Posts from Hondo Duke Lane in thread „Films You Wish John Wayne Hadn't Made“

The Greatest Story Ever Told was a movie Duke did for director George Stevens. Stevens wanted to cast Duke in the movie, but Duke was busy with another movie, but agreed to appear uncredited in a scene. Stevens casted him as a Roman Centurion in the Cross scene. He was so grateful for the favor Duke did for him. Maybe you might think that this is a movie Duke shouldn't have done, but Stevens would argue with you on that. If I recall, this movie helped Stevens propel as a major director, and he credited Duke for his appearance.

As for How The West Was Won, it seems that every western star was in that movie, and maybe it was insufficient for him to appear in the scene, but I bet it gave that movie more creditability. It may have not added much to Duke's credit, but having him appear added to the movie.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Jen,

When I collected VHS's I watched all of Duke's movies. The Shepherd of the Hills was not on video nor has been, and I missed watching it on TV when it came on. I just didn't get around to seeing it, so I missed. I guess your right that I've seen a lot of his movies. Most of them more than once. A few of my favorite ones a lot, like Rio Bravo, McLintock!, The Shootist, Hondo, The Sons of Katie Elder, True Grit, The Searchers, Stagecoach, The Green Berets, Sands of Iwo Jimo, Trouble Along the Way & The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

As for Island in the Sky, well you know the story there, and I am beginning to see the "B" movies, but that will take a while, and I'm in no hurry right now.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Jen,

It would be easier for me to tell you what Duke moviesI haven't seen. I have never seen, Shepherd in the Hills, Island in the Sky, almost all his "B" movies, and to tell you the truth, How the West was Won. I did see the scene with Duke and Harry Morgan, but not the whole movie.

Cheers, Hondo B)

I agree that they didn't smoke all that much, but even in It's A Wonderful Life, Stewart smoked in a couple of scenes. Bob Hope smoke in movies himself, of course that could of been because of the movie and the scenes requiring smoking, and yes they could have done without a smoking scenes, but that was a different time period, and growing up in the 60's it seemed that everybody around me smoked (there were exceptions of a few people).

The Conqueror had a common occurance that happened to almost everyone who was a part of that movie. John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Pedro Armendariz, Agnes Moorehead, John Hoyt, Director Dick Powell, and several others on the cast have died with a cancer causing health problem. Much too early in most of their lives. Duke was later than most. It was reported that a month before the cast & crew came to location, the government was doing nuclear testing.

Though this movie was not memorable as a John Wayne classic, and was a turing point in his career, not a good one, but one, with health related problems that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

And yes, I agree that his smoking habits did not help matters, either.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Jen,

That's a pretty good point about the '70's cop movies. I always thought that he made those films because of the highly successful movies Clint Eastwood made in the Dirty Harry series. By the way Duke turned them down because of the excess violence. When he or someone saw them, they thought maybe could make something like that in Brannigan and McQ. Though I don't think they are all that bad, they seem mimic the Dirty Harry style, and of course they failed.

But I will conceed that it probably was a mistake to go that route. <_<

Surely Jen you've seen a lot of his movies of the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's?

Cheers, Hondo B)

I wish he never made The Cowboys. This was not a typical John Wayne movie, and being killed off in the picture somewhere just after the middle part, just didn't make Duke the star he really is. This is not John Wayne in his best, and somehow in my opinion belittled him. How can you imagine a person like Bruce Dern capable in size and ability could kill off Duke?

I did like the relationship he had with the boys, and the way he showed them how they had to be men, but ruined the picture with the killing.

Cheers, Hondo B)