The notion of organizing a John Wayne film retrospective seems almost as daunting as a Wild Westnera stagecoach trip through Apache territory, given the number of films in which the Duke played a part. Imdb.com credits Wayne with more than 170 films, only 10 of which make the cut for the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center’s “The Duke: John Wayne’s Centennial.”
The usual suspects are, of course, included: John Ford’s Stagecoach and The Searchers (both of which make an appearance on AFI’s “100 Years…100 Movies” list) will receive heavy screen time, and Ford’s Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and Rio Grande are conveniently bundled together in a “Calvary Trilogy Triple Feature” (at 1 p.m. Monday, May 14; $12). The most notable omission would have to be Henry Hathaway’s True Grit, the only film for which Wayne won an Oscar.
But the inclusion of the Museum of Modern Art’s restored 70mm print of Raoul Walsh’s rarely screened 1930 Western The Big Trail—featuring a young and fresh-faced Wayne in his first starring role—is a more than adequate consolation. The series runs through Wednesday, July 4, at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. $9.25. (301) 495-6700; see Showtimes for this week’s films; see afi.com/silver/new/ for a complete schedule.
By Matthew Borlik - Washingtoncitypaper
