Books on Duke- Past Discussion (Archive)

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  • "CUT, PRINT - AND THAT'S A WRAP", by Paul Helmick.


    Written in 2001, Howard Hawks' reliable assistant director and 2nd unit director Helmick tells the tales of his Hollywood years. He was around when they made some of the Hawks classics, as well as the films with Wayne: Rio Bravo (it was him who suggested to cast Dean Martin to Hawks), El Dorado, Rio Lobo. Of special interest I found his descriptions of working in Africa on Hatari. This must have been the techniqually most difficult film to make up to that point! Helmick would go out and shoot animal action (with, yes, the doubles) then call Hawks who would come in the next day and shoot scenes they just made up so they would fit to the things Helmick got in the cane. For the spectacular entrance scene with the Rhino, they just happend to find one that was mean enough to attack Bruce Cabot's double and they got it on film - the double acted as if being horned. So they wrote the whole entrance around it - writing Bruce Cabot out of the film for a large part of it (for all of us who forever wondered why his "Indian" character was in the film anyway). No wonder it took Hawks more than a year to assemble the cut (other Wayne releases before Hatari were actually shot AFTER it, he moved to Africa right after Alamo, and, according to Helmick, was glad to because he wanted to get away from it).


    Helmick also says that him and Wayne never got really friendly, he thinks that Wayne held one incident against him, when Wayne and Hawks were discussing what Ricky Nelson should say when asked by Chance: Pretty young for riding guard, don't ya, and it was Helmick who just came up with the cool line: Just how old you gotta be? Obviously, Hawks didn't tell Wayne that Nelson's response would be just that (he often didn't tell his actors to get a natural response) and Wayne barked: "Since when does the 2nd assistant get to write the dialogue?!"

  • "Les 80 Grand Succès de...
    Western
    Films de Guerre
    Film d'Aventures"


    In his series about the different genres, French author Pierre Tchernia selects 80 films from each the Western/adventure film/war movie. Published by casterman. Very nicely illustrated. In "Adventure Films", Wayne is present with "Hatari", in "War Films" with "Green Berets", "Alamo", "Longest Day" (there is a special section for Le Jour Le Plus Long, with color pictures I haven't seen elsewhere).

  • BIOGRAPHIES OF OTHER STARS WHICH MAKE MENTION OF JW:


    "The Ragman's Son":
    In 1988 Kirk Douglas wrote his biography and wrote about his relationsship to his co-star of several films. It seems they never got very close but respected each other. They knew each other before those films. Douglas remembers the premiere of his "Lust for Life"; he played Van Gogh, and Wayne was riding him for playing such a troubled man, he felt that tough guys like Douglas shouldn't portray that for the American audience. Douglas responded that he was just an actor playing a part and "you aren't really John Wayne either, just playing him". He thinks he got Wayne there.


    "Robert Mitchum", by Lee Server
    all about the infamous incident of Mitchum getting fired from Blood Alley and Wayne having to take over. Pilar Wayne had reason to get mad at him years later because that incident spoiled her honeymoon and when Wayne invited Mitchum to a party at his house Mitchum told Pilar at his arrival "Boy, do YOU need a bra". The boy of bad behaviour live quite a life. Worth reading. Funny incidents on the El Dorado set, too. Mitchum always hat his beloved weed with him.


    "Natasha - The biografie of Natalie Wood"
    Interesting insights on the filming of The Searchers. It seems Patrick Wayne took quite a liking in this young girl. His father just advised him: "Look out what'ye doin". Note the bracelet Natalie wears around her wrist. There's one in every picture she appears. An accident on a filmset when she was a child left a scar, and she was frantic about it.
    You probably knew that her own sister Lana played the part of little Debbie.


    In his books "Szenen eines Clowns" and "Eine Farm in Afrika" (don't know if they're published in English) German actor Hardy Kruger tells his life. Hatari! was probably the most important film in terms of how it inflicted on his life. He bought Momella and stayed in Africa. The book Eine Farm in Afrika tells all about his love for Momella. The infamous drinking incident when him and Wayne drank themselves silly one night is in "Szenen eines Clowns". This man knows how to write!


    "Me", by Katharine Hepburn
    Katie had a soft spot for the Duke. In her biografie she writes about the making of Rooster Cogburn. A woman of many talents, she also could write wonderful books. One of the best books about the making of a film is her book about the African Queen: "How I went to Africa with Houston, Bogie & Bacall and..."

  • THE MEN WHO MADE THE MOVIES, by Richard Schickel


    contains interviews with Hitchcock, Capra, Minnelli, Cukor, Vidor, and, of most interest to Wayne afficionados, Howard Hawks, Raoul Walsh and William A. Wellman.
    A great interview book. Finally, those giants got enough time to talk about what they liked best and did best: direct motion pictures. There are no questions printed, just answers, so those long interview really sound like those directors would write their biography. For instance, Hawks talks about how he would write dialogue to make a point without the audience realizing that; and how they invented that special camera to film the action in "Hatari". Wellman tells how he found the story to "The High and the Mighty" and how he got Wayne to buy it even before it was published (I like the way he tells the story of how he was talked into doing "The Story of G.I.Joe"; Ernie Pyle talked him into it). And finally, with Walsh we hear in his own words about that special day he stopped on the Fox lot when he saw that tall young man sweating it out as a prop boy, offering him an actin job on the spot, and how tough it got on location of "The Big Trail". All those greats have since then passed (the book was published in the mid seventies).

  • Hi
    To add to your list
    FILMS ABOUT JOHN WAYNE


    JOHN WAYNE PROPHET OF THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE - EMANUEL LEVY
    (Scarecrow Press 1988)
    A heavyweight book dealing at length with all of Duke's films by genre.


    JOHN WAYNE ACTOR ARTIST AND HERO - Richard D McGhee
    (McFarland and Co 1990)
    Another interesting book going deeper into Duke's personna comparing him at the time with soldiers in the time of the Vietnam conflict.


    JOHN WAYNE A BIO-BIBLIOGRAPHY - Judith M.Riggin
    (Greenwood Press 1992)
    A strange book which lists nearly every book written about Duke up to that time and gives a complete version of the playboy interview


    THE ULTIMATE JOHN WANE TRIVIA BOOK - Alvin H.Marill
    Citadel Press 1996
    A must for all Duke fans.


    A TRIBUTE TO JOHN WAYNE - Editor Peter R.A.Fryd
    One of many brochure published after Dukes death.


    JOHN WAYNE THE MAN BEHIND THE MYTH -Michael Nunn
    Robson Books 2003
    The latest book as far as I know, drawing on the authors conversation with Duke in London whilst making Brannigan and subsequent telephone and personal conversations with many of his co stars. It is this book that reveals the Communist plot to assasinate Duke in the 1950s and 60s. I have just finished it and it is quite a good read.


    BOOK ON DIRECTORS


    SEARCHING FOR JOHN FORD - Joseph McBride
    (St Martins Press 2003)
    Another heavyweight book but very interesting reveals some unusual facts and destroys some legends.


    JOHN FORD - Joseph McBride and Michael Wilmington
    (Martin Secker and Warburg 1974)
    Begins with Ford's funeral.


    BOOKS BY OTHER ACTORS ETC


    JAMES STEWART - Donald Dewy
    (Little Brown and Company) 1996


    WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HOLLYWOOD - Jessee L. Lasky Jr.
    (Funk and Wagnells New York 1975)
    Deals a great length with the autors relationship with Cecil B DeMille but includes a chapter on the Making of Reap the Wild Wind and reveals that the squid scene was an afterthought virtually made up on the spur of the moment to appease DeMilles anger and provide an ending to the film.

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • BOOK ON DIRECTORS INVOLVING JW[U]


    One additional book I should have included in my last:-


    HOWARD HAWKS - THE GREY FOX OF HOLLYWOOD - Todd McCarthy
    (Grove Press New York 1997)
    A great book dealing at length with Dukes relationships with his co-workers some of whom he got on with, and some whom he didn't. Great in depth narrative of the making of Hatari

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • hey, merry christmas and happy new year to you all!!. i was wondering what is the best and most accurate book about john wayne??? i was thinking maybe the one by r. olson called american i believe. any opioins or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. thanks steve

  • Steve,


    I haven't read all his books, but the one I really liked with very adequate bio on Duke is: John Wayne: American by Randy Roberts & James S. Olson ISBN 0029238374.


    A list of movies from Duke is: The Complete Films of John Wayne by Mark Ricci, Boris Zmijewsky, & Steve Zmijewsky. ISBN 0806509457.


    Go to this site and get a very good list from itdo on the books of John Wayne. http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=497


    Cheers, Hondo B)



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote

  • Hi again
    Christmas has come and gone and although I haven't had a chance to read it yet I have one small addition to make.It's a text book from YORK film notes entitled STAGECOACH. It is an 88 page text book written by acknowledged experts on film and media and ideal for A level and undergraduate media students. The general editor is Peter Bunten Head of English and Drama Tupton Hall School Chesterfield. The book gives


    Film Reviews


    Background to the film


    Biographiesd of key players


    Form and Narrative


    Style and Technique


    Culture and Cinematic contexts


    Bibliography for further study


    Glossary of cinematic terms.


    The book is available from


    York Press
    322 Old Brompton Road
    London SW5 9JH
    Price £5.99


    First indications appear that it is an interesting book well suitable for the serious JW historian.


    Another book that briefly mentions John Wayn is 'RADICAL HOLLYWOOD - THE UNTOLD STORY By Paul Buhle and Dave Wagner.
    This book deals with the Communists and Left leaning artists in Hollywood during the 1930s and 40s culminating in the Blacklist era. Page 236 deals with the Director Edward Dmytryk and the making of 'Back to Bataan'

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • BOOKS RELATING TO THE WESTERN GENRE (so JW is referred to)


    THE WESTERNS: A PICTURE QUIZ BOOK, by John Cocchi
    Trivia-Book with 238 stills, in most questions you're asked to identify the players in the scene. The questions about JW aren't too difficult to answer but still, you should get some fun out of it.

  • Found a book with a release very soon. Don't know anything about this man, but could be an interesting read.


    John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth
    by Michael Munn - Release Date: March 2, 2004


    Find this at this web site.


    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=books


    Cheers, Hondo B)



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote

  • Hi Hondo,
    The book you are referring to is in my last but one post and the book you have all been discussing at great length, dealing with the plot to assassinate JW.


    One other book to add I think its not been covered before


    'Them Ornery Mitchum Boys' by John Mitchum.


    Very interesting book covering his role in EL Dorado with a humuorous story of the woodsplinters in the saloon scene.


    And in depth coverage of the writing and making of 'America Why I love Her'


    As an aside I wrote to John Mitchum some years ago and he sent me two autographed photos one of him as seen in the CD of America Why I love Her and the other as a deputy sherriff playing cards with Bruce Cabot, Glenn Corbett and Robert Donner.
    I obviously never knew him but he seemed to me to be a perfect gentleman.


    Best Regards


    Arhur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • You know Arthur you're right about that book. :huh: I'm not sure why it was put out as a release in March. I was looking around and saw this listed. :) I talked about this book before, and completely forgot about the title. :blink: Could this be an update edition to be released? :o


    Sorry for the misconception. :stunned:


    Cheers, Hondo B)



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote

  • BOOKS ABOUT WAR FILMS


    From Italy: "FILM DI GUERRA", by Fratelli
    Biiig sized book, with beautiful poster reproductions, fold outs and rarely seen stills. Wayne's Stryker strikes a pose on the cover.

  • BOOKS ABOUT OTHER ACTORS IN WHICH JW IS MENTIONED:


    "Marlene Dietrich, by Her Daughter"
    By Maria Riva


    Many mysteries about the relationsship between La Dietrich and The Duke, mostly because Marlene was quite a liar. In her own stories she even had to teach Wayne to act; he didn't read books and according to legend she told her agent when she first laid eyes on him: "Daddy, buy me that" (giving the part in Seven Sinners to him). Now her daughter has the last word: She was there when it all happened, and this is really some biography. You could knock down a full grown man with it, but it's worth the read. I interviewed Maria Riva in 1992 when the German edition was published, and what she has to say about the life of her mother is something. About Wayne: she asked him years later (in London, so I guess it was during Brannigan) what made him leave the goddess, and he answered: "Never liked being a race-horse in a barn".

  • Hi all,
    Looking through to answer a question on another post. I found yet another book on Stagecoach very interesting 95 pages, published by the British Film Institue under BFI Classics.


    Stagecoach - Edward Buscombe published BFI publishing (1992) and available from 21 Stephen Street, LondonWIP 1PL

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • I have purchased three Duke books, and have two of them on hand right now. I have The Duke - A Life in Pictures & John Wayne My Father. They look great, and I am suppose to get My Life With the Duke anytime now. I look forward to reading these books. I know there are other books out there, but wanted these books for my collection.


    Cheers, Hondo B)



    Quote

    "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it"

    - John Wayne quote

  • Hi Hondo
    You'll like those books they are very good.


    I have just gone through my library other J.W related books are:


    HOWARD HUGHES - THE UNTOLD STORY
    by Peter Harry Brown and Pat H Broeske.
    Published by Little Brown Books 1996


    JW is mentioned on pages 239, 255, 282, 289, 391, 392,393,
    One part refers to the making of Jet Pilot and tells how the film started filming in 1949, they were still filming in 1951 and because of Hughes indeciviness, he couldn't dtop tinkering with the aviation scenes - the film was not released until 1957 and looked outdated.
    It also mentions that when 'The Conqueror' came out the audience howled but Hughes was so delighted that he bought the film outright.


    JOAN CRAWFORD - THE LAST WORD
    By Fred Lawrence Guiles
    Published Pavilion Books 1995


    JW is mentioned on pg 139,201
    But don't buy the book if you want to learn anything about Duke other than Crawford apparantly despised him because he did not join up.


    LOUISE BROOKS
    By Barry Paris
    Published by Hamish Hamilton London
    pp 223, 282-4 412n refer


    Louis Brooks making her Hollywood comeback made her final film opposite J.W.


    Other related book including John Wayne
    Wild West Movis - Kim Newman
    The BFI Companion to the Western
    The Hollywood WEestern - William K. Everson
    The Western |Film Anual Vol 1 - Maurice speed
    The Western Film Annual vol 2 - Maurice Speed
    The Western Film Annual Vol 3 - Maurice Speed


    John Wayne crops up in WILDEST WESTERNS in nearly every edition.


    Incidentally can anyone tell me if the magazine TRAIL DUST is still going I used to collect it until a couple of years ago when they moved and I don't knoe if its still going. I thought that was a brilliant magazine.


    Regards
    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • GOLDEN TURKEY AWARDS, by Harry and Michael Medved
    This book is meant to be fun: it gives awards for the worst films, worst performances in the history of films. One chapter is dedicated to John Wayne's - you guessed it - Ghenghis Khan. But no worries: others have to stick out their necks as well. Cooper gets it for the worst romantic line in "Northwest Mounted Police".



    For the German reader:
    THE TRANSCRIPT OF SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON/DER TEUFELSHAUPTMANN
    by Gunter Narr Verlag Tübingen
    If you want to analyze this film bit by bit, that book might help. It describes every single shot (551 single camera shots in this film, by the way) with Engl. dialogue and description of action and soundeffects - even gives the seconds per shot.