I’ve sort of been surprised that he hasn’t become trendy again. For my father’s generation he was, for good or ill, one of the principal models of American manhood. By the end of his life, he was still a box office draw, but was rapidly being rejected by the move toward Alan Aldafied models of sensitive American males.
I am ambivalent about him, since the image of manhood he presented was emphatically that: an image. In the hands of a skilled director, the nobility of that image could be seen (and I think there were things of real value that have been lost with the broad cultural rejection of that image). On the whole, I think our culture could do with a bit more of the things that image stood for. But there were also real problems there too. The best summary I can give of the basic problem (a phenom still seen today, particularly on the bellicose chickenhawk right) is that while guys like Frank Capra actually went to war when their nation called, guys like Wayne played soldiers and took deferments. Not surprisingly, Wayne detested Capra (“I`d like to take that little Dago son of a !@#$% and tear him into a million pieces and throw him into the ocean and watch him float back to Sicily where he belongs.”) and I can’t help but think that some of this, like his uber-patriotism, was due to the fact that where Capra had walked the walk, Wayne had merely talked the talk. In this, he acted as father to the Dick “Other Priorities” Cheneys of our own time, loudly announcing their patriotism while sending somebody else to fight in their place.
Still and all, he made some very good films, particularly with John Ford. And he lived in that happy time before absolutely everything was political and all of Hollywood was ordered according to tribal shibboleths of conservative/liberal. So he could share a marquee with a Henry Fonda or a Katherine Hepburn and nobody, conservative or liberal, regarded that as a baffling ideological betrayal. One of the great losses of our time is that this is becoming less and less possible. I remember seeing an interview with Hepburn where she was quite frank about her girlish thrill at being able to play opposite him. Nothing apologetic about it. No switched-on liberal constituency to mollify, and no paranoid right wing zealots assessing how Wayne’s associating with Hepburn might mark him as a traitor to truly true conservatism. They were just actors doing their job of playing a good part and providing some entertainment on a Saturday afternoon.
These days, things are much more fraught with tension if, say, a Jody Foster states her frank and open admiration and friendship with a Mel Gibson. Everybody turns up in the comboxes to offer their tribal checklists and weigh the degree of betrayal to the interest/pressure group each actor is supposed to represent.
The Politicization of Everything marches on.
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Only a socialist would think everything is being politicized! Socialist!
:-p jk
I have never gotten the appeal of John Wayne . It’s particularly perplexing that he was so often paired with Maureen O’Hara. Having a woman so radiantly beautiful with a man who was, IMHO, plug ugly was weird. Of course, had it been the other way around, it would have never happened. The films with, say, Cary Grant and Edna May Oliver as the leads, were never made.
Donna, Wayne *did* play opposite the great (but rather homely, for Hollywood) Geraldine Page in Hondo, one of his best performances ever. And he was not bad looking as a young man, in Stagecoach.
Ms. Page was better looking than Edna May Oliver, but be honest: a face like Ms. Oliver’s would never play a romantic lead, opposite anybody. She might get a bit romance, like Marian’s nurse in the 1938 Robin Hood. But homely women almost never get romantic leads.
Barbra Streisand is sui generis, and even she didn’t get many romantic lead parts. I remember The Way We Were with Robert Redford largely as an interesting turning of this trope (homely male + stunning female) on its head.
That said, I’ve always been a fan of Barbara Stanwyck, who was considered quite the hubba-hubba in her day, but I’ve never thought she was that gorgeous. Not like Kim Novak (swoon).
“They were just actors doing their job of playing a good part and providing some entertainment on a Saturday afternoon.”
Great way to put it.
My nephew visited me the other day. As they left in their car, he pointed his cap gun out the window at me and announced, “Say your prayers.”
I informed him that I didn’t say my prayers until it was time to go to sleep. As good as any western movie gets!
Mr. Shea:
You decry those who set up tribal shibboleths of conservative/liberal and get to work constructing one of your own: ‘bellicose chickenhawk right.”
I’m buying you and your tribe a tepee for Christmas!
You could put a sign above it reading (“Bellicose Right Chickenhawk Haters Club”)
I remember reading about James Stewart and Henry Fonda—polar opposites politically, but close friends all of their adult lives. In Stewart’s case, he was another who went to war when his nation called and, when he returned, refused to allow his agents or producers to use his wartime record for publicity purposes. He was active in the Air Force reserve until 1968, and eventually attained the rank of major general.
Interesting comments about John Wayne. I think he was married five times, all the wives were Mexican. I once knew a nurse who personally took care of him when he was in Mass General shortly before his death. She gave him Catholic literature to read and, I think, a Miraculous Medal.
“The UCCB’s newsletter for April 2009 had an article by Fr. Allan Figueroa Deck on “Cultural Diversity in the Church.” Here’s a clip from that which I’m sure you’ll find interesting:
“The very next day after this phone call was Sunday and I found myself on supply having finished saying the 7:45 AM Spanish language Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in La Habra, CA. My friend, Father Matt Muñoz, one of the younger priests of the diocese, saw me in the sacristy and invited me for coffee in the rectory. Matt is a dynamic and zealous priest whom I have known since he was 14 years old.
“Matt asked me what I was doing the coming week. I said I was gong to Waterloo, Iowa the next day to give a workshop on Hispanic ministry toArchdiocesan leaders. And I explained the concern about how the Church was changing there due to immigration. He thought for a moment and said, “Well, you tell the people there that on Sunday you were sitting having coffee with the grandson of the most famous Iowan of all time, John Wayne.” Suddenly I made the connection. Yes, Matt is John Wayne’s grandson, the son of Wayne’s daughter Melinda. Matt went on to say, “You tell them that my grandfather on my mom’s side was John Wayne and on my dad’s side, Fernando Muñoz, a farm worker from Mexico. You might also remind them that my grandfather Wayne was married to a committed Catholic lady, my grandmother Josefina Sáenz, and raised all his children as Catholics. That is one of the big reasons I am a priest.”
John Wayne applied repeatedly to be in the armed forces, both as an officer and as an enlisted man. The studios repeated pulled strings one way and another, and John Ford tried to get him into his photo unit as a cameraman.
After everyone involved was dead, they found an acceptance letter for Wayne hidden in his ex-wife’s papers. It had mistakenly arrived at her house (which used to be his). She apparently didn’t want him to go off and get killed (and worried that his army pay wouldn’t be enough to support the kids), so she just didn’t let anybody know it had come.
Maureen:
If true, that changes things considerably.
Kelso:
I knew he became a Catholic at the end (so did Gary Cooper, by the way). I didn’t know that story though.
By the way, did you know that Stalin regarded him as a threat and plotted to have him murdered? I figure that gains him heavenly brownie points right there!
With the ever increasing demasculinization of men in today’s society we could use a few more men like John Wayne.
I will always think of John Wayne and my dad in almost the same moment. My father loved/loves his movies and I can remember regular weekends (especially in snowy NY winters) watching his movies with my dad. I’m still a fan tho’ more for the memories than the movies. As for his looks - gotta admit I found him handsome in a rugged way. Not the debonair attractiveness of Cary Grant, sure but still a strong faced man with a swagger is its own attractiveness.
Kelso, Fr. Matt Munoz is a parish priest at St. Irenaeus in Cypress, CA. He is our families favorite priest. He is full of fire and loves the Lord with all his heart. Fr. Matt is the type of priest to lead our Church through these tough times.
I love it when sanctimonious liberals get moralistic and preachy. Mark did you serve? I have for 27 years, my wife has and my father retired after 28 years of service. We don’t have a problem with John Wayne not serving during the war, because we know he wanted to but was turned down. Having “deferments” isn’t a sin if they are legitimate. Both my grandparents got them for being married with two kids, so did millions of others. Did you ever stop to think that the government did not want him in the service? Who would have made all those great WWII movies if he weren’t around, Rosie the Riveter perhaps?
OBTW he didn’t marry all Mexicans, Maureen O’hara was one of his wives.
Back to the gist of your rant, Mark why aren’t you serving and putting yourself in harms way since you are criticizing some one else for not doing so?
John Wayne was married three times—not five—and all his wives were Hispanic—but not Mexican. He was never married—nor romantically linked to Maureen O’Hara. I’ve always thought they had great chemistry on the screen. She’s still alive and is a devout Catholic, having outlived two husbands. John Wayne converted during his final illness. These data are easy enough to check, folks.
I should have phrased that differently: all John Wayne’s wives were Hispanic but not all were Mexican.
In the Shootist, the movie he made as he was dying from lung cancer, he showed how a Man dies. Watching my own father, who was a WWII vet and a huge Wayne fan, go through the ravages of lung cancer, then watching the Shootist, I can say that I saw a lot of the exact same winces, movements, and mannerisms in both of them. Marion Morrison knew he was dying, and in his final time of activity before he got too advanced to work he took that time to put the movietime “John Wayne” to rest.
No, I have no animosity toward either the actor nor his film creation. He made a lot of good films, and through his work had his character do what a man should do. If Hollywood had 100 of him, they’d have a better product, and the world watching our entertainment would have a better image of us.
Would you feel the same way about Audie Murphy? Do you really have to go to war to be a man’s man? Are you a member of the “hit and run” left? Sophists!
Back in 1991 when I was age 55, I decided to write an article about feminism and felt actress Maureen O’Hara would be a perfect example of a feminist in her own time. That research became so interesting that it evolved into a website to share all the information I found, a friendship with Ms. O’Hara and a trip to Ireland in 1999. That website “Maureen O’Hara Magazine” is now Maureen’s “official” site and I continue to learn on this continual adventure of all that is Maureen O’Hara.
One of my greatest fascinations about Maureen’s career was her chemistry with “The Duke” and I have done what I feel is a fairly candid essay on my take on that chemistry. Just Google “Maureen O’Hara Magazine” and scroll down to the O’Hara/Wayne section. I think you’ll find it interesting. Maureen’s five siblings were equally as gifted as their famous sister and are a story within themselves.
Maureen is now retired to Glengarriff, County Cork, Ireland and celebrated her 90th birthday on August 17th.
Just watched “Hondo” the other night—bought it at Walmart for five bucks!
Loved John Wayne and the fact he died in the Faith, God rest his soul. As you can tell from the responses you’ve gotten—you don’t mess with fans of John Wayne. Haven’t seen any present day actors on the same level.
I would like to see the actors and actresses of today keep their mouths shut when it come to politics..
Think! John Wayne was born in 1907, so he was 10 years old when America entered WW II, and 34 in 1941. Clark Gable entered the military in WW II, over 40 with false teeth and other disabilities, but it took extreme effort and sympathy for the loss of his wife, killed in a plane crash while on a war bonds drive. The military really had no practical use for the older men in combat.
It is SO easy to sneer in an era blessedly without a draft, and without the urgent need to defend our nation and our allies from invasion and destruction.
Hi All,
Having read all the above comments; its great to see so many people getting involved. I however appear to be the only “fellar” to have met the great John Wayne. It was in 1974 I think when he was visiting Ireland on the promotion of the film Bannigan. I was a policeman on traffic duty (Directing Traffic) in O`Conell St. in Dublin ; when the great J.Wayne came over and had a little chat with me.I found him to be a real gentleman.T.B.
I was a newspaperman in Orange County, and sometimes came in contact with John Wayne. I found him likable, intelligent, and patriotic. One can be a patriot and love his country without being a veteran.
I often attended Mass in Spanish when “Padrecito Mateo” (the actor’s grandson) was assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Habra. We all miss him.
Dino - Having dealt with quite a few John Wayne haters on Maureen’s website, I have concluded, after 16 years so doing, that these men are somehow intimidated by John Wayne. They always go after this military service thing as if they need something…anything to diminish him. He was indeed larger than life and his chemistry with Maureen O’Hara was phenomenal. They don’t have to like Duke Wayne as an actor or a human being. Whatever Duke did within the movie industry, it made him a legend. That will never change. What is it Judge Judy tells are litigants?...“Get Over It!”
I have never seen someone’s life condensed down to 3 or so paragraphs and relating to only two negative instances and a positive uptake on one’s work. I hope my life is not judged like that and thank you God it will not be…at least not by anyone who matters. The only negative thing I can ever recall hearing about John Wayne when I was a kid was that he wore lifts to make himself taller. In my opinion he was a great actor and still is. He evoked what makes every American proud to be an American in most of his movies and I understand that as a person he was quite a gentleman although he obviously had some rough spots as well, (and who doesn’t?). What I find amazing is that while God has created us so uniquely with such a different range of gifts we still find ways to tear one another down.
John Wayne was an American Patriot and don’t you forget it! A lot of people didn’t go to war. Was he ever AWOL? Ok then!
I suppose a slap in the face could be considered a “left hand complement” but I fail to see the necessity for the unattributed quotation on Frank Capra. John Wayne was an actor and he made films to entertain people and the number of films he made and his success in these films speaks volumes about who we “were” when God was still in our classrooms and pornography was not commonplace. Perhaps Mr. Shea there will be an actor like Mr. Wayne but until one comes along let the dead lie peacefully and you can tell us what is great in films today, or not.
PS. Let me know when the good Lord appoints you His surrogate judge.
Thank you, Larry. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Quotes out of context that are provacative are not necessary here. I don’t know why John Wayne said that and I don’t care cuz you know, Mr. Shea. You and I have said worse and been to confession for it, too. Your head is growing, maybe.
Shea, it’s obvious you should stick to apologetics. At least your research is better.
The remarks by some responders about John Wayne and his admiration and respect for the Catholic faith are very appropriate. As he was dying of cancer, I think it was the Archbishop of Panama City who brought Duke into the Faith before he succumbed. If there is a section in the heavenly realm for American patriots, I hope to see him there some day.
Mr. Shea has pronounced his own opinion of John Wayne as “Interesting” where I would have chosen the opposite adjective for the title. Hearing a liberal find something kind to say about the iconic image of John Wayne is like witnessing an anxiety attack.
Generations of men have understood that whatever Mr. Wayne’s personal life, his screen persona steadfastly communicated that an American male should properly be honest, decent, loyal, just, a defender of the weak, a gentleman to a fault, self sacrificing in the pursuit of good. While his characters always allowed that great men have great flaws, they also evidenced the belief that right wins out and that love covers a multitude of sins. No cross current, no deviation from this standard can be found anywhere in John Wayne’s body of work.
This fact is naturally confusing to a contemporary liberal male who consciously or unconsciously seeks the virtues John Wayne’s work represents, but like Sean Thornton, Wayne’s character in The Quiet Man, is afraid to embrace them lest they drive him to kill again. It is indisputable, after all, that the defense of the weak is the sole province of liberality. Liberals discovered justice.
When a vast number of Film Stars are long forgotten, serious minded Mothers and Fathers will still bring their children to see the Movies of The Great John Wayne and That Ravishingly Beautiful Girl,Maureen O’ Hara and not feel ashamed! That will be the greatest Oscar of them all!
They will receive an Oscar of Eternal Value!
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