John Wayne’s Epic Response to a Film He Called ‘A Piece of You-Know-What’

by

John Wayne was a leading actor in numerous iconic Western films throughout his career, but there was one exceptional production he chose not to be part of, labeling it as “a certain nonsense.” His journey into Western cinema was kick-started by director John Ford, and the duo went on to produce some of Hollywood’s finest genre flicks. Their collaboration began with the film Stagecoach and continued with movies like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Searchers, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, How the West Was Won, Rio Grande, and others. In total, John Ford and John Wayne collaborated on nine films together.

As a devoted cinephile, I can’t help but highlight one of my favorite John Wayne Westerns – the gripping masterpiece known as “Rio Bravo,” directed by the legendary Howard Hawks. This film chronicles the harrowing tale of a band of men holed up in an isolated outpost, bravely holding off waves of villains trying to breach their fortress. The movie was so well-received that it even inspired two remakes, with Wayne and Hawks playing key roles each time. Remarkably, this timeless classic was created as a response to a previous role Wayne turned down due to its perceived political leanings, specifically the film “High Noon.

John Wayne Made Rio Bravo In Response To High Noon

John Wayne Rejected A Role In High Noon Because Of Its Themes

Initially, John Wayne was intended to portray Marshal Will Kane in the 1952 Western movie “High Noon.” Director Fred Zimmerman envisioned Wayne as a lawman contemplating retirement when he learns that an outlaw he had earlier apprehended is returning to his town. However, despite being the guardian of this community, Will finds that everyone rejects him for their safety and welfare, leaving him with no choice but to prepare for the impending confrontation on his own.

Initially, the character felt disenchanted with the town and his job as a sheriff, realizing that the people he had vowed to safeguard were more concerned about themselves. Ultimately, he angrily discards his badge and departs, which John Wayne strongly objected to. He perceived this scene as a critique of Hollywood’s abandonment of artists during the Red Scare. The script’s authorship by blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman wasn’t overlooked by Wayne. He labelled the movie a “nasty term” (as quoted by Roger Ebert).

That was quite a frustrating experience, I believe its appeal lay in the music. Let me explain it differently: Imagine a town filled with pioneers who journeyed across vast plains in covered wagons, battling against Native Americans, droughts, and wild beasts to establish their homesteads. It was this spirit of perseverance and determination that might have resonated with people.

Later on, when three unsavory characters stroll into town, the marshal requests a bit of assistance. In such a situation, everyone in town seems to feel bashful. If I were the marshal, I’d have felt so utterly disappointed by those cowardly, spineless scoundrels that I probably would have packed up my wife and hightailed it out of there on horseback.

As a result, Gary Cooper took on the role in the film rather than Wayne, earning an Academy Award for his acting. Conversely, seven years down the line, Wayne embarked on a project he believed portrayed a more authentic American narrative. This project was “Rio Bravo“. In this movie, Wayne plays a sheriff detaining a powerful rancher’s brother for murder. As relentless thugs sent by the rancher attempt to free the prisoner, Wayne enlists assistance from others to protect the jail and stand with him in combat. This represented his vision of true American spirit.

Despite Their Differences, High Noon & Rio Bravo Are Both Western Classics

Both High Noon & Rio Bravo Are In The National Film Registry

Despite John Wayne’s belief that the music alone made High Noon popular, he was proven wrong. The film garnered seven Academy Award nominations and won four, including Best Music Score by Dimitri Tiomkin and Best Song for “The Ballad of High Noon.” It was also nominated for Best Motion Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for Carl Foreman. In 1989, the Library of Congress recognized its significance by adding it to the National Film Registry as one of the first films worthy of preservation.

Despite being a different tale from High Noon, Rio Bravo was equally memorable. While John Wayne and Howard Hawks aimed to portray an idealized Wild West for Americans, it didn’t fare well upon release and wasn’t considered for Oscars. However, the film inspired two loose remakes – El Dorado and Rio Lobo, both directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne. Interestingly, in 2014, the Library of Congress recognized its importance and added it to the National Film Registry for preservation.

As a devoted film enthusiast, I can’t help but sing praises about two iconic Western films that continue to resonate in our collective memory: “High Noon” and “Rio Bravo”. The former, a groundbreaking masterpiece, redefined the Western genre by shifting its focus from the traditional male-dominated narrative of good versus evil, to a more nuanced exploration of moral complexities and human decision-making. On the other hand, while “Rio Bravo” may not have garnered much critical acclaim, it has left an indelible mark on cinema, serving as the blueprint for future films such as John Carpenter’s “Assault on Precinct 13” and even catching the eye of Quentin Tarantino, who fondly referred to it as his favorite “date movie”.

Sources: Roger Ebert

Read More

2025-05-22 00:12