Best Movies by Farr

Why John Wayne Still Ranks Among Today's Most Popular Stars

Several months ago, the Harris Poll released its annual list of our ten most popular movie stars. Notably absent from the list were Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Brad Pitt (though Angelina squeaked on for the first time, tied for last place with Morgan Freeman).

Ranked ahead of current box-office draws Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp, and just behind Denzel and Clint at the top of the heap, we find John Wayne. Notably, his is the only name from Hollywood's Golden Age, and the only name that has appeared on every top ten Harris list over the past fifteen years.

On May 26th, John Wayne would have turned 102. Though he's been gone thirty years, his movies-and his outsize character- refuse to fade.

Not surprisingly, the Duke is more popular with seniors over sixty, and he plays best in the West, and among Republicans. But still...think of all the great actors from that vibrant period when Wayne was making pictures: Bogart, Grant, Brando, Newman, to name just a few. In their own time, it could be argued that each of these names were hotter than Wayne's, and yet, they don't make the list. They seem part of the past, while the Duke stubbornly lives on.

What accounts for this actor's uncanny endurance? Other better actors played cowboys, like Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart. Other bigger stars like Clark Gable and Gregory Peck played soldiers. But around the world, whenever John Wayne played a cowboy or a soldier, he was America. Wayne's persona- its bigness, roughness, but also its decency- literally came to define our heritage. And to a surprising degree, it still does.

Wayne himself would never have predicted the longevity of his image, and would be incredulous if he knew about it. During his lifetime, he was no stranger to setbacks and self-doubt. After a failed early shot at stardom in 1930's "The Big Trail", the Duke had to toil in "B" western potboilers for nearly ten years before director John Ford gave him another chance at the big time.

And then- even when he'd made it, over the years he was repeatedly told by Ford, his frequent collaborator and mentor, that he simply couldn't act. He took the abuse stoically. Though his range was limited, he could indeed act, and after Wayne's memorable performance in "Red River" (1949), even Ford had to admit it, though not to his face.

One might reasonably assume that Wayne's right-wing politics would also work against the popularity he still enjoys. Although (ironically) he accepted Gary Cooper's Oscar in 1952, Wayne supported the McCarthy Communist witch hunt, and railed against the classic "High Noon" for being un-American. (Indeed, several years later, Howard Hawks and Wayne would make "Rio Bravo" as a "patriotic" response to the earlier film).

By the time he won his sole Oscar for 1969's "True Grit", he was still an outspoken hawk, openly defending the Vietnam War, and to prove it, starring in 1968's chest-thumping "The Green Berets".

Predictably, he was distinctly old-fashioned in his views on gender and race as well. But there was an open, bluff quality to Duke Wayne that made people forgive and even respect him. He was principled without being self-important, supported the right of others to differ with him, and mellowed considerably after his first serious brush with cancer in 1964.

He even had a well-concealed sensitive side. His lifelong friend Claire Trevor, who co-starred with him in "Stagecoach"(1939), once showed me a touching poem he'd written on the death of her step-son, with whom he'd been unusually close. The verse was heartfelt and moving, the work of a man capable of deep feeling. I have never forgotten reading it.

For someone who reputedly couldn't act, John Wayne certainly made a lot of great movies. I'm going to list a few of his lesser-known titles that are personal favorites of mine. Please add your own top Duke picks, along with any thoughts you have on what keeps his star burning so bright.

The Long Voyage Home (1940)- After the success of "Stagecoach", John Ford was eager to display his new find again. Here, Wayne plays simple Swedish seaman Ole Olsen, who finds himself on a merchant ship at the start of World War 2, surrounded by a nervous crew. The ship is carrying badly needed ammunition to the British, making it a highly desirable target for German U-Boats. There may also be spies aboard. Boasting stunning cinematography from Gregg Toland, who'd go on to collaborate with Orson Welles on "Citizen Kane", Ford's film generates tension mixed with a subtle melancholy. Anchoring this unheralded sea picture is the brilliant Thomas Mitchell as old salt "Drisk" Driscoll, ably supported by character actors Barry Fitzgerald and John Qualen, among others.

They Were Expendable (1945)- Director Ford again delivers a powerful human tale of hope barely sustained during the darkest days of World War 2. This is the story of the PT boats during those tough, early days in the Pacific. Skipper John Brickley (Robert Montgomery) and his right hand man, Rusty Ryan (Wayne), have difficulty convincing the navy brass of the PTs' value to the war effort.Eventually, these nimble craft play a vital role in turning the tide, allowing General MacArthur to keep his promise to return there. Montgomery (father of Elizabeth from "Bewitched", and an actual decorated PT boat skipper) is superb as the embattled but stoic Brickley, with Duke an ideal counterpoint as the rough-around-the-edges Ryan. Donna Reed also makes a bewitching love interest as the nurse who falls for Rusty.

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949)- In this second of John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy, Wayne ages considerably to play Captain Nathan Brittles, a career frontier officer facing imminent retirement, a prospect that fills him with dread, as his only family is the army. However, one last mission confronts him: an Indian uprising is brewing, and with a small team, Brittles must escort his superior's wife (Mildred Natwick) and niece (Joanne Dru) out of harm's way. "Ribbon" still registers, thanks to an emotionally layered performance from Wayne, combined with Victor McLaglen's comic turn as a tippling top Sergeant, and color cinematography that turns Monument Valley into an animated Remington painting (netting cinematographer Winston Hoch an Oscar). A young Ben Johnson also stands out as Sergeant Tyree, a brave soldier very much in the Brittles mold.

Hondo (1953)- The best John Wayne western not directed by John Ford or Howard Hawks, "Hondo" showcases the Duke in his prime. Hondo Lane (Wayne) is a cavalry rider who encounters Angie (Geraldine Page) and her young son homesteading near Apache territory. Hondo warns her that the Apaches are on the war path, but she refuses to clear out. When Hondo returns, hostilities have started, and he must protect the family, while holding a terrible secret. Helmed by John Farrow (Mia's dad), the film is stunningly photographed on location in lustrous technicolor, with a trim story brought to life by a luminous Page in her film debut, and Ward Bond (Duke's real-life crony) as Hondo's friend. Also look for James Arness in a pivotal role- he'd soon make his career in Westerns on TV's long-running "Gunsmoke"- and Wayne himself would introduce the first episode.

Hatari! (1962)- Sean Mercer (Wayne) heads a group of game-hunters in Africa who capture animals for zoos. Sean's sense of order is upset when his trusted driver (Bruce Cabot) gets hurt, and even more so when chic female photographer Dallas (Elsa Martinelli) arrives to shoot a magazine spread. Will Sean keep Dallas safe till she can take her pictures and go home? Good-natured Howard Hawks outing was a nice change of pace for Wayne, with its jocular tone and gorgeous on-location shooting. (Don't miss those thrilling wild animal chases.) "Hatari" boasts deft ensemble playing from Cabot, Red Buttons, and Hardy Kruger, who make up Mercer's core team. And we can well understand how Martinelli's Dallas would get under Sean's thick skin. A catchy Henry Mancini score completes this exuberant, diverting picture, ideal for all ages.

The Shootist (1976)- For his swansong, Wayne teamed with "Dirty Harry" director Don Siegel for this elegiac story of a dying gunman who longs for a noble end, but must contend with vultures intent on feeding off his reputation and gloating over his impending demise. Renowned for his six-shooting prowess and high body count, J.B. Books (Wayne) rolls into Carson City to look up trusted friend Doctor Hostetler (James Stewart), who confirms Books has terminal cancer. Hoping to end his days quietly, Books retreats to a boarding house run by widow Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and son Gillom (Ron Howard). But with Books's violent past, can this old legend go gently into that good night? Here the aging star is by turns courtly, stoic, and world-weary playing off Bacall's rigid but ultimately sympathetic widow. And from that opening montage of old Wayne films, you realize you're watching a movie not just about the demise of the Old West, but also about the end of one actor's legendary career.. Thus, "The Shootist" can't help but be poignant. Predictably, the Duke does it proud...to the very last shoot-out.

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Video Entry - John Wayne

The Duke, Tall in the Saddle, Part Two

Marion Morrison, better known as John Wayne- USC football player, Hollywood extra and stuntman, and finally, leading man- appeared in more than 150 features over fifty years, and remains one of the most iconic movie stars worldwide. Critics said his range was limited (granted), but they said that about Cary Grant too (also granted). But what they both could achieve within their respective ranges was so powerfully appealing that audiences always wanted more of them- and still do.

Condensing so many titles to a manageable number was tough, since Wayne made more than a handful of good films that don’t quite achieve greatness. In the end, my tortured deliberations brought forth this list for the best of Duke in the second half of his career.

The Quiet Man (1952)- When former boxer Sean Thornton (Wayne) returns to his native Ireland from Pittsburgh to settle in his childhood home, he immediately alienates rough-hewn neighbor Red Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen), who resents the “dirty Yank” for buying a property he desired. And the welcome offered by Danaher’s gorgeous, fiery sister Mary Kate (Maureen O’Hara) is only slightly more hospitable-at least initially. And Sean thought he was done fighting! Immortal director John Ford, Wayne’s undisputed mentor, directed this Oscar-winning valentine to his ancestral home, a love story that soars thanks to resplendent shooting and a solid, flavorful performance from the Duke. O’Hara radiates an exhilarating, untamed quality as the red-haired love interest, while McLaglen is a joy as the blustery Red Will.

Hondo (1953)- The best John Wayne western not directed by John Ford or Howard Hawks, “Hondo” showcases the Duke in his prime. Hondo Lane (Wayne) is a cavalry rider who encounters Angie(Geraldine Page) and her young son homesteading near Apache territory (Angie’s husband is away on business). Hondo warns her the Apaches are on the war path, but she refuses to clear out. Still she’s vulnerable, and knows it. When Hondo returns, hostilities have started, and he must protect the family, while holding a terrible secret. Helmed by John Farrow (Mia’s dad), the film is stunningly photographed on location in lustrous technicolor, with a trim story brought to life by a luminous Page (in her film debut), the colorful Ward Bond as Hondo’s friend, and Michael Pate as Vittorio, the Apache chief. Also look for James Arness in a pivotal role- he’d soon make his career in Westerns on TV’s long-running “Gunsmoke”.

The Searchers (1956)- Monument Valley never looked as breathtakingly beautiful as it does in this exquisite, richly faceted Western, perhaps the most accomplished film in the Ford/Wayne oeuvre. Three years after the Civil War, missing veteran Ethan Edwards (Wayne) returns to his frontier home, where he’s greeted by his family, including Martin (Jeffrey Hunter), a part-Cherokee adoptee-now grown-who owes his life to Ethan. Tragedy hits when a local tribe attacks the farm, kill Ethan’s brother and sister-in-law, and carts off young daughter Debbie. Ethan and Martin immediately saddle up and set out to look for her, with no idea that the journey will take them as far as Canada--and last seven years. Wayne gives the performance of a lifetime as the obsessed, enigmatic Ethan, while young Natalie Wood is indelible in her brief role as Debbie, the kidnapped girl caught between two worlds. Ford described his ambitious masterwork as a “psychological epic,” and this gut-twisting tale does grow more nuanced with each viewing.

Rio Bravo (1959)- Sheriff John T. Chance (Wayne) is in a tight spot. He’s captured dangerous outlaw Joe Burdette (Claude Akins), and must hold him in jail until the territorial judge arrives. The problem is, Burdette has lots of confederates who’ll clearly attempt to break him out before the judge arrives. And all Chance has in his corner is Dude, his alcoholic deputy (Dean Martin) and Stumpy ( Walter Brennan), a crippled old geezer. Can Chance hold out? Veteran director Howard Hawks’s colorful, exciting western boasts another archetypal turn from the Duke, and perhaps Martin’s finest acting job ever as Dude. The film neatly blends pathos, suspense, comedy, even music to create top-notch entertainment. Look for teen heart-throb Ricky Nelson as Colorado (he and Dino even get to croon together), and the leggy, alluring Angie Dickinson as Feathers, a young woman with her eye on Chance. Bravo indeed.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)- John Ford’s last great moment came with “Liberty Valance,” a film largely panned on release, when the director’s romanticized vision of the Old West seemed outmoded. Returning to the old frontier town he left long ago, U.S. senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) recalls his run-ins with a notorious outlaw, Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), and gun-toting rancher Tom Doniphon (Wayne), who repeatedly saved the young lawyer’s life-despite the fact the two men loved the same woman, Hallie (Vera Miles). The film’s resurgent popularity comes from dynamic star performances and a seminal western story: the railroad’s influence in transforming the rule of the gun to the rule of law. “Valance” endures as a touching, insightful portrait of the passing of an age, and a tribute to the western itself. A clever surprise caps the film.

Hatari! (1962)- Sean Mercer (Wayne) heads a group of game-hunters in Africa who capture animals for zoos. Sean’s sense of order is upset when his trusted driver (Bruce Cabot) gets hurt, and even more so when chic female photographer Dallas (Elsa Martinelli) arrives to shoot a magazine spread. Will Sean be able to keep Dallas safe till she can take her pictures and go home? Good-natured Howard Hawks outing was a nice change of pace for Wayne, with its jocular tone, gorgeous on-location shooting, with exciting footage of wild animal chases (the group races after them in a jeep with nets). “Hatari” also delivers delightful ensemble playing from veteran Cabot, Red Buttons, and Hardy Kruger, who make up Mercer’s core team. And Martinelli’s Dallas is more than ornamental - we can well understand how she’d get under Sean’s thick skin. A catchy Henry Mancini score completes this exuberant, diverting picture, ideal for all ages.

The Longest Day (1962)- Scripted by Cornelius Ryan (from his own book) and orchestrated by Daryl F. Zanuck, this monumental recreation of the D-Day invasion is told from multiple perspectives, including that of the French Resistance and stunned Nazi commanders. Proceeding in three star-studded segments, “Day” covers everything from Allied preparations at sea, to behind-the-lines paratroop drops, to the Normandy invasion itself. Legendary producer Zanuck spared no expense in bringing this long but gripping recounting of the D-Day Allied invasion to the big screen. This epic excels for its innovative camerawork and detailed restaging of events, but most of all, for its powerhouse cast: Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Rod Steiger, Robert Ryan, among others. Most of the big stars appear in their own set pieces, but the cumulative effect is still potent, bringing to life one of this country’s most historic and heroic moments. The Duke rises above the other stars in terrain so familiar to him, along with a rugged Mitchum.

Now an inevitable honorable mention: “True Grit”(1969), another solid film with a great Wayne performance as crusty marshal Rooster Cogburn. While the movie boasts stunning scenery and some outstanding acting support (notably Robert Duvall and Strother Martin), marring the film is co-star Glen Campbell’s wooden performance, and the very nature of central character Mattie Ross ( Kim Darby), a small but plucky young woman out to avenge her father’s death (with Cogburn’s help). Mattie’s consistent obstinacy soon begins to grate- and also seems less than credible for the time. That aside, for his own memorable work in “Grit”, the Duke took home his only Oscar.

The Shootist (1976)- :For his swansong ( Wayne was losing his twelve year fight with cancer), the star teamed with “Dirty Harry” director Don Siegel for this elegiac story of a dying gunman who longs for a noble end but must contend with vultures who come to feed off his reputation and gloat over his impending demise. Renowned for his six-shooting prowess and high body count, J.B. Books (Wayne) rolls into Carson City to look up trusted friend Doctor Hostetler (James Stewart, Wayne’s “Valance” co-star), who confirms Books has advanced terminal cancer. Hoping to end his days quietly, Books retreats to a boarding house run by widow Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and son Gillom (Ron Howard), where respect and friendship soon develop. But with his violent past one step behind him, can an old legend go gently into that good night? Wayne is by turns courtly, stoic, and world-weary playing off Bacall’s rigid but ultimately sympathetic widow. And from that opening montage of old Wayne films, you realize you’re watching a movie about the demise of the Old West, and the end of two careers: a gunfighter’s, and a Hollywood actor’s. So close to the gallant actor’s own reality, “The Shootist” can’t help but be poignant. Predictably, the Duke does it proud…to the very last shoot-out.

The Duke, Tall in the Saddle, Part One

As we mark John Wayne’s birth centennial this month, we’re reminded that he was that rare movie star whose charisma not only endures but grows. He remains the American icon: his persona-its bigness, roughness, but also its decency-defines our heritage. His name was not only invoked by Bruce Willis in the original “Die Hard” (1988), but in countless foreign films, and even the new Julie Delpy feature I just introduced at the Tribeca Film Festival.

What’s less recognized and equally striking is that by all accounts, this was also a fundamentally gentle, sensitive man. His late co-star and friend Claire Trevor once showed me a touching poem he’d written for her son on his death. Also, after a failed shot at stardom in 1930’s “The Big Trail”, the Duke had to toil in “B” western potboilers for nearly ten years before director John Ford gave him another chance at the big time.

And then- even when he’d made it, over the years he was repeatedly told by Ford, his frequent collaborator and often cruel mentor, that he simply couldn’t act. He took the abuse stoically. Though his range was limited, he could indeed act (trained in no small measure by Ford), and when he and the picture were good, audiences couldn’t get enough of him. For those in the know, the same holds true today.

Here are my own choices for his finest work produced during the first half of his career:
Stagecoach (1939)- Considered by many the western that elevated a formula “quickie” genre to potential “A” picture status, as well as the star-making vehicle for the 32 year old Duke, “Stagecoach” is director Ford's first undisputed American masterpiece (his first, 1935’s “The Informer”, was set in Ireland). A memorable ensemble cast including Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell, John Carradine, and other Ford regulars like Andy Devine, all help make this film spin, as a varied crew of stagecoach passengers must travel through hostile, perilous Indian territory to reach their ultimate destination-and safety. The question is: will the presence of the notorious, straight-shooting Ringo Kid (Wayne) ensure their survival?

The Long Voyage Home (1940)- Ford was quick to showcase his new star the very following year, in his filming of a sea tale based on several one-act plays by Eugene O’Neill, skillfully adapted by screenwriter Dudley Nichols. Wayne here does get to show his acting chops, as he plays simple Swedish seaman Ole Olsen (complete with accent!). Ole finds himself on a merchant ship at the start of World War 2, surrounded by a nervous crew, and for good reason. The ship is carrying badly needed ammunition to the British, making it a highly desirable target for German U-Boats. There may also be spies aboard. Boasting stunning cinematography from Gregg Toland, who’d go on to collaborate with Orson Welles on “Citizen Kane”, Ford’s film projects both tension and a subtle melancholy. Anchoring this unheralded sea picture is the brilliant Thomas Mitchell as old salt “Drisk” Driscoll, ably supported by colorful turns from Ford favorites Barry Fitzgerald and John Qualen, among others.

They Were Expendable (1945)-Director Ford again delivers a powerful human tale of hope barely sustained during the darkest days of World War 2. This is the story of the PT boats during those tough, early days in the Pacific. Skipper John Brickley (Robert Montgomery) and his right hand man, Rusty Ryan (Wayne), have difficulty convincing the navy brass of the PTs’ value to the war effort. They must work to prove it, and do. Eventually, these nimble craft play a vital role in turning the tide, allowing General MacArthur to keep his promise to return there. Montgomery (father of Elizabeth from “Bewitched”, and an actual decorated PT boat skipper) is superb as the embattled but stoic Brickley, with Duke an ideal counterpoint as the rough-around-the-edges Ryan. Donna Reed also makes a bewitching love interest as the nurse who falls for Rusty. This is one of Ford’s more under-exposed gems, and one of our finest war films.

Fort Apache (1948)- Resentful of his new duties at remote Fort Apache, Civil War veteran Lt. Col. Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) insists on imposing martial discipline on the rough-edged outpost, ignoring the sound advice of Captain Kirby York (Wayne), especially when it comes to handling Indians. Blind to the fact that white rabble-rousers are to blame for the Fort’s woes, Thursday launches a campaign against the Apaches with devastating results. The first installment in Ford’s illustrious Cavalry Trilogy, “Apache” soars thanks largely to Fonda, effectively playing a rigid Easterner. The brawny Duke offsets him perfectly as a savvy frontiersman who knows it’s foolish to provoke the proud Apaches. Apart from critiquing sensationalized military heroics and the myth of the “savage”, Ford works in sequences of everyday frontier rituals, and a romance involving Thursday’s daughter, played by a grown-up Shirley Temple. With its exquisite black-and-white shots of Monument Valley, assured acting, and Custer-esque storyline, “Apache” is an enduring Western winner.

Red River (1948)- Bitter, unyielding cattle breeder Tom Dunson (Wayne) has been forced to take his large herd through treacherous territory to save his business. His adopted son Matthew (Montgomery Clift, in his film debut) joins him, but when the two cross swords over Dunson’s obsessiveness, the older man loses his powerful temper and expels his ward, vowing to kill him if and when he next sees him. Director Howard Hawks gave Wayne another indelible, ruggedly stubborn character to play in this classic western, a high point in their collaborations. Populated by colorful supporting characters, including the salty Walter Brennan as the camp cook, “River” combines psychological drama, action, and suspense in a stirring, expansive western landscape. The final settling of scores between Wayne and Clift is unforgettable.

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949)- In this second of Ford’s Cavalry Trilogy, Wayne ages considerably to play Captain Nathan Brittles, a career frontier officer facing imminent retirement, a prospect that fills him with dread, as his only family is the army. However, one last mission confronts him: an Indian uprising is brewing, and with a small team, Brittles must escort his superior’s wife (Mildred Natwick) and niece (Joanne Dru) out of harm’s way. “Ribbon” still shines, thanks to an emotionally layered performance from Wayne, combined with Victor McLaglen’s divine comic relief as a tippling top Sergeant, and color cinematography that virtually turns Monument Valley into an animated Remington painting (netting cinematographer Winston Hoch an Oscar). A young Ben Johnson also stands out as Sergeant Tyree, a brave soldier very much in the Brittles mold.

I close with an honorable mention: Allan Dwan’s “The Sands Of Iwo Jima” (1949). In my view, “Sands” is a very good, but not great, film, due to the pitfall of so many war movies: the overly familiar “types” and clichés thrown in when the guns aren’t blazing. Still, the courageous Marine Sergeant John Stryker is unquestionably one of Wayne’s signature roles, and “Sands” truly is his movie.
Stay tuned for my next installment, focusing on the best output from the Duke’s later years.