May 26, 2005
Happy Birthday To The Duke
John Wayne and Kate Heburn in Rooster Cogburn. Image borrowed from American Photo.
Today is the birthday of John Wayne, born this day as Marion Morrison in 1907 in Iowa.
In tribute, I specifically chose the photo above to illustrate a point about Wayne: As an actor, he had a very narrow range, a very specific screen persona. He was smart enough not to try and wander too far away from that range. But when he was "being himself" on screen, as it were, he did it very well. Rooster Cogburn isn't the greatest of movies, but it is perfectly evident that the Duke and Kate are enjoying themselves and each other and that each one respected the other's talents. And if Kate Hepburn is willing to stamp you with the mark of approval, you must be doing something right. Further, as I mentioned just recently, his performance with Lauren Bacall in his last movie, The Shootist, was superb.
Another point, one that strikes me as amusing, is how John Wayne has become a synonym for mindless 19th Century western expansionism and all the violence and cruelty that went with it (as well as the more modern political caracature of American cowboy diplomacy). But if you look carefully at his westerns, you'll see that Wayne's character is very often the most enlightened American on the scene - knowledgeable of Indian customs, languages and beliefs, sympathetic to their concerns and values and often intolerant of government officials and/or schemers trying to treat them badly or do them down. My sneeking suspicion has always been that the people who use John Wayne for this kind of sneering probably have never actually watched a John Wayne movie.
Anyhoo, I thoroughly enjoy Wayne movies, particularly the westerns. In addition to the two mentioned above, among my favorites (in no particular order of preference) are:
The Undefeated - I can't get over Roman Gabriel as Wayne's adopted Indian son. Classic Wayne line: "Windage and elevation, Mrs. Langdon, windage and elevation."
El Dorado - with Robert Mitchum, another actor I'm growing increasingly fond of.
The Sons of Katie Elder
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - here Wayne and Jimmy Stewart make a very interesting combination.
The Comancheros
The Horse Soldiers
Rio Bravo
Fort Apache - with Henry Fonda
So hats off, Pilgrim, and drink one to The Duke!
UPDATE: Brian B. tags me for leaving out The Cowboys. My mistake. This is the one where Wayne and a pack of kids have to ride herd. I only saw it once, but remember enjoying it. As long as I'm at it, and to keep Colossus from getting cranky, I'll toss in She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, too.
Posted by Robert at May 26, 2005 03:36 PM
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" is one of my favorites. Especially the storm in Monument Valley scene.
Well, I was only listing westerns.....
Posted by: Robert the LB at May 26, 2005 04:34 PMI'd forgive you, but you also left out "The Cowboys".
But I agree with your assessment, and I too am unabashed in my devotion to The Duke's work. In addition, he was a rare breed -- he really was as macho as the characters he portrayed. That famous swagger? He developed that to cover up a permanent limp cause by a football injury during his USC days.
Posted by: Brian B at May 26, 2005 04:38 PMThe Cowboys is an excellent film. Wayne was so strong that he could play against the type just as readily as he could play the type. Either way, he was believable.
Worst film? He actually played Genghis Khan in The Conqueror.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0049092/
There's a scene where one of his henchmen asks him what to do with some prisoners they've taken.
"Torture 'em", replies the Duke. I literally laughed for about five minutes when he said it in his usual deadpan John Wayne delivery.
Posted by: The Colossus at May 26, 2005 05:07 PM"The Green Berets".
Posted by: LMC at May 26, 2005 05:22 PMI may be biased (I drive by his birthplace on my way to work every day), but I'm a big fan of "Stagecoach", "...Liberty Valance" and "Rio Bravo". The Duke had the good fortune to work with some of the best directors in Hollywood at that time (Ford & Hawkes), and he made the most of some darn good parts.
If you're looking beyond horse operas, "The Quiet Man" is his abso-freakin'-lutely best work, hands down.
Posted by: Russ from Winterset at May 26, 2005 11:18 PMGotta put in my two cents for "The Quiet Man," too. Haven't seen a fight yet to top the one between Duke and Victor McLaglen.
Well, maybe Roddy Piper and Keith David in "They Live" comes awfully dang close.
Yup, my favorite cinematic fight too, no competition. My favrotie moment is when the fight carries them into the pub, so the stop long enough to toast one another, down a drink, then go on fighting.
Posted by: Brian B at May 27, 2005 10:45 AMWhat happened to the greatest John Wayne western The Searchers? Anyone who says the Duke couldn't act never saw this one. I also loved him in the Three Godfathers.
Posted by: TJ Jackson at May 27, 2005 08:40 PMIf you're just now "getting increasingly fond" of Bob Mitchum, then you need to watch the 1947 film noire classic, "Out of the Past", one of the best (quite possibly THE best) of the genre.
Posted by: D. Carter at May 27, 2005 11:18 PMI say old chap,
Listing Wayne's westerns without "The Searchers" is a crime worthy of... well, something anyway. You rank on the poor departed soul for having a narrow range, and leave out the exception that proves the rule! Blasphemy, I say.
Posted by: Carstairs at May 28, 2005 02:22 PMThey're all good, but Rio Bravo with the Duke, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan and the very hot Angie Dickinson is my favorite. I may have to go back and watch all those again.
Posted by: Dash at May 28, 2005 06:05 PM
