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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Rooster Cogburn (1975, with Katharine Hepburn)...........Not quite as good as "True Grit," but seeing Wayne & Hepburn trade lines is worth the price of admission; it's a western version of "The African Queen" from 1951 that featured Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart; Richard Jordan chews up the scenery as the villain "Hawk," & Anthony Zerbe, a very good character actor since the 1960s, does an admirable job
It's interesting & amusing to see the reaction that John Wayne still gets 30 years after his death. Here on the web, seems you either love or hate him. I know it's difficult to separate the politics from the actor, but it's possible.
A lot of people keep saying he couldn't act; even Wayne himself said "I don't act, I react." But that in itself is the key to his longevity: he made the viewer honestly believe he was who he was playing on-screen, whether it was Rooster Cogburn or Davy Crockett.
If you want to learn more about his life beyond the silver screen, check out the book "John Wayne: American" from 1995. The authors are Wayne fans, but they present the facts & don't attempt to hide parts of his life/politics they don't agree with. There's plenty of others, too, but this one is likely the definitive one.
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I agree totally with your perspective and will lay my hands on that book.
John,
The book, "John Wayne: American," written in 1995 by Randy Roberts & James S. Olson, is available in paperback & hardcover, so it must still be popular.
Keep up the good work.
Some favorite later westerns:
The Comancheros (1961)...................final film of director Michael Curtiz; since the director was too sick with cancer, Wayne directed much of the film himself, though uncredited; Stuart Whitman plays his foil, & Lee Marvin chews his scenery as a dangerous comanchero
The War Wagon (1967), with Kirk Douglas;................ these 2 actors were the complete opposite of each other politically & just about every other aspect, so it's amusing to see them try to one-up each other
Big Jake (1971)....................his pairing with actor Richard Boone is reason enough to see this one; there's a fair share of violence, & 2 of his real-life sons play prominent roles in the film; one memorable line that sums up the film: everyone keeps saying to Wayne: "I thought you were dead."
The Cowboys (1972)..................none of Wayne's usual cast of players are in this film; he truly carries this one; if you say he can't act, check this one out; he plays a rancher who has to hire a group of young boys to help him drive his cattle; he acts his age here, but you still know he won't be wronged
Cahill, U.S. Marshall (1973)..........Only 2 more westerns from Wayne appeared after this one..... The film has been criticised for its script, but I've always enjoyed it. If you know about Wayne, the scenes where he has to deal with his 2 sons (not being there when they needed him most) mirror his personal life
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want to see comancheros and the cowboys in particular-thanks for this
John,
I really appreciated your article. I didn't know you had met Claire Trevor; that story was memorable.
To alert your other readers, May 26th would have been John Wayne's 102 birthday, & Encore Westerns is showing a 28-hour marathon of his westerns on that day.
"The Comancheros" has been showing on Encore Westerns this month. I checked my DVR, & it shows next Tuesday, May 26th, @ 6:05 PM Eastern. Don't expect a deep story; it's just a straight-ahead western with a good story, performances, & action.
"The Cowboys" from 1972 is one of those end of the West early '70s films. There's similarities between it & The Shootist in that it's a different type of western for Wayne. In other words, out of his '70s films, it & The Shootist are the two where he stepped out of his comfort zone. I think you'll like it.
"The Cowboys" also airs next Tuesday @ 10:00 PM Eastern, 4:00 AM in the early morning, & 1:15 PM Wednesday. The director, Mark Rydell, only directed this western, & you may remember "On Golden Pond," where he was nominated for an Oscar.
His nickname should have been The Dork instead of The Duke. What a jerk.
Why John Wayne still ranks among today's most popular stars? Easy answer., because of people like you, John Farr, distorting his legacy. See interview John Wayne did before he passed away, still a racist.
Wayne: I believe in white supremecy until blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don't believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.
Lewis: Are you equiped to judge which blacks are irresponsible and which of their leaders are inexperienced?
Wayne: The academic community has developed certain tests that determine whether the blacks are sufficiently equipped scholastically. ....I don't feel guilty about the fact that five or ten generations ago these people were slaves. .... I wish they'd tell me where in the world they have it better than right here in America.
Lewis: Do you feel any empathy for (Indians)?"
Wayne: I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them ..... the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves. .... I'm quite sure that the concept of a Government-run reservation .... seems to be what the socialists are working for now -- to have everyone cared for from cradle to grave ..... But you can't whine and bellyache 'cause somebody else got a break and you didn't, like those Indians are. We'll all be on a reservation soon if the socialists keep subsidizing groups like them with our tax money."
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I stand by my fondness and respect for his film work- I do not share his politics.
There's just one other actress who should be on anyone's list but because of her politics, or the sort of films she's been that make you think, she's seldom mentioned in these Best Whatever lists and that's Vanessa Redgrave, possibly the finest actress of the 20th and to date.
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yes- and no stranger to tragedy.
saw her in long day's journey on b'way. incredible.
I have always had mixed feelings about John Wayne, as I'm sure many do. That many of his films are so entertaining can't be denied, but the 'tough guy' bluster on film, and the politics off film, make me cringe at times. Especially, since this 'tough guy who romanticizes war' image often leads to just the kind of draft-doging war mongers who led us into Iraq.
I often thought Bush believed he was in a John Wayne movie. I mean, Bush actually gave Saddam and his sons 48 hours to get outta town.
One of the most ironic pairings in the history of cinema, was Wayne and Jimmy Stewart, in the wonderful, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence." Stewart plays the fumbling weakling, who owes his life to the manly tough guy Wayne.
I've often wondered how Wayne (who was never in the service) could play that type opposite the decorated WWll B-24 pilot, Stewart, who flew dozens of treacherous combat missions over Germany. I guess Wayne really could act.
Anyway, a complicated man, for some of us anyway. Favorites are, "The Quiet Man" and "The Searchers,"
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supposedly wayne's reason for staying out of the service was insecurity about his career. no excuse, but given he'd just broken through when war happened, not completely unfathomable either.
I've never been in the service either, so I try to focus on the actor vs the reality. I've known many combat veterans such as my dad, a B-17 ball turret gunner in WWll, who couldn't stand Wayne, because they thought he glorified war without having actually experienced it.
Maybe if I'd been in combat I'd have felt the same way, but I just try to remember that Wayne really wanted to portray those vets, and the country he loved, in as heroic a way as possible. I think he succeeded, and many of his films are some of the most entertaining of all time. That he was humble off screen, is probably something most people find hard to believe from his on screen presence.
My dad sure would have liked to not be drafted for WWII either, but he was and he served and was wounded, lost his hearing and had severe PTSD. I bet 99% of those drafted would have liked to save their careers too. Total clap trap. He was a draft dodger.
Thanks for this tribute to great person. I am not over 60 nor am I a Republican but I have always enjoyed John Wayne movies. As far as his acting, I have always felt when I wanted art I would go to a museum when I want entertainment I go to a movie, and very few are as entertaining as John Wayne movies. One title I would have added to your list is "McClintock" b/c it really gave Wayne a chance for his comic side besides reteaming with Maureen O'Hara and all the roles filled by his longtime cronies made it good fun.
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it's nice to hear the duke's appeal extends beyond his most likely audience.
I've got to see mcclintock again...
Wayne was a great star but saying Wayne was a good actor is like being served a terrific cut of steak but one that's too well-done or too rare when you like it medium rare. Wayne's pics were often better than he was e.g., "Stagecoach" so it's easy to confuse his acting ability with anything that was first rate.
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he knew how to play the same character over and over again- but what a character. he lives on, it seems, in a way few other real actors can claim.
Rather than Wayne, if you are going to take a golden age actor, how about Gary Cooper or Clark Gable?
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I have and will. Love these actors too. Interesting tho that Wayne seems to live on in our culture in a way these other stars don't.
Wayne's boosting the Vietnam War ruined whatever respect I had for him. I've enjoyed some of his films though and "Red River" is probably my favorite. (BTW, I read soemwhere that he idn't get along with Montgomery Clift because Clift was Gay.)
I suppose the list shoudl have been headed, Most Popular Actors" instead of "Stars" because Wayne, although he did good work in "The Shootist" was still a less than mediocre actor. For the 10 best actors though (and stars and not necessarily in this order) :
1. Henry Fonda
2. Bette Davis
3. Johnny Depp
3. Ralph Fiennes
4. Peter O'Toole
5. Meryl Streep
6. Emma Thompson
7. Jack Lemmon
8. Marlon Brando
9. Laura Linney
10. Montgonery Clift
Maybe it's a generational thing?
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you forgot spencer tracy.
There's so many of them really it's hard to pick just 10. Tracey would certainly be on that list as well as deNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Pacino--only if he didn't play one gangster after another--James Cagney and James Stewart. Although she's done some very work, Elizabeth Taylor should have been on that "Star" list and musical stars such as Garland and Cyd Charisse who was probably the greatest female dancer in film.
John Wayne or Marian was a draft dodger in WWII and a drunk. He was the poster child of the ugly American. He couldn't act. He did nothing for this country that was noble and or good. What decency??? Enough of John Wayne.
You cannot look at the career of John Wayne without mention of "The Searchers." This may be Wayne's finest hour as Ethan Edwards, a stubborn, uncompromising and ultimately obsessed man driven by his own demons. Wayne is unflinching in the role and as a result he dominates every scene. He brings contradictions and imperfections to the character. Under Ford's direction he was never better. if you've never seen this one, please do and make sure you see it widescreen.
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I've seen "the searchers" many times and love it ...I didn't list it because I was aiming for less recognized titles. I think this and "red river" are his best films.
Don't forget his guest starring role on "Maude." Who else could get Bea Arthur's character speechless?
Wayne's views on race weren't just old-fashioned. He once said something to the effect of "The white people were trying to make a life for themselves and the greedy Indians kept trying to hog the land."
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this fit with his romanticized view of the west and the western, however deluded.
Or racist they may be. Stop making excuses for this racist.
John Wayne sounds like a "default" answer to me, in much the same way a "your favorite book" or ""your favorite TV star" question gets a proportion of default answers. John Wayne, The Bible and Lucielle Ball. For a person to instead answer the questions: "John Malcovich, Flaubert's 'Salaambo', and Hugh Laurie (the old Jeeves & Wooster series)" would require substantially more mental effort than MOST people are willing to devote to the question. So you fall back on the expected answer. John Wayne - though I haven't sat all the way through one of his old films in fifteen years.
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it's what makes him the "default" that interests me. BTW- for a great hugh laurie turn, watch "all or nothing at all."
Great article on a great actor and star. We love and miss John Wayne and we refuse to let politics get in the way of art. Does it matter if he was GOP or Demo? If you let that get in the way, you will miss his extraordinary body of work. And Wayne had an extraordinary # of liberal friends, including Norman Lear.
Thanks for recognizing Wayne's popularity and talent, Mr. Farr. And yes, "Islands in the Sky" is a cool flick with a strong Wayne performance that for some reason has been overlooked.
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you're right- he had many liberal friends and that speaks volumes.
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