Posts by arthurarnell

Hi

With regard to 'The Conqueror'. Apparently it was originally written for Marlon Brando but at the last minute 20th Century Fox refused to lease him to RKO.

The script writer had originally made the script with Brando in mind and written in almost old english.

I thought that on a visit to a studio John Wayne had seen a small part of the script lying in a wastepaper bin and after reading it decided that he had to make the film. Other versions say that he picked it up off a desk.

Apparently with his ability to learn lines very quickly he didn't read the complete script until the night before shooting began and was horrified.

But when it came down to it was a western set in Mongolia rather than Arizona with Wayne playing Temajun rather than Stoney Brooke.

Of the location shooting 'John Wayne American' Quotes

Quote

out of the 220 people Dick Powell brought to St George Utah, in 1954, 91 came down with cancer later in their lives...... Duke survived Lung cancer in 1964 but later succumbed to stomach cancer. Pedro Armendariz came down with Kidney cancer in 1959 and then committed suicide in 1963 when diagnosed with cancer of the larynx. Dick Powell fell victim to lung cancer, Agnes Moorhead would die of uterine cancer, and (Susan) Hayward ended up with cancers of the skin, breast, uterus, and brain.

It was also a contributary factor that most of the cancer victims were also heavy smokers.

Another small co-incidence especially in view of films John Wayne might have done. In 1953 the government exploded two bombs which were particularly harmful one went off on April 25 and the other on May 19th.

The name of the second bomb was 'Dirty Harry'
The name of a film that Duke was later offered and turned down, and later turned Clint Eastwood into a star.

However the bottom line says that although the critics lampooned it it was very popular with the public in general.

Regards

Arthur

Hi Hondo,

As an amusing aside to the Cowboys

Bruce Dern's daughter Laura used to tell how whenever she went to college her fellow students would pick her out a say that her dad shot John Wayne in the back.
She said it took years for her to live it down.

Best regards

Arthur

The outlaw known as 'The wrecker' had been very quiet for a long time, he had not been in favour or happy with the recent actions of scarface and was desperately trying to bring things around to a point where he would be able to control events. He knew that he had to be patient.

In Running Fawns camp Yates's mind was in a turmoil. In the firelight of the main camp he had had an opportunity to study Running Fawn and was becoming increasing aware of her breathtaking beauty. Laying back his head resting on his saddle, he causally smoked a cigarette, thoughts went whirling round his head as he wondered what he should do. Watching the girl sleeping not ten feet away from him, he stubbed the cigarrette out, let out a soft sigh and tried to sleep. It would be a long night.
Shortly before sun up, the pair broke camp and set to find scarface and the outlaws. . . . .

One last point on this posting as I agree this is not the place for it.

Christopher Lee is not credited in the picture and I think that by the early sixties he would have been famous enough to have been given a mention even un-credited as people like connery, Patrick Barr and Leo Genn were.

The officer talking to Mel ferrer isn't Lee and looking through the cast I can't definately put a name to his face. l

Rgards

Arthur

Hi.

We have had the best John Wayne pictures. The worst, the Best Cowboys and the Worst
I would like to start a new topic

Films you wish John Wayne Hadn't Made - r even films he didn't make but you wish he had.

In another posting I got on to the subject of minor actors in The Longest Day[I] in which numerous well known and not so well known faces are visible.

Making pen pictures of all the people who acted in John Wayne films I can honestly say that as good as his roles were in

'The Longest Day' 'The Greatest Story Ever Told' and 'How the West was Won'[I]

Fom a purely selfish point of view there is a cast list of about 117 people in the Longest Day most of whom like Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Harry Fowler and Norman Rossington were people that you wouldn't normally associate with John Wayne and that is only the Brits, add to that the German and French actors and it gets really complicated.

It probably approaching the same number in TGSET

And quite a large number in HTWWW

So in a controversial manner I can say that these were three films I wish John Wayne hadn't made.

Hi ITDO

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"Broke my arm - but I'm ok." Jolly good fellas, these British, are they not?

Its the breeding.

Look out for a new post

FILMS YOU WISH JOHN WAYNE HADN'T MADE

Regards
Arthur

On a low ridge overlooking the camp, as he advanced noislessly through the darkness, Yates could make a small shape dressed in what appeared to be buckskin.
whoever the watcher was they were concentrating on the camp and neglecting to take account of any dangers behind them.
With one leap Yates dragged the intruder to the ground and gave one punch. The buckskin clad figure went limp. The fight had taken only a few seconds and Yates was amazed with the ease of his victory.
As he walked back to the camp carrying the limp figure he was also amazed at the light weight he was toting.
Reaching the camp Yates halted at the fire and lowered the body to the ground.
"What have you got there?" Walsh asked.
"I think I've got me an indian buck". Yates replied.
And then continued.
"But he didn't put up much of a fight.
Turning the figure over Walsh looked closer.
"This isn't a buck, Its a girl".
The Major looked, as the girl slowly showed signs of stirring.
"I recognised this girl as you call her", said the major.
"She was at the Hopi camp",
"If things couldn't get worse they just have", he continued.
"We've just kidnapped Running Fawn - the chief's daughter"

Hi ITDO

Lt Walsh is described in the 50th Anniversary commemorative edition video

Quote

'as the courageous officer who, in spite of his broken arm, led his platoon on to the Orne River bridge'

I have just run it and he is on screen for probably 30 - 40 seconds top talking to Richard Todd.

Best Regards

Arthur

Hi

Keeping the list up to date:-

Hollywood Producer RAY STARK founder of Seven Arts died January 17th

and LYNDON BROOK - January 9th 2004 aged 77

The second name might not mean much to anyone outside of UK (and possibly not a lot to some in UK), but his father was the classic actor Clive Brook and he appeared in 'The Purple Plain' with Gregory Peck, 'Reach for the Sky' with Kenneth More, and he also played Lt Walsh in the Darryl Zanuck extravaganza 'THE LONGEST DAY'. So as he was in a film in which JW was also in he can theoretically be classed as a John Wayne co-worker.

the hills O'Brien said.
Spurring their horses round the party rode off after them.
Watching them go O'Brien looked around at the scenes of desolation.
The bank had lost what resulted in petty cash. The Walsh Yates and Horricks Freight line was little more than a charred mess, as was the general store.
"This town is going to have be rebuilt " murmoured O'Brien.
"And they are gonna have to come to me for the money",
Lighting a cigar and putting one hand in his pocket and slowly going inside of the bank.
"Perhaps it hasn't been that bad a day after all", he said.

Major Thomson was worried and confused, firstly what had happened to turn a peace loving group of indians on to the warpath and what would happen next? He was soon to find out.
Riding through a draw the men suddenly became aware that they were surrounded.
An arrow buried itself into the dust directly in front of Thomson's horse causing it to rear up and nearly unseating it's rider.
Seeing the indians had the upper hand, Thomson ordered the men to throw down their guns.
Silently the captives were taken back to the Hopi camp and locked in a compound.
After an hour the major was taken away.
An hour later he returned looking grave.
He explained the events leading to the killing of the Hopi's by scarface and his men, and informed the possee that the hopi wanted revenge.
"What's going to happen?" Walsh asked.
"We've got a week to find the culprits", said the major slowly.
"Or" said Yates.
"Or they'll attack the town and kill every white man woman and child they find, Lets saddle up and get back to town".

slowly they moved into the town.
Although only five in number the raid was sudden and unexpected and made a great impact, moving swiftly the surprise attack left a trail of devastation. The general store was robbed of anything that could furnish supplies. The freight office, and stables were burnt as was the saloon. The bank was entered and all available loose cash was gathered up although the mighty vault defeated their efforts. As scarface and his men rode away they knew that Tuba City would remember that day for many years to come.

Hi Hondo,
Agreeing with you that Joan Crawford should'nt have been on the plane. If she was third row back she would have had a fit because she would have been insignificant. I would have put her outside cleaning the windows.

Regards
Arthur

Hi
Or the Creature From The Black Lagoon.
With his string of not so successful fims in the 1950's I think appearing in a SFi might have finished him off all together if such a thing was possible.

Best Regards
Arthur

the desert.

High in the hills 'scarface' was very happy. Still smarting from the Wreckers insults he considered that he had done a good job. He recalled a couple of days earlier how he and his men had been riding when they had seen a group of half a dozen hopi braves approacjhing them. As the indians had held out their hand as a sign of friendship, the outlaws had drawn their colts and killed them all. Congratulating himself on starting an indian war he thought that we must get something out of this and, at the same time, get even with Walsh and Yates.
Meanwhile the party led by the major which included Walsh and Yates were heading ......

Hi Hondo,

The seating arrangements wern't mentioned in the competition but just for fun we'll have an isle down the middle. Two seats in front for Duke as the pilot and his co pilot

X X

X X X X

X X X X

X X

Regards
Arthur

Hi SXViper

We have an expression that if tour digging yourself into a hole its best to stop digging. But at the expense of digging myself deeper. here goes.

What I meant by The Horse Soldiers unsatisfactory ending was The unfortunate death of the stunt man Fred Kennedy after which Ford Lost all interest in the picture and instead of the upbeat triumphal arrival of Marlowe's brigade in New Orleans, Ford cut the picture at the bridge.

On a personnal note I enjoyed the picture but was unfortunate to have read Sinclairs book beforehand. I think that if Ford had stuck exactly to the novel It would have been a very difficult film to make mainly because very early on on the book Marlowe splits his command and every other chapter follows each halves exploits.

There was no love interest in that Hannah features briefly in the book and is insane. And the doctor plays a very insignificant role If I remember correctly when instead of disobeying orders and delivering the baby he obeys Marlowes command, and assumingly leaves the women to fend for herself.

Also in the book there is a fantastic train crash where they drive the train over a high bridge.

I think now is the time for me to stop digging.

Regards
Arthur

They heard a commotion in the street, rushing they saw a crowd beginning to gather. In the centre of the crowd stood one of the local ranch owners, and next to him stood a second horse with a body lying across the saddle. Plainly visible were two arrows sticking from his back.
"Its the Hopi's", the rancher said.
"Something stirred them up, the've left the reservation and gone on the warpath".
There was a loud exclamation from the gathered assembly, the Hopi Indians had lived on a reservation fifty odd miles from the town for a few years since being beaten by the cavalry. Now all hell could break loose.......

Hi Hondo.

On the button.

Regards
Arthur

Hi Hondo,

I hold my hands up to that one. My choice of words instead of reprising perhaps should have been a fortaste or something, for once my English beats me.

But Ford always wanted to do a massive Civil War Movie, The Horse Soldiers was his second stab after the Wagon Train episode and ended unsatisfactory and HTWWW gave him his final chance.

Does that let me off the hook?

Regards
Arthur