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Best John Wayne Movie


Aunt Jen

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In Harm's Way, at the top of my list. But it's a long list.

The Quiet Man

True Grit

Rooster Cogburn

Blazing Saddles (wasn't he in that one?)

 

:)

:FlagAm: Donovan's Reef !

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I think his best is the Quiet Man with Maureen O'Hara.

His best western is Big Jake with Maureen O'Hara.

His best military is Rio Grande his first with Maureen O'Hara.

Do you see a pattern?

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I'd have to put "The Quiet Man"at the top of the list by a razor thin margin. Then, "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon", "The Searchers", "Donovan's Reef" and "Rio Grande".

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Howdy,

Movies are for entertainment, that's strictly my own take on movies.

In addition to all the movies I can stream off the web, I have at least 500 sitting

ready to watch on tape and disk. Some are like old friends and Ive watched when Im

in the mood....

Now using the entertainment measure JW made a LOT of different movies for different

reasons over a huge film career. The Searchers was certainly the cap of that career.

But for a fun entertaining movie, Commancheros rates pretty high.

If I spent a couple weeks watching JW I could certainly change my mind a few times.

I get a kick out of the early ones where he wears jeans with cuffs rolled up.

His career spans the development of movie making.

And many are a connection to the times when they were made.

If you want a trip back to the mentality of the 60s, watch the Green Berets.

I feel like Im writing a book....

Best

CR

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:FlagAm: Donovan's Reef !

I can tear up over that one.

Iy's the only movie I have ever purchased.

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Howdy,

Movies are for entertainment, that's strictly my own take on movies.

In addition to all the movies I can stream off the web, I have at least 500 sitting

ready to watch on tape and disk. Some are like old friends and Ive watched when Im

in the mood....

CR

Same here.

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I think his best is the Quiet Man with Maureen O'Hara.

His best western is Big Jake with Maureen O'Hara.

His best military is Rio Grande his first with Maureen O'Hara.

Do you see a pattern?

 

I also liked him in Miracle on 34th Street, with Maureen O'Hara, and he was excellent in that pirate flick Against All Flags, with Maureen O'Hara.

 

He was in them, right?

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The best? Like Loophole, I am challenged to say what constitutes "best." So many variables, including directing, acting, script, cinematography, and more. For best, the ones that come to my mind are "The Shootist" and "The Quiet Man," along with "The Searchers."

 

Favorite is an entirely different subject, with different criteria. My favorites include "Eldorado," "North to Alaska," and "The Shootist." Although honestly, I can sit and watch pretty much all of the ones mentioned happily.

 

As an aside, my oldest daughter went to see "The Searchers" with her boyfriend on the big screen as part of a film appreciation class. Yes, I was a little envious when I found out.

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Aunt Jen, there were many of the John Wayne movies (or credited characters) that are the BEST of John Wayne, because we identified or enjoyed his portrayals in them.

So that said take yer pick of the ones listed below, I've seen over a 150 myself.

 

Year Made/Released Title
Character
Actor (181 credits)
1976 The Shootist
J.B. Books
1975 Rooster Cogburn
Rooster Cogburn
1975 Brannigan
Lt. Brannigan
1974 Maude (TV Series)
Duke
- Maude Meets the Duke (1974) ... Duke
1974 McQ
McQ
1973 Cahill U.S. Marshal
J.D. Cahill
1973 The Train Robbers
Lane
1972 The Cowboys
Wil Andersen
1971 Big Jake
Jacob McCandles
1970 Rio Lobo
Col. Cord McNally
1970 Chisum
John Chisum
1969 The Undefeated
Col. John Henry Thomas
1969 True Grit
Rooster Cogburn
1968 Hellfighters
Chance Buckman
1968 The Green Berets
Col. Mike Kirby
1967 The War Wagon
Taw Jackson
1967 The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series)
John Wayne
- The Indians Are Coming (1967) ... John Wayne (uncredited)
1966 El Dorado
Cole Thornton
1966 The Lucy Show (TV Series)
John Wayne
- Lucy and John Wayne (1966) ... John Wayne
1966 Magic Mansion (TV Series)
John Wayne
- Ride 'em Cowboy (1966) ... John Wayne
1966 Cast a Giant Shadow
Gen. Mike Randolph
1965 The Sons of Katie Elder
John Elder
1965 In Harm's Way
Captain Rockwell 'Rock' Torrey
1965 The Greatest Story Ever Told
Centurion at crucifixion
1964 Circus World
Matt Masters
1963 McLintock!
George Washington 'G.W.' McLintock
1963 Donovan's Reef
Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan
1963 The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series)
John Wayne - Host
- The Third Side of a Coin (1963) ... John Wayne - Host
1962 How the West Was Won
Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
1962 Alcoa Premiere (TV Series)
Marine Sergeant
- Flashing Spikes (1962) ... Marine Sergeant (as Marion Morrison)
1962 The Longest Day
Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort
1962 Hatari!
Sean Mercer
1962 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Tom Doniphon
1961 The Comancheros
Capt. Jake Cutter
1960 Wagon Train (TV Series)
Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
- The Colter Craven Story (1960) ... Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman (as Michael Morris)
1960 North to Alaska
Sam McCord
1960 The Alamo
Col. Davy Crockett
1959 The Horse Soldiers
Col. John Marlowe
1959 Rio Bravo
Sheriff John T. Chance
1958 The Barbarian and the Geisha
Townsend Harris
1958 I Married a Woman
Leonard (uncredited)
1957 Legend of the Lost
Joe January
1957 Jet Pilot
Col. Jim Shannon
1957 The Wings of Eagles
Frank W. 'Spig' Wead
1955-1956 Screen Directors Playhouse (TV Series)
John Wayne / Mike Cronin
- Markheim (1956) ... John Wayne
- Rookie of the Year (1955) ... Mike Cronin
1956 The Searchers
Ethan Edwards
1956 The Conqueror
Temujin, later Genghis Khan
1955 Blood Alley
Capt. Tom Wilder
1955 The Sea Chase
Captain Karl Ehrlich
1954 The High and the Mighty
Dan Roman
1953 Hondo
Hondo Lane
1953 Island in the Sky
Capt. Dooley
1953 Trouble Along the Way
Steve Aloysius Williams
1953 Three Lives (Short)
Commentator
1952 Miracle in Motion (Short)
Narrator
1952 Big Jim McLain
Jim McLain
1952 The Quiet Man
Sean Thornton
1951 Flying Leathernecks
Maj. Daniel Xavier Kirby
1951 Operation Pacific
Lt Cmdr. Duke E. Gifford
1950 Rio Grande
Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke
1949 Sands of Iwo Jima
Sgt. John M. Stryker
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Capt. Nathan Cutting Brittles
1949 The Fighting Kentuckian
John Breen
1948 Wake of the Red Witch
Capt. Ralls
1948 3 Godfathers
Robert Marmaduke Hightower
1948 Red River
Thomas Dunson
1948 Fort Apache
Capt. Kirby York
1947 Tycoon
Johnny
1947 Angel and the Badman
Quirt Evans
1946 Without Reservations
Rusty
1945 They Were Expendable
Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan
1945 Dakota
John Devlin
1945 Back to Bataan
Col. Joseph Madden
1945 Flame of Barbary Coast
Duke Fergus
1944 Tall in the Saddle
Rocklin
1944 The Fighting Seabees
Lt. Cmdr. Wedge Donovan
1943 In Old Oklahoma
Daniel F. Somers
1943 A Lady Takes a Chance
Duke Hudkins
1942 Reunion in France
Pat Talbot
1942 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Markham
1942 Flying Tigers
Capt. Jim Gordon
1942 In Old California
Tom Craig
1942 The Spoilers
Roy Glennister
1942 Reap the Wild Wind
Captain Jack Stuart
1942 Lady for a Night
Jackson Morgan
1941 The Shepherd of the Hills
Young Matt Matthews
1941 Lady from Louisiana
John Reynolds
1941 A Man Betrayed
Lynn Hollister
1940 Seven Sinners
Dan
1940 The Long Voyage Home
Olsen
1940 Three Faces West
John Phillips
1940 Dark Command
Bob Seton
1939 Allegheny Uprising
Jim Smith
1939 New Frontier
Stony Brooke
1939 Wyoming Outlaw
Stony Brooke
1939 Three Texas Steers
Stony Brooke
1939 The Night Riders
Stony Brooke
1939 Stagecoach
Ringo Kid
1938 Red River Range
Stony Brooke
1938 Santa Fe Stampede
Stony Brooke
1938 Overland Stage Raiders
Stony Brooke
1938 Pals of the Saddle
Stony Brooke
1937 Born to the West
Dare Rudd
1937 Adventure's End
Duke Slade
1937 Idol of the Crowds
Johnny Hanson
1937 I Cover the War
Bob Adams
1937 California Straight Ahead!
Biff Smith
1936 Conflict
Pat Glendon
1936 Sea Spoilers
Bob Randall
1936 Winds of the Wasteland
John Blair
1936 The Lonely Trail
Captain John Ashley
1936 King of the Pecos
John Clayborn
1936 The Lawless Nineties
John Tipton
1936 The Oregon Trail
Capt John Delmont
1935 Lawless Range
John Middleton
1935 The New Frontier
John
1935 Westward Ho
John Wyatt
1935 Paradise Canyon
John Wyatt / John Rogers
1935 The Dawn Rider
John Mason
1935 The Desert Trail
John Scott / John Jones
1935 Rainbow Valley
John Martin
1935 Texas Terror
John Higgins
1934 'Neath the Arizona Skies
Chris Morrell
1934 The Lawless Frontier
John Tobin
1934 The Trail Beyond
Rod Drew
1934 The Star Packer
John Travers
1934 Randy Rides Alone
Randy Bowers
1934 The Man from Utah
John Weston
1934 Blue Steel
John Carruthers
1934 West of the Divide
Ted Hayden - aka Gat Ganns
1934 The Lucky Texan
Jerry Mason
1933 Sagebrush Trail
John Brant
1933 College Coach
Student Greeting Phil (uncredited)
1933 Riders of Destiny
Singin' Sandy Saunders
1933 The Man from Monterey
Captain John Holmes
1933 Baby Face
Jimmy McCoy Jr.
1933 His Private Secretary
Dick Wallace
1933 The Life of Jimmy Dolan
Smith
1933 Somewhere in Sonora
John Bishop
1933 Central Airport
Co-Pilot in Wreck (uncredited)
1933 The Three Musketeers
Lt. Tom Wayne
1933 The Telegraph Trail
John Trent
1932 Haunted Gold
John Mason
1932 The Big Stampede
John Steele
1932 That's My Boy
Football Player (uncredited)
1932 Ride Him, Cowboy
John Drury
1932 The Hollywood Handicap (Short)
Character
1932 The Hurricane Express
Larry Baker
1932 Lady and Gent
Buzz Kinney
1932 Two-Fisted Law
Duke
1932 Texas Cyclone
Steve Pickett
1932 The Shadow of the Eagle
Craig McCoy
1932 Running Hollywood (Short)
Emcee
1932 The Voice of Hollywood No. 13 (Second Series) (Short)
Emcee
1931 Maker of Men
Dusty Rhodes
1931 The Range Feud
Clint Turner
1931 The Deceiver
Richard Thorpe as a corpse
1931 Arizona
Lt. Bob Denton
1931 Three Girls Lost
Gordon Wales
1931 Girls Demand Excitement
Peter Brooks
1930 The Big Trail
Breck Coleman
1930 Cheer Up and Smile
Roy (uncredited)
1930 Rough Romance
Lumberjack (uncredited)
1930 Born Reckless
Extra (uncredited)
1930 Men Without Women
Radioman on Surface (uncredited)
1929 The Forward Pass
Extra (uncredited)
1929 Salute
Midshipman Bill (uncredited)
1929 Words and Music
Pete Donahue (as Duke Morrison)
1929 The Black Watch
42nd Highlander (uncredited)
1929 Speakeasy
Extra (uncredited)
1928 Noah's Ark
Flood Extra (uncredited)
1928 Hangman's House
Horse Race Spectator / Condemned Man in Flashback (uncredited)
1928 Four Sons
Officer (uncredited)
1928 Mother Machree
Extra (uncredited)
1927 Seeing Stars (Short)
Tall Boy (uncredited)
1927 The Drop Kick
Football Player / Extra in Stands (uncredited)
1927 Annie Laurie
Extra (uncredited)
1927 The Draw-Back (Short)
Opposing Football Player (uncredited)
1926 The Great K & A Train Robbery
Extra (uncredited)
1926 Bardelys the Magnificent
Guard (uncredited)
1926 Brown of Harvard
Yale Football Player (uncredited)
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I do not think that Duke Wayne ever 'acted'. He was just himself, said the lines he supposed to say and was believeable in many roles.

For me:

The Searchers

The Shootist

The Cowboys

Sands of Iwo Jima

Stagecoach

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Not going to argue over which one's the best, but one that is always overlooked is

 

The Spoilers...1942.

 

Great cast, terrific bar fight with Randolph Scott (as a villain!!) and some very politically incorrect blackface scenes, which is probably why you don't see it on TV.

 

But worth watching on DVD.

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There are to many to choose from....But going to toss this one out there...In one his B Western movies he and Clark Gable were in the same movie...I have never been able to confirm this but I do tend to remember it....Am I wrong?????

 

Texas Lizard

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What, no vote for The Conqueror? :lol:

 

Who can forget the scene where John Wayne a Genghis Khan walks into the yurt and says, "Hail, Mother." to Agnes Moorehead? :blink:

 

The Searchers

The Quiet Man

and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

 

There has to be a John Ford movie in the top three.

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Guest Milo Talon SASS #23163

I have my favorites. But truthfully, I just enjoy the man himself. Whenever I am channel surfing, if I see The Duke, I stop and watch it, no matter what it is.

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He made some real turkeys like Ghengis Kahn, Reap the Wild Wind/Wake of the Red Witch. For me, True Grit gets a C+/B- (horrors!. )Blazing Saddles isn't/wasn't on his resume.

 

He made some great ones too, and of those, The Shootist is his best, IMHO. I can watch that over and over again.

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