John Wayne: "The hell I won't!"

It was a simpler time, a more innocent time. The grass was greener, the skies were bluer, friendships were truer. And my kid brother and I would find it so freakin' laugh-out-loud funny to hear John Wayne snarl "The hell I won't!" in McLintock! at the old Nola Theatre in our Ninth Ward neighborhood that we would be able to crack each other up for years afterward just by repeating the line. Those were the days, my friend...

Now showing at a Redbox kiosk near you: Dawn Rider

There's really no excuse for Dawn Rider, a direct-to-video remake of a 1935 B-Western with Christian Slater in a role originally played by John Wayne. You can read what I wrote about it for Cowboys & Indians magazine here. But if you'd rather not, don't worry, I won't take offense. On the other hand, if you do click over to the C&I website, you can read my preview of the upcoming Longmire TV series instead.

Coming soon to a theater near you: Sarah Palin

According to RealClearPolitics.com, the former governor of Alaska is the star of an upcoming film titled The Undefeated. And no, it's not a remake of the 1969 John Wayne movie.

MFA offers a free ticket for a Stagecoach ride

The disreputable doctor who cracks wise and drinks heavily, but sobers up when the chips are down. The golden-haired prostitute who brightens incandescently when a naive cowpoke calls her “a lady.” The shifty-eyed gambler with a gun at his side and, presumably, an ace up his sleeve.

And, of course: The square-jawed, slow-talking gunfighter who’s willing to hang up his shootin’ irons -- who’s even agreeable to mending his ways and settling down on a small farm with a good woman – but not before he settles some unfinished business with the varmints who terminated his loved ones. Why? Because, as the gunfighter tersely notes, “There are some things a man can’t run away from.”

These and other familiar figures had already established themselves as archetypes by 1939, that magical movie year in which Stagecoach premiered. Even so, director John Ford’s must-see masterwork -- which will have a free-admission screening at 2:30 pm Sunday at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston -- arguably is the first significant Western of the talking-pictures era, the paradigm that cast the mold, set the rules and firmly established the dramatis personae for all later movies of its kind. Indeed, it single-handedly revived the genre after a long period of box-office doldrums, elevating the Western to a new level of critical and popular acceptance.

And unlike, say, Raoul Walsh’s creaky and badly dated The Big Trail (1930) – John Wayne’s first starring vehicle, but a career-stalling flop in its time – Stagecoach remains a lot of fun to watch.

Ford’s film is a classically simple tale of strangers united in close quarters for a brief but intensely dramatic interlude. In this case, the characters are passengers aboard an Overland Stage Line coach during a dangerous trek through Indian Territory. The journey begins in the small town of Tonto -- no, really -- as two social outcasts – Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell), a gleefully roguish alcoholic, and Dallas (Claire Trevor), a tearfully vulnerable prostitute – are forcibly exiled by the good ladies of The Law and Order League.

These pariahs board the stage to Lordsburg along with Mrs. Mallory (Louise Platt), a very proper – and very pregnant – Army wife; Hartfield (John Carradine), a courtly gambler who appoints himself as Mrs. Mallory’s protector; Peacock (Donald Meek), a mild-mannered whiskey salesman whose sample case is progressively depleted by Doc Boone; and, at the last minute, Gatewood (Berton Churchill), a blustering banker who has absconded with the contents of his office safe. Buck (Andy Devine) is the driver, and Sheriff Wilcox (George Bancroft) rides shotgun.

Just outside of Tonto, the travelers are joined by The Ringo Kid, a boyishly handsome gunfighter who has broken out of prison to avenge his murdered father and brothers. As Ringo -- the role that saved him from the professional purgatory of B-movies – John Wayne makes one of the greatest entrances in movie history: While he spins a rifle like a six-gun, the camera rapidly tracks toward him, then frames him heroically, almost worshipfully, in a flattering close-up. Ringo is a friendly and forthcoming fellow, even when dealing with Sheriff Wilcox. But he leaves no room for doubt that he’s quite capable of minding his own bloody business at the end of the line.

If you’re familiar with Stagecoach only through its reputation, or if you’ve seen nothing more than cut-and-paste highlights from Ford’s classic, you may be surprised by the movie’s intimacy. To be sure, the majestic landscapes of Monument Valley – to which Ford returned for several subsequent Westerns – are grandly impressive. And the much-imitated Indian assault on the speeding stagecoach, replete with breath-taking stunt work choreographed by the legendary Yakima Canutt, is every bit as exciting as its reputation attests.

But what really makes Stagecoach so vital and memorable is the emotionally charged interaction among its vividly drawn characters.

Much of the movie consists of expressionistically lit interior scenes. (Orson Wells reportedly viewed Stagecoach several times as part of his preparations for making Citizen Kane.) And in many of its most memorable moments, the archetypes reveal unexpected depth and complexity. Even Carradine’s ostentatious gambler turns out to be truly chivalrous in his fashion, redeeming himself gracefully under fire. And Wayne demonstrates that, long before his speech patterns and body language ossified into self-parody, he could give as soulfully affecting a performance as any hero who ever rode hard and shot straight in the most American of movie genres.

And by the way: Has any film actor ever had a better year than Stagecoach co-star Thomas Mitchell did in 1939? Consider: In addition to earning an Oscar for his work in Ford's classic, he also contributed memorable performances to Howard Hawks' Only Angels Have Wings, Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and (playing opposite Charles Laughton's Quasimodo) William Dieterle's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. And, not incidentally, he played the heroine's dad in a little movie called Gone With the Wind. Cowabunga.

True Grit, take two

Look like all those rumors about a remake of True Grit... aren't just rumors. According to Variety, filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen are scheduled to start production next March -- for a late 2010 release -- with Jeff Bridges (a veteran of the Coens' cult-fave The Big Lebowksi) filling in for John Wayne as grizzled lawman Rooster Cogburn. Matt Damon reportedly is "in talks" to co-star as the Texas Ranger played by Glen Campbell in the original 1969 film -- which, like the remake, was based on a novel by Charles Portis. And Josh Brolin, who figured prominently in the Coens' Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men, may sign on to play the chief villain of the piece. No word yet on who will portray the feisty young woman played in the '69 original by Kim Darby.

When I asked the Coens about this project last month -- during round-table interviews for A Serious Man at the Toronto Film Festival -- they insisted that their version will be “more faithful” to Portis’ novel than the film that helped The Duke win his one and only Academy Award. And, hey, maybe it will. To be honest, the '69 picture wasn't exactly a classic. And, to be even more honest, Wayne deserved an Oscar more for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and/or The Searchers. But, dang, try telling any of that to the diehard fans who are bound to squawk no matter how good the Coens' remake will be.

Fight cancer with Team Duke

John Wayne died 30 years ago this summer. My father died three years ago this month. My friend Al Shea died last week. Here's a way to raise money to fund the fight against their killer.

Team Duke 1 minute spot from Team Duke on Vimeo.

Old Man Leydon

To paraphrase a posting from last year: Another birthday, another reminder of just how ancient I am becoming. Today, I turn 57. Consider: I am now two years older than Humphrey Bogart was when he played Lt. Comdr. Queeg in The Caine Mutiny. (Worse, I’m roughly the same age he was when he freakin' died.) I am now three years older than James Stewart was when he starred in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I am five years older than Walter Brennan was when he played Old Man Clanton in My Darling Clementine, and John Wayne was when he starred in Rio Bravo. I am seven years older than Claude Rains was when he co-starred in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I am 14 years older than Lee Marvin was when he took command of The Dirty Dozen. When I consider how old I used to think those guys looked in those movies….

Another ride for The Duke?

Everybody knows that John Wayne's last movie was The Shootist, right? Well, maybe not. Maybe the real curtain-closer for The Duke's career is a science-fiction Western -- no kidding! -- called Thunder Riders of the Golden West.

Brendan Wayne: Carrying on the family tradition

The Duke's grandson talks about following in the tradition of an American icon in this interview I did for Cowboys & Indians.

A duo of Duke double-disc DVDs

New in video stores this week: Double-disc DVD editions of two classic Westerns starring John Wayne, John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (co-starring James Stewart and Lee Marvin) and Howard Hawks’ El Dorado (with Robert Mitchum and James Caan). Released as part of Paramount Home Video’s “Centennial Collection” series, each film comes complete with photo galleries, souvenir booklets, optional commentary soundtracks, and behind-the-scenes documentaries. Director-historian Peter Bogdanovich contributes to the commentary tracks of both films – and, on Liberty Valance, shares archival recordings of interviews he did back in the day with Wayne and Ford. And Hawks biographer Todd McCarthy figures into the mix on the El Dorado commentary.

R.I.P.: Beatrice Arthur (1922-2009)

A strange coincidence: Just a few days ago, I was talking with Melinda Wayne, daughter of the late, great John Wayne, about her father's hilarious guest-starring stint on Maude back in the 1970s. And about how charmed he was by Beatrice Arthur, despite their obvious political differences. Wayne could not have been alone in that regard, considering that Maude aired at a time when TV truly was a mass medium, and no series could sustain acceptably high ratings for very long without attracting an audience comprised of folks from all political camps. Back then, for better or worse, audiences were far more willing to sample, if not always celebrate, elements of pop culture that didn't consistently reinforce their own beliefs. True enough, there were angry protests, and a few affiliate blackouts, when CBS aired the episode in which Maude opted to have an abortion. But, you know, I have to wonder: Would the decision-makers at any TV network today have the cojones to allow the lead character in a sitcom to terminate a pregnancy? Or would they be afraid of, you know, offending viewers?

Rio Bravo: 50 years young

Wall Street Journal writer Allen Barra celebrates Howard Hawks' classic Western, which he claims may be the most popular cult movie ever made. Seriously. "The phrase 'cult favorite' conjures up images of wobbly hand-held camera shots and little-known actors," Barra admits. "But Rio Bravo was shot in glorious Technicolor and starred perhaps the most popular star in movie history. Most cult films are too hip to be popular, and most big hits are too popular to be hip. But Rio Bravo is that rarest of films -- both popular and hip."

The Duke in 3-D

Writer/researchers Bob Furmanek and Jack Theakston want to the set the record straight regarding "myths" about Hondo. (Thanks to John Guidry for the tip.)

R.I.P.: Antonio Aguilar (1919-2007)

The Associated Press reports: Mexican mariachi singer and actor Antonio Aguilar, who recorded more than 150 albums and began his acting career during Mexico's "Golden Era" of cinema, has died in Mexico City after a long fight with pneumonia. He was 88.

Born in the northern state of Zacatecas, Aguilar recorded with his traditional mariachi group for 50 years and sold more than 25 million records. His hit songs include "Triste Recuerdo," "Albur de Amor," "Gabino Barrera" and "Puno de Tierra." He appeared in 167 films, including The Undefeated starring John Wayne. In 2000, he got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Adios!

John Wayne: For better or worse, an American icon

A writer for the London Times -- quoting, among others, yours truly -- takes a slightly more critical view of The Duke.

Here's looking at you, Duke!

Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle and Jake Coyle of The Associated Press offer respectful assessments of The Duke on the weekend of the John Wayne Centennial.

'100 Years/100 Hours: The John Wayne Centennial'

Encore Westerns announces a movie marathon to salute The Duke during Memorial Day weekend and beyond.

All Wayne, all the time

And the hits just keep on coming: Turner Classic Movies will celebrate the John Wayne Centennial by showing no fewer than 35 of his best movies May 21-26.

Meanwhile, over at Box Office Mojo, Scott Holleran reports from Newport Beach on a major Wayne retrospective and tribute. The money quote: "Seeing the Duke on the big screen—mostly at Edwards Cinemas in Newport Beach's Fashion Island—is an experience: during opening credits, the theater goes silent as a big, rousing score comes through the speakers and, when the movie begins, there's a palpable sense of shared excitement for what's coming; the audience reacts, laughs, and thoroughly enjoys the show. An unmistakable difference between today's audiences and a John Wayne audience: reverence for the motion picture. They're there to see the movie—the action, the story, the hero—not to be blown away by a giant video game."

Even the French love Le Duke

And that's why, if you're lucky enough to be attending the Cannes Film Festival later this month, you'll have a chance to see special "John Wayne Centenary" tribute screenings of Hondo -- projected in its original 3-D format! -- and Rio Bravo. That's prettty tres magnifique, pilgrims.

R.I.P.: Roscoe Lee Brown (1925-2007)

Roscoe Lee Brown possessed the sort of mellifluous voice that can guarantee an actor a thriving career doing commercial voiceovers and movie narrations. (Anyone remember Babe?) But for many film buffs, he'll be best remembered as the camp cook who led John Wayne's young proteges in a mission of revenge in The Cowboys. Even in this role, however, Brown evidenced flawless diction -- much to the consternation of some white critics who, truth to tell, may have been channeling their inner Don Imus. "Some critics complained that I spoke too well to be believable" in the cook's role, Browne told The Washington Post in 1972. "When a critic makes that remark, I think, if I had said, 'Yassuh, boss' to John Wayne, then the critic would have taken a shine to me." Of course, maybe that critic had never seen The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970), in which Brown's dignified businessman refused to take any guff from any white guy, even at the cost of his life.