John Wayne
John Wayne has gone beyond movie star and transformed into mythology.
In the public mind, he symbolizes not only the old west, but masculinity itself. He was the stern father figure of America, the man who taught a generation of boys how to be men. Even to this day, evoking the name John Wayne conjures up a stern, silent version of manhood that casts a long shadow over the American psyche. Whether he was playing tough cowboys or hardline combat, Wayne stood tall in the golden age of American moviemaking.
Wayne's legend often obscures his real life. He spent his formative years in the suburban hamlet of Glendale, California, went to the University of Southern California, and never cared much for horses. His political views were staunchly conservative, as were his views on race relations and the Vietnam War. Still, the impact of his work forever changed the face of pop-culture America.
Saddle Up
John Wayne was featured in dozens of movies over the years, so neophyte fans could have a difficult time finding an entryway into his work. The best place to start is with the westerns of John Ford. Ford cast the young star in ''Stagecoach'', an exciting western featuring stunts by legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt. His later work, especially ''The Searchers'', are rich, violent, emotionally complex stories that are taught in film classes around the world. ''The Searchers'' is probably a great introduction for new fans. Wayne's later westerns tended toward stories of hard men who were outliving their time as the rough days of the old west begin winding down. The best of these include ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' and ''The Shootist'', Wayne's final film before passing away.
If you're into stirring tales of war and valor, Wayne made a series of military films. My personal favorites are probably ''The Longest Day'', which told the story of the invasion of Normandy, and ''Sands of Iwo Jima'', a dramatic tale of Marines in combat in the Pacific theater. Other notable ones include ''The Fighting Seabees'', ''They Were Expendable'', ''The Wings of Eagles'', ''The Flying Tigers'', and ''The Green Berets'', Wayne's take on the Vietnam conflict.
Top Sellers
Related Guides
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Westerns
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Clint Eastwood
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Robert Redford
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Paul Newman
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Katharine Hepburn
