Manners Lesson From John Wayne
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
I learned a couple things:
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1) “Squaw” refers to a N. A. indigenous woman or wife and is offensive. I never knew the term was offensive. The word isn’t part of my speaking vocab, only reading/hearing vocab. The last time I heard the word was over 40 years ago when I was a child. Assuming I ever said the word, I was in no way trying to demean anyone.
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2) I should watch a Johnny Wayne movie. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one. My husband also denies seeing any.
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Any recommendations on movie to watch first?
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The Searchers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_j3NrcDiS4
My late secretary Chris was part Cherokee, as I am. Her husband used to kid her and call her squaw on occasion. She found it amusing.
The Quiet Man is also a great John Wayne flick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bm0RIs-VJU
True Grit.
[One of our favorite J.W. movies.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-cPWheNyaA
🙂
If you want the essence of John Wayne may I recommend;
“Rio Grande: – I’ll watch it everytime it’s on.
“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” – Is also good.
And the cavalry trilogy is complete with Fort Apache:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP5M3RQIwjI
Where can I get a poster of J.W with that quote on manhood?
“Fort Apache” is airing on Grit TV now.
A little remarked Wayne film is “The Cowboys.” The scene where the Duke gets the boy to stop stuttering is memorable. It’s one of the few movies where the Wayne character is killed.
Re: John Ford. In addition to his cavalry trilogy, he directed “The Informer.” I think he and Victor McLaughlin won Oscars for the movie.
“Gunga Din” was on TCM last night.
“The Searchers” is one of my favorites. “The Three Godfathers” is also good one.
God Bless John Ford and John Wayne.
I remember reading somewhere that “the Duke” was baptized Catholic shortly before he died. I don’t know if he was ever brought up in any sort of religion, but that all or most of his four wives were Mexican / Latina. From what I remember, his first wife was a devout Catholic and prayed for him her whole life, even after their divorce. I really hope this story is correct. May his soul Rest In Peace.
My favorites are “The Quiet Man” with Maureen O’Hara; “True Grit” and “Rio Bravo” with Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan. In the latter movie, I love the scene where Dean and Ricky sing “My Rifle, My Pony and Me” while The Duke looks on. Great stuff.
all or most of his four wives were Mexican / Latina.
Three wives, all born and raised in Latin America. Third wife still alive. 1st and 3d wife lived past 90.
Curio about Wayne: it’s not altogether clear what his legal name was. His screen name was ‘John Wayne’ from 1930 onward. However, he and his children sometimes used Wayne and sometimes used ‘Morrison’. There is one leftover document where he uses ‘Morrison’ and his wife uses ‘Wayne’. At the time of his death, the Social Security Administration had him on file as ‘John Wayne’ and the California Secretary of State as ‘Marion Morrison’.
“Rio Bravo” with Dean Martin
His best picture. Martin had some real acting chops.
I remember reading somewhere that “the Duke” was baptized Catholic shortly before he died.
Yep.
https://the-american-catholic.com/2012/06/14/john-wayne-cardiac-catholic-2/
Thank you, Art, for that clarification about his wives and to Don about the link for his conversion. 🙂
It’s easier to list the bad John Wayne movies than it is to list the good ones:
Jet Pilot, Big JIm McLain, The Conqueror. (Although that one can be a guilty pleasure in the it’s so bad it’s goo sense.)
I actually like BJM. I have found The Conqueror, Wayne as Genghis Khan !, completely unwatchable.
John Wayne was in a lot of bad movies early in his career, but that was more of a factor of just needing to be in movies to work and not yet being a recognizable star. Most of the really bad ones are pre-Stagecoach and shouldn’t be counted against him.
John Wayne was in a lot of bad movies early in his career, but that was more of a factor of just needing to be in movies to work and not yet being a recognizable star. Most of the really bad ones are pre-Stagecoach and shouldn’t be counted against him.
I think the way the studio system worked, you were an employee under contract and you worked on the projects to which you were assigned.
Nancy Reagan had very fond memories of the studio system from her time ensconced in it, but it could be harrowing for actors who hadn’t had her solid upbringing and who were overworked and horridly manipulated by those in charge of the production process and those without people protecting them. Shirley Temple survived her time in the system quite satisfactorily; Judy Garland was ruined by it.
From the beginning of 1930 to the end of 1938, he was cast in 58 films where he was granted screen credit. That’s 6-7 films a year. It’s not surprising with that kind of quick-and-dirty production there’s a lot of schlock.
Try The Three Godfathers- and
The Quiet Man