You A Fan Of John Wayne Or John Wayne Films?

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

The Westerns I grew up on were either from Italy or stuff directed by Sam Peckinpah and later Walter Hill. I had an idea of what a Western setting was supposed to look like and how roughnecks and banditos acted. Everything was tinted in grey or brown sometimes making it difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Films like The Great Silence screwed with the audience only to swerve them at the end. I love that film along with the backstory of how that film was received when it premiered.

I tried really hard to get into John Wayne stuff but I was and still am unable to. I'm trying to communicate my thoughts but it's a bit difficult. Either something about John Wayne that I don't like or buy into or I find his films corny possibly. I don't know. I just don't gravitate to his stuff.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

I'm not really a fan of westerns, but there are a couple I like. As far John Wayne goes, I liked his work, my favorite being a movie called "McQ". He played a cop in that, and of course the "Green Berets". I, as most guys do, love the "Dirty Harry" series. But I won't go ape shit for every flick he does. You just like what you like. Maybe a classic tough guy plays the role, maybe a no name. If the flick is good, it's good. I will concede that certain actors pulled off roles, other actors couldn't.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

Robert Mitchum was my favorite star of John Wayne's era. Love Cape Fear and Night Of The Hunter.

From Robert Mitchum's IMDb bio page...

John Wayne had four-inch lifts in his shoes. He had the overheads on his boat accommodated to fit him. He had a special roof put in his station wagon. The son-of-a-bitch, they probably buried him in his goddamn lifts.

Sure I was glad to see John Wayne win the Oscar. I'm always glad to see the fat lady win the Cadillac on television, too.

 

[John_8581]

Two words: El Dorado (1966)

With John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Christopher George, Ed Asner, James Caan and Arthur Hunnicutt

 

[Steve-FreeOnes]

I'm not really a fan of westerns, but there are a couple I like. As far John Wayne goes, I liked his work, my favorite being a movie called "McQ". He played a cop in that, and of course the "Green Berets". I, as most guys do, love the "Dirty Harry" series. But I won't go ape shit for every flick he does. You just like what you like. Maybe a classic tough guy plays the role, maybe a no name. If the flick is good, it's good. I will concede that certain actors pulled off roles, other actors couldn't.

Me too, but that was Clint Eastwood.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

Me too, but that was Clint Eastwood.

What was Clint Eastwood?

 

[Steve-FreeOnes]

What was Clint Eastwood?

The Dirty Harry series.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

The Dirty Harry series.

Yeah I know. After rereading my post I see I should have structured the sentence a little better to make my point clearer to others.

 

[gmase]

John Wayne is nice, but Bob Hope is a bit better. 😉

I remember watching his movies late at night with my dad in the 70s. Can’t say I would go back to watch any of them now though.

 

[afterlights]

Wayne had a long, prolific career but I think all that was necessary to build to a perfect coda with "The Shootist."

 

[Steve-FreeOnes]

Wayne had a long, prolific career but I think all that was necessary to build to a perfect coda with "The Shootist."

The Shootist is a brilliant film. I have to say I much prefer later career Wayne over his earlier career, his films became a lot more thoughtful and he made more fun stuff too. That said, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is still my absolute favourite of his, and John Ford's for that matter.