can amble down here tonight. Well, Oscar and I have something in common. Oscar first came to the Hollywood scene in 1928. So did I. We’re both a little weather-beaten, but we’re still here and plan to be around for a whole lot longer.”

Listen to John Wayne’s final public speech at the 1979 Oscars

Then, John announced the five nominees for the outstanding picture of the year. That year they were The Deer Hunter, Coming Home, Midnight Express, An Unmarried Woman, and Heaven Can Wait. He announced The Deer Hunter was the winner and helped hand out awards.

Unfortunately, a few months later he ultimately died of stomach cancer. He had been bravely going through trials to help scientists work on a vaccine. He was 72 years old at the time of death and was survived by his wife Pilar Pallete and his seven children. The kids now work together on a foundation to help cure cancer.

Watch John’s speech at the Oscars below and relive the moment that happened back in 1979. Then comment and tell us, what was your favorite John Wayne movie?

John Wayne

Why John Wayne Almost Punched Robert Duvall

John Wayne and Robert Duvall reportedly almost got into a physical fight while filming True Grit. John was a very dedicated actor and was often very serious on and off the set. Robert was apparently known for his temper and would clash with the directors on the films he worked on.

While working on True Grit, Robert would argue with the director and disrupt the filming process. Eventually, John had enough and said he would punch Robert if he didn’t stop arguing with the director!

John Wayne almost punched Robert Duvall while working on ‘True Grit’

Even though they had a little spat while working together, Robert spoke very highly of John later in life. He said, “Wayne wasn’t as bad as some supposedly serious actors I’ve seen who trained at the Actors Studio and all that… Wayne was interesting to be around. He was pleasant and outgoing.”

Even though John was an iconic actor, he didn’t have all of the training that many others did. He wanted to be a football player but it didn’t work out. So eventually he worked as a prop boy and was discovered on the set of The Big Trail. His career took off and he became known for western films. Some of his best known films are The Alamo, Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and of course, True Grit. His final film was The Shootist in 1976.

Can you believe that John Wayne almost punched his co-star Robert Duvall? That would have been crazy! What’s your favorite John Wayne film?

John Wayne

‘The Sons of Katie Elder’: John Wayne ‘Exploded in Rage’ When a Photographer Caught Him Using His Oxygen Mask

John Wayne wasn’t always able to keep his anger under control. However, he did often own up to situations where he felt the anger wasn’t justified. A photographer was on the other end of that rage when he took a photograph of Wayne using an oxygen mask on the set of The Sons of Katie Elder.

John Wayne played John Elder in ‘The Sons of Katie Elder’

The Sons of Katie Elder follows four sons who reunite in their old Texas hometown to attend their mother’s funeral, including John (Wayne) and Tom (Dean Martin). However, they learn that things are a lot worse than they could have imagined. Their father gambled away their family ranch, which ultimately resulted in his murder.

The four brothers decide to avenge their father’s death at all costs. They plan to win back their family ranch, but they’re way in over their heads. The situation suddenly escalates with the local sheriff and the violent conflict with the rival Hastings clan. The critics praised Wayne for his performance in The Sons of Katie Elder, as well as the remainder of the cast.

John Wayne ‘exploded in rage’ when a photographer took a picture of him using his oxygen mask on the set

Randy Roberts’ John Wayne: American explores Wayne’s career, including his time on the set of The Sons of Katie Elder. The actor was battling his cancer diagnosis at the time, which is why he initially recommended Kirk Douglas for the role. However, director Henry Hathaway fought to get Wayne in The Sons of Katie Elder.

As a result of his health, Wayne had an oxygen tank on the set in Durango, Mexico. It was 6,000 feet above sea level, making it difficult for the actor to breathe. However, he “exploded in rage” when a photographer named Gene Sysco from The Globe took a picture of him using the oxygen mask.

“You goddamned son of a b****!,” Wayne shouted. “Give me that f***ing film!”

Sysco obeyed and gave the film to the actor. As a result, the entire set fell silent in an uncomfortable exchange.

However, Wayne ultimately realized that he overreacted on the set of The Sons of Katie Elder. The actor approached the photographer in the motel dining room to apologize.

“I’m a grown man,” Wayne said. “I ought to be able to control myself better than I did today. I’m sorry.”

The legendary Western star was terrified that making the oxygen mask public would destroy his persona as a tough cowboy.

The actor didn’t allow his health to affect his performance in ‘The Sons of Katie Elder’

John Wayne: American explained that the Western actor’s co-star, George Kennedy, talked about his behavior in The Sons of Katie Elder. He continued using the oxygen tank and even stopped smoking cigarettes, but he still enjoyed having cigars. He only had one lung, although he wasn’t ready to completely give up that pleasure.

Nevertheless, Wayne did some of his own stunts in The Sons of Katie Elder. The actor wanted to prove that he wasn’t going to allow his diagnosis to defeat him. He completed a scene where he had to be dragged down a river. He also almost caught pneumonia, but he was insistent on keeping up his persona at all costs.