Gunboards Forums banner

Best and/or favorite John Wayne movies -

1426 Views 66 Replies 38 Participants Last post by  mveach99
Miko.H's "Looking for Western movies..." thread has not surprisingly featured a lot of John Wayne mentions, and evocative film titles.

Mention of "The Quiet Man" triggered this thread. I don't know if it's his best (could be), but it's definitely my favorite.

Same-same with "The Son of Katie Elder" - whether it's his "best" or not but it's right up there with my faves.

"The Searchers" is a grim story and a highly rewarding film, and definitely in the running for "best."

To be honest, there may not be any single "best" John Wayne film. The three mentioned above are so dramatically different from each other, and so many others are valid candidates, that "favorite" may be a more fruitful conversation starter. But of course we can't help ourselves from also arguing "best." :)

Courting Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man:

Michaleen Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald): "No patty-fingers, if you please. The proprieties at all times."

:LOL:
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 5
21 - 40 of 67 Posts
The Cowboys, my number 1
"We're wasting daylight..."
:)
I cited that film in a recent thead about modern firearms appearing in westerns. :) An auto-pistol and high-power scoped rifle play important roles. Set in the early 1900s (nineteen-and-ought).
Seems like the auto pistol that suffers a disconnector failure and goes full-auto is described as an early example of a 1911, which was obtained a year early because the McCandlesses had invested in the company? Memory on that might be erroneous, of course. That was a good bit of comic business in an essentially fairly serious movie.
If you ever find yourself in Bandera, Texas, stop by the OST for a hearty meal and a look at all the John Wayne memorabilia.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Seems like the auto pistol that suffers a disconnector failure and goes full-auto is described as an early example of a 1911, which was obtained a year early because the McCandlesses had invested in the company? Memory on that might be erroneous, of course. That was a good bit of comic business in an essentially fairly serious movie.
I looked it up for a recent thread, "a Bergman 1896 automatic pistol (per the internet)."
I looked it up for a recent thread, "a Bergman 1896 automatic pistol (per the internet)."
Could be. As I say, memory isn't always to be trusted - HOWEVER since the movie had the law-dogs chasing the bad people using automobiles (early, "veteran" I think the collectors call them?), I doubt the setting was as early as 1895-96. I THINK the prop was based on a Bergman 1896. Seems like maker wasn't actually stated. I need to pull that movie up and see how it actually goes - my interest is piqued.

Thinking of John Wayne movies, not necessarily westerns, have always been fond of THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (based on an Ernest K. Gann novel - a very good one - of the same name, as was another flic of The Duke's - ISLAND IN THE SKY), and I think I need to get a C-54 model (not sure anybody makes a 1/72 or 1/144 - smaller and more convenient size - model of DC-4) and paint it up to represent the plane: The Douglas DC-4 (N4665V) used to film the daylight flying sequences and the Honolulu "gate" sequence was a former C-54A-10-DC built as a military transport in 1942 at Long Beach, California, by Douglas Aircraft Company. When the exterior and flying sequences were filmed in November 1953, the airliner was being operated by Oakland, California-based non-scheduled carrier Transocean Airlines...
See less See more
I always like John Wayne with Maureen O'Hara in McLintock, but then I enjoy a strong dose of humor in my movies.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
  • Haha
Reactions: 2
2
...I think I need to get a C-54 model...
Oh yes, definitely!



See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 1
You are all going to hate me, but I’ll be honest: I dislike John Wayne’s character in every single movie I’ve ever seen him in.

I know nothing about him as a person, but cannot stand his movies.

I’m a big Clint Eastwood fan, though.
Not going to hate you..But I will call you nuts,LOL

There are just so many great ones..Hard to really pick a favorite..But the Searchers and Shootist are right up there..

Look up some of his old interviews from the old days..He has some good lines as a real life person too..And he was a pretty good fella..
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 5
It's a "Western" as in west of USA ..Green Berets.
Quiet Man was one of my late father's favourite Wayne films, and the Duke was his favourite film star. But my Dad was born in Cork, Eire in 1926, and lived there for the first 10 years of his life before the family came over to England, so the Quiet Man was a snapshot of the Ireland he spent his childhood in.
I grew to love the film more so in later adult years, more so after my Dad had passed. Its also my best mates favourite Wayne film as well, largely for same reasons, it was his Irish born father's favourite film for similar reasons to my Dad.
I think his best was probably The Searchers though.

My list of favourites:

The Searchers
The Shootist
Rio Grande
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
They Were Expendable
Fighting Seebees
The Wings of Eagles
Rio Bravo
McKintock
Chisum
Green Berets
McQ
The Sons of Katie Elder
El Dorado
The War Wagon
Big Jake
and
The Train Robbers (but that maybe because of Ann Margret as well :whistle:)
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 4
THE GREEN BERETS was on the Special Services circuit while I was in RVN. It played in units I was in a couple of times (which shows Special Services got recent films, as I was there 68-69 and it was a film that came out in '68) and I saw it twice IIRC. It was well received on the whole.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
When I was a kid I enjoyed his movies like everyone else. My opinion of him changed when I learned he chose career over country during WW2. His career really took off during the war years while other Hollywood types were serving.
When I was a kid I enjoyed his movies like everyone else. My opinion of him changed when I learned he chose career over country during WW2. His career really took off during the war years while other Hollywood types were serving.
Understandable, but -

I just peeked: John Wayne turned 35 years old in May of 1942. Not ineligible, but that's a good ways from prime draft-bait age, and old for front-line "grunt" service on Omaha Beach or Okinawa.

Doesn't mean he couldn't have been useful wearing a uniform in some capacity, but it does allow some leeway in judging his patriotism on that count. I'd score as "fair" a personal judgement that the best contribution Marion Robert Morrison could make to the American war effort then was continuing to be "John Wayne" on the silver-screen.


An aside: It's hard to imagine the captain of a navy cruiser or destroyer being glad to have John Wayne as a junior officer. ;-) <rolleyes>
  • Helpful
Reactions: 1
I certainly didn't see all his films but liked all the ones I saw.
He also had a scholarship to play football when he was a youngster..He had a football ending collar bone injury..I am not sure if that would have precluded him for service on top of his age.It was serious enough that it ended that contact sport anyway... I am not going to condemn him for not serving because of those two reason alone....Not like he ran to Canada or something..

He also had four children to care for..Maybe that is not enough..But should be considered on top of all else anyway..

Up to you to decide on who you pass judgement on.. I just go one way, others may see it different.. I can respect opposing thoughts contrary to mine also..

I have come real close to seeing them all..Even the real old ones when he was starting out..Those were almost comical in the beginning of his career..

But so were all old early films..
  • Like
  • Helpful
Reactions: 3
It’s on TCM tonight…

“They Were Expendable“ . PT Boats during the fall of the Philippines.
There is a book “At Close Quarters” which is basically a bunch of After Action Reports from
Navy archives.
While reading that book I was suddenly transported back to the movie mentioned above. I highly recommend it for its accurate portrayal of that moment in WWII.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
21 - 40 of 67 Posts
Top