Very few actors in Hollywood history can compare to the might of John Wayne, a performer who was as much a cultural icon as he was a star of the silver screen. Making the western genre shine throughout the 20th century alongside such names as Clint Eastwood, Gary Cooper and James Stewart, Wayne remains a totem of the genre, having starred in some of the most seminal movies of all time that deal with gunslingers, cowboys and the myth of the old West.
Still, despite his stature in the movie industry, Wayne is seen as a contentious figure when analysed under a contemporary lens, especially with multiple tales of his behind-the-scenes antics with fellow co-stars who each had a problem with his bullish personality. It certainly didn’t help when a racist interview with the actor and Playboy was brought to the surface in 2019.
“With a lot of blacks, there’s quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so,” Wayne spouted in 1971, “But we can’t all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks. I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility”. His comments came as part of a fiery exchange with the publication where he also displayed flagrant homophobia, with his persona in the public eye changing as a result.
This interview adds to the stream of behind-the-scenes controversies that the actor experienced throughout his career, having less-than-kind things to say about one co-star who happened to be one of Hollywood’s greatest assets.
Such is detailed by John Wayne’s daughter, Aissa, in the book John Wayne: My Father, where she wrote of the conflict her father shared with the American actor Clark Gable. “During the filming of Mogambo, Ford and Gable had clashed again and again, and the subsequent feud had simmered for years,” she described, making reference to the 1953 film directed by John Ford.
“In my father’s way of thinking, disloyalty to allies, support in any fashion for their enemies, was expressly forbidden,” she continued, “If Clark Gable took on John Ford, my father’s code demanded that John Wayne stand by his old pal”. Indeed, Wayne and Ford had collaborated countless times together and had, unsurprisingly, developed a strong friendship in the process, which the actor wasn’t going to allow to be threatened.
Despite having a problem with Gable, he admitted, “[He’s] extremely handsome in person,” before adding, “That’s one guy that doesn’t need Hollywood to make him look good. But Gable’s an idiot. Do you know why Gable’s an actor? It’s the only thing he’s smart enough to do”.
Take a look at the trailer for Mogambo below, where you can see both Wayne and Gable together in action.
Leave a Reply