John Wayne Rejected Steven Spielberg’s ‘Un-American’ 1941 Movie

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Steven Spielberg asked John Wayne to be in one of his films, but Wayne refused, famously calling the movie “un-American.” This was surprising, considering Wayne starred in many war films and deeply connected his American identity to the roles he chose.

John Wayne turned down the movie for two main reasons. First, he was nearing the end of his life and passed away shortly after. Second, he believed the film misrepresented a significant historical period and disrespected the sacrifices of American heroes.

John Wayne Rejected A Role In Steven Spielberg’s “Un-American” 1941

Steven Spielberg became a major Hollywood success after directing Jaws and the highly praised Close Encounters of the Third Kind. However, his next project nearly derailed his career. Surprisingly, he even considered John Wayne for a role in it.

The movie 1941 was a comedy about the Japanese attack on Ellwood, California, and starred Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, both famous from Saturday Night Live. Surprisingly, the film was originally planned as a serious drama focusing on a civil conflict between Americans, not a war against an outside enemy.

The film originally had a different tone, but it evolved into a lighthearted comedy with plenty of physical humor. This shift is why John Wayne decided not to appear in it. Spielberg had offered Wayne a small role as Major General Joseph Stilwell.

John Wayne rejected the role after reading the script. Spielberg shared that Wayne called him the next day (according to Far Out Magazine) and described the film as “very un-American,” predicting it would be a waste of Spielberg’s time. Wayne also stated:

That war was a significant event, and it’s disrespectful to joke about the lives lost at Pearl Harbor and during World War II. Please don’t make light of it.

It wasn’t surprising to hear John Wayne passed on the lead role in the classic Western High Noon. He’d previously rejected it, believing it portrayed an un-American sentiment. As a direct response, Wayne made Rio Bravo, which he saw as a more accurate depiction of a true American Western.

1941 Would Have Been John Wayne’s Final Movie Role

John Wayne turned down the part for another reason besides finding it un-American: his health was failing. Sadly, even if he had considered the role, he wouldn’t have lived to see the finished film. The movie was released on December 14, 1979, but Wayne passed away just six months prior.

John Wayne’s final starring performance was in the 1976 Western film The Shootist, directed by Don Siegel. He also did a brief, uncredited voice part in the 1977 film Star Wars, made by George Lucas, a friend of Steven Spielberg. Had he accepted the cameo appearance in 1941, it would have been the last role of his career, as he passed away shortly after.

Considering John Wayne’s strong support for American values and his past disapproval of films he considered unpatriotic, taking on this role could have harmed his reputation.

1941 Almost Derailed Spielberg’s Career Just When It Was Getting Started

Steven Spielberg may have benefited from taking John Wayne’s advice. Wayne was correct in saying Spielberg was misdirecting his energy with the movie 1941, and the film nearly derailed the director’s rising career.

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws practically invented the summer blockbuster and is still considered a classic horror film. Close Encounters of the Third Kind proved that science fiction could be both meaningful and emotional, moving away from typical action-packed tropes. And even his earlier work, like Duel, demonstrated his incredible skill as a director.

Despite some box office success, 1941 was Spielberg’s first major critical failure and temporarily hurt his reputation. Although modern reviews are kinder, the film was considered a disaster when it was released, currently holding a 39% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Steven Spielberg Said The Reaction To 1941 Humbled Him

Steven Spielberg’s success in Hollywood comes from his ability to learn from his experiences. He acknowledges that his film 1941 didn’t quite hit the mark, and he used those lessons to improve his next project. That next film was Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is now celebrated as one of the best adventure movies ever made, proving his approach worked.

Spielberg told Slash Film he aimed to create a truly hilarious movie, but joked that he hadn’t really made a comedy before, or since. He also felt incredibly confident at the time, describing himself as ‘Teflon’ – believing anything he touched would turn to gold.

I was incredibly confident that anything I filmed would be a hit. I imagined every joke landing with roaring laughter and believed everyone involved would be recognized with an Academy Award.

Steven Spielberg faced a tough setback with his film 1941. Critics panned it as disorganized and lacking humor, and many considered it a low point in his career. Even John Wayne, a Hollywood icon, turned down a part, sensing that the movie didn’t make good use of Spielberg’s abilities, though it wasn’t considered unpatriotic.

Sources: Far Out Magazine, Slash Film

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2025-10-22 17:32