Tag: John Wayne
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Lost in Time: The Unseen Twist in a John Wayne Western’s Alternate Ending
No Western onscreen feud surpasses the fiery father-son conflict between John Wayne’s tyrannical Thomas Dunson and Montgomery Clift’s groundbreaking performance as independent-minded Matthew Garth in Howard Hawks’ 1948 masterpiece, Red River. But nestled within the film’s enduring legacy there is a secret in its saddlebag — an alternate ending lost for years and only recovered…
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John Wayne’s Hidden Depths: A Riveting Journey in ‘Quiet Man’ and ‘Yellow Ribbon’ at Stanford Theatre
In the popular imagination of John “Duke” Wayne, there’s a soft side to him that goes unpraised: the delicious romantic, the cool hipster or relaxed compadre who doesn’t want to get in anyone’s way. We tend to think of Wayne as a prowling neon sign of America, an uncomplicated cliche: a hard, indestructible cowboy, more…
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Discovering the Forgotten: 10 Lesser-Known John Wayne Movies That Demand Attention
Though we’ve already covered the greatest films in Wayne’s career, there are scores of films viewers haven’t seen. From bringing the American war effort to the silver screen at the height of World War II to dramatic turns that expanded Wayne’s range, Wayne has shown a surprising amount of acting skill. Here we’ll explore the…
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Unearthing Hollywood’s Muddy Secrets: John Wayne’s Controversial Move in McLintock
Andrew V. McLaglan’s 1963 film “McLintock!” is a loose Western adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (c. 1592), a problematic play to say the least. The story of Shakespeare’s play involves a willful and bitter young woman named Kate who refuses to settle down and get married. This upsets Kate’s younger sister…
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Behind the Scenes of the Funniest Duel Ever: John Wayne and Red Skelton’s Comedy Showdown
John Wayne is a legendary American icon and Red Skelton was America’s funny man for almost four decades. Separate, they were really something to behold – with John Wayne teaching us to stand up for ourselves, be brave, love your family and love your country and Red making us laugh nightly thanks to his entertaining…
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John Wayne’s Bold Move and Unlikely Partnership in True Grit’s Surprising Sequel
It’s rare that an iconic Western such as True Grit would find itself with a sequel. Most classics in the genre didn’t get a traditional sequel, least of all with John Wayne reprising his role from the original. But that’s exactly what 1975’s Rooster Cogburn did, with Wayne back in the saddle as the titular…
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John Wayne’s Last Movie, The Shootist, Unveiled Through Co-Star Rick Lenz’s Candid Memories
John Wayne’s The Shootist co-star Rick Lenz has shared incredible memories of working with Duke on his final movie, confessing what surprised him about the Western legend and shutting down an old rumour about his anger on set. John Wayne’s final movie The Shootist (which is on ITV4 today) hit cinemas in 1976, just three…
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John Wayne’s Second Chance: The Untold Story Behind ‘McQ’ and the Hollywood Set’s Close Call Crisis
Having regretted passing on 1971’s Dirty Harry, John Wayne took a turn in a gritty cop thriller a couple of years later as McQ. Intended for Steve McQueen, hence the title, the film’s script was heavily rewritten for the 65-year-old Duke. Originally set in Seattle like Dirty Harry, the location was changed to San Francisco…
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A Cinematic Tribute: John Wayne Estate Reflects on True Grit’s Oscar Win 10 Years After the Duke’s Passing
John Wayne was a titan of the Golden Age of Hollywood who has become an icon for many Americans and film fans around the world. After years of poor health, Duke finally succumbed to cancer on June 11, 1979. This was exactly 10 years to the day after True Grit was released in US movie…
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Masters of Reinvention: How The Coen Brothers Redefined True Grit, Surpassing John Wayne’s Legacy
It’s incredibly rare that a remake manages to outdo its classic predecessor, but the Coen brothers’ True Grit is superior to the John Wayne-starring original. Remakes are usually a pointless endeavor, because if a movie is beloved enough for a remake to be financially viable, then it’s probably a timeless gem that can’t be improved…