John Wayne Recommendations (1 Viewer)

[Marshall Alsup]

Hi everyone,

This Christmas I've decided to give my dad 2 or 3 John Wayne films on DVD. We'll probably watch them on Christmas and the day after. However, I have never seen a John Wayne movie :b

I was wondering if you could recommend a couple of the best films and I'll try to track them down.

Thanks!
-Marshall

 

[Ernest Rister]

I don't know about "best", but these are my favorites:

BIG JAKE

Bad guy has the drop on John Wayne, holding him at gunpoint in a shower.

BAD GUY
No hard feelings.

BLAM! John Wayne shoots Bad Guy through the shower door.

JOHN WAYNE
Like hell there aint.



************

others:


THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER
RIO BRAVO
THE SEARCHERS
McLINTOCK!
HATARI
THE ALAMO (Director's Cut)
and in my opinion, the greatest Western ever made:
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE

 

[Frank Anderson]

Chisum has always been one of my favorite John Wayne westerns.

[url=https://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/7/7d/images_smiley_spidey.gif] [/url]

 

[Michael Elliott]

THE SEARCHERS
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE
THE SHOOTIST

Those would be my top 3 Wayne films. I'd probably also agree with Ernest about MAN WHO SHOT being the greatest Western but I might put UNFORGIVEN at #1.

 

[GARY C]

I'll throw in The Longest Day.

It's of course about D-Day and features an A-list cast (Wayne, Henry Fonda, Peter Lawford, Robert Wagner, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, etc. to name a few).

Worth a buy IMO.

 

[Haggai]

Somebody should certainly mention Red River. If I had to pick three Wayne films, among the ones I've seen, I'd go with Red River, Searchers, and Liberty Valance. Well, Rio Bravo should probably be up there too, that's also a great movie.

 

[NeilK]

Stagecoach!

 

[Eric Peterson]

Here's how I would order 'em.

1. The Searchers
2. Man who Shot Liberty Valance
3. Rio Bravo
4. Red River
5. Stage Coach

That's 3 John Fords and 2 Howard Hawks

 

[Jordan_E]

You want a Christmas John Wayne movie? You can't beat Donovan's Reef, with Lee Marvin in fine form. One of my favorite John Wayne movies. But on the western side of things, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is simply one of the best movies made.

 

[Henry Gale]

I agree with all these nominees.
Here are a few more that I've enjoyed for years:
Fort Apache (1948)
It's Custer's Last Stand, except you've got Apaches instead of Sioux, and Hank Fonda's Lt. Col. Thursday standing in for George Custer.
Reap The Wild Wind (1942)
Wake Of The Red Witch (1948)
The rubber octopus used in this movie was later stolen by Ed Wood's crew and used in Bride of the Monster (1955).
Sands Of Iwo Jima (1949)
Responsible for the recruitment of countless Marines.

 

[Matt Butler]

Ive only seen 2 Wayne movies in my life and I liked em both: Rio Bravo and Searchers

 

[Andy Sheets]

The Conqueror

 

[Michael Elliott]

If you want to go the early pre-STAGECOACH route, several public domain labels have them out there pretty cheap. I think Passport has 2-disc sets with about four movies on each set. These aren't quality films like the Ford movies but if you like Wayne you should find these entertaining.

 

[Marty M]

All my favorite JW movies have been mentioned here -- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Searchers, and Rio Bravo. I would also suggest you check out North to Alaska, another movie on the lighter side, like McLintock.

 

[Ernest Rister]

You can get Big Jake fairly cheap, I picked it up for $9.99 a few months back. DVD is widescreen, anamorphic enhanced. No extras, just the movie. I think it was the last time Wayne and Maureen O'Hara co-starred in a movie together, but don't quote me on that.

 

[Lew Crippen]

There are lots of great movies with John Wayne—especially (as has been mentioned) ones directed by Howard Hawks and John Ford. In no order:

•Red River
•Rio Bravo
•The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

I personally find the westerns better than the war movies. Avoid The Green Berets at all costs.

 

[Stephen_L]

Don't forget "Flying Tigers". I hope I got the title right.

 

[Peter M Fitzgerald]

I'd go with these three, all directed by the great John Ford:

THE QUIET MAN
THE SEARCHERS
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE

These are also well worth your time:

RIO BRAVO
RED RIVER
RIO GRANDE
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON
THE ANGEL & THE BAD MAN
STAGECOACH
THEY WERE EXPENDABLE
HATARI
DONOVAN'S REEF
TRUE GRIT
THE SHOOTIST
THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA
THE LONGEST DAY

 

[Lynda-Marie]

Hmm... it's been a while since I have seen any John Wayne movies :frowning: , but the ones I remember fondly are:

True Grit
Rooster Cogburn (The Duke AND Katharine Hepburn!)
North to Alaska (Kind of a fluff pic, but still fun)
Sands of Iwo Jima

 

[Todd Hostettler]

Rio Bravo is the greatest movie ever made.