John Wayne | Hollywood Yesterday

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, Beautiful Promotional Photo for The Quiet Man

April 20, 2022 By Joi

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, The Quiet Man

While I love absolutely every movie John Wayne made, every movie Maureen O’Hara made, and most movies directed by John Ford (didn’t care for Mogambo), when the three teamed up, magic happened.

In addition to directing Maureen O’Hara in How Green was my Valley and John Wayne in MANY movies, John Ford directed the legendary cinematic pair in Rio Grande and The Quiet Man. While both movies are spectacular, The Quiet Man is absolutely magical – one of the best movies ever made… possibly THE best in my opinion.

The Quiet Man stars John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, and Maureen O’Hara’s own brothers James O’Hara and Charles B. Fitzsimons. It also stars one of the most beautiful scene-stealers I’ve ever seen, Ireland.

If you haven’t seen this uncommonly stunning movie yet, I hope you won’t let another day pass before you treat yourself to it’s beauty, magic, and perfection.

You can find The Quiet Man (Collector’s DVD on Amazon) on dvd or watch on Prime Video.

John Wayne, Stagecoach Promotional Picture

April 19, 2022 By Joi

John Wayne, Stagecoach

As far as I’m concerned, one of the best Westerns ever made was Stagecoach (1939). The cast includes John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell, George Bancroft, Louise Platt, Donald Meek, Berton Churchill.

The outstanding cast was directed by the wonderful John Ford and is absolutely a perfect film.

You can find Stagecoach on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video. I simply CANNOT recommend this one enough – the “entry scene” for John Wayne is one of the best character introductions in the history of film.

John Wayne, Anna Lee, and John Carroll in Flying Tigers (1942)

March 24, 2022 By Joi

John Wayne and Anna Lee

Flying Tigers is a really, really good 1942 drama starring John Wayne, Anna Lee, and John Carroll. Directed by David Miller, it’s a film that doesn’t get as much attention as many of the Duke’s films but it is wonderful in every way.

John Wayne, Anna Lee, and John Carroll

Each time I see this film I’m reminded of how much I adore John Wayne in AND out of westerns. While he fits westerns so perfectly I’m convinced he was born to be a cowboy, he was also wonderful in other films and other roles. Every now and then it’s refreshing to see him out of a cowboy hat… even if I keep half-expecting a horse to be around each corner!

I’m also reminded, with each viewing, how very lovely and talented Anna Lee was. Known most for How Green Was My Valley and General Hospital, she had a strong presence in every film she appeared in and made each scene better simply by showing up. I’m always amazed at how someone who looked so lovely and delicate could have had such a presence!

You can find Flying Tigers on dvd (Amazon link). Several versions are available but I’m linking to the dvd that has Anna Lee on the cover along with John Wayne. Yes… I do look for such things. You can also watch the movie on Prime Video. I am pleasantly surprised it’s available on Prime!

John Wayne and Anna Lee

Virginia Cherrill and John Wayne, Girls Demand Excitement

January 26, 2022 By Joi

John Wayne and Virginia Cherrill

As you might expect, I read A LOT of old Hollywood and classic tv biographies, memoirs, autobiographies, and old magazine articles. I also watch/listen to interviews with the stars, directors, their families, etc. When you read enough accounts about a particular individual, you can usually draw a pretty good image of them in your mind….. for better or worse!

I’ve found that the lovely Virginia Cherrill was a very special woman and quite a character it would seem! I’ve read about her in quite a few biographies in my collection and she has become one of my most-liked stars from old Hollywood. She was really something else and I wish very much a biography would be written about her. I’d be the first to buy it!

She was discovered by Charlie Chaplin at a boxing match of all places. She was seated next to him and he cast her in one of his movies, City Lights (1931), as a blind flower girl.

Virginia Cherrill’s career was not a long one, as she walked away from acting entirely. She didn’t consider herself to be a very good actress and simply walked away before she became well known. In fact, she is best remembered, it seems, as the blind flower girl in City Lights and as Cary Grant’s first wife.

She also starred in Girls Demand Excitement with John Wayne in 1931 and it’s amazing to realize that she had top billing over the Duke at that time! While they worked well together, I have to agree with John Wayne about something… he considered this to be his worst movie and I’m afraid I have to agree. It isn’t his fault and it isn’t Virginia’s… it simply isn’t a terribly memorable movie. It’s worth seeing for the two lead stars, of course, but you’re kind of glad when it’s over, if you catch my drift.

Angie Dickinson, Dean Martin, and John Wayne Behind the Scenes of Rio Bravo

January 11, 2022 By Joi

Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson

Rio Bravo isn’t just one of my favorite Westerns, it’s one of my favorite movies. Period. I simply love everything about it from start to finish. The cast, the story, the dialogue, the directing, the wardrobe… everything.

Angie Dickinson’s “Feathers” is one of my favorite movie characters – her portrayal is absolute perfection. Given that the actress was so young, it would have been easy for her to have been overwhelmed by being surrounded by such veteran talent, but she not only fit in beautifully, she stole more than a few scenes to boot!

John Wayne and Angie Dickinson

Rio Bravo is available on DVD (Amazon link) or you can watch it on Prime Video!

The Quiet Man Does…. Proof That the Perfect Movie DOES Exist!

November 18, 2021 By Joi

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, The Quiet Man

The Quiet Man (1952, directed by the wonderful John Ford) stars a cast that’s as great a cast as you’ll ever see assembled: John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, and Maureen O’Hara’s own brothers James O’Hara and Charles B. Fitzsimons.

One of the greatest stars in this film wasn’t even human… Ireland. The landscape and, somehow, the very soul of its beautiful people is on full display in this film and it will take your breath away if you aren’t careful.

You can find The Quiet Man (Collector’s DVD on Amazon) on dvd or watch on Prime Video.

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, The Quiet Man

Angie Dickinson and John Wayne (Love this Rio Bravo Publicity Photo!)

September 14, 2021 By Joi

Angie Dickinson and John Wayne, Rio Bravo

John Wayne deliberately stepped away from westerns after The Searchers (1956) and made The Wings of Eagles, Jet Pilot, Legend of the Lost, I Married a Woman, and The Barbarian and the Geisha (a movie we John Wayne fans pretend doesn’t exist!). None of these films were as successful as his westerns – although several were quite good. Rio Bravo marked his triumphant return to westerns.

You can find Rio Bravo on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Barbara Stanwyck, John Wayne, and George Brent in Baby Face (1933)

August 15, 2021 By Joi

Barbara Stanwyck and John Wayne, Baby Face

Baby Face (1933) isn’t just worth seeing because it’s a good movie, it’s also worth seeing for the cast, alone. Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Theresa Harris, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Cook, and a very young John Wayne are all outstanding in this one. When I first watched Baby Face (many, many years ago), I had no idea John Wayne (one of my personal favorite stars) was in the movie. When a man shows up in the workplace making eyes at Barbara Stanwyck’s character Lily, I froze and thought, “No way! Can’t be!” – but the camera went in closer and, sure enough, there he was in all his glory… just without a hat and not a horse in sight!

I hate to admit it now, because I’ve grown to like him a great deal, but this is actually the movie that made me a George Brent fan. Before Baby Face, I had only seen him in a few Bette Davis movies and I came away unimpressed each time. Due to the fact that I loved him so much in this movie (and in each one I’ve seen since), I suspect it had more to do with the boring characters he had played than it did with him. He was outstanding in this movie.

George Brent and Barbara Stanwyck

John Wayne and Donna Reed, They Were Expendable (1945)

July 20, 2021 By Joi

John Wayne and Donna Reed

I have always been a very big Donna Reed fan – in fact, back when The Donna Reed Show was shown in syndication on television (I wish it still was!), I never missed an episode. I also watch and rewatch her in It’s a Wonderful Life each December at least three times.

For whatever reasons, however, I’m really only recently discovering her other films. They’re wonderful and she is even more so. She was a stunningly beautiful and wonderfully talented actress. I wish she had been given even more films and even more challenging roles. When she was given a great role, she absolutely hit it out of the park!

She has become one of my top 5 all-time favorite movie actresses (she was already in the top five for television actresses… she, Lucille Ball, and Barbara Stanwyck top both lists!).

As for Mr. John Wayne… well, suffice to say he’s been one of my top favorite actors since I knew what an actor was.

Probably before then!

The fact that these two dynamic stars teamed up for a film makes me blissfully happy. The fact that this film, They Were Expendable, is outstanding is icing on the cake.

They Were Expendable (1945) was directed by John Ford and also stars Robert Montgomery, Jack Holt, Ward Bond, Marshall Thompson, and Cameron Mitchell.

You can find They Were Expendable on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

John Wayne and Donna Reed

The Outstanding Cast of El Dorado.. The Supporting Stars Give This One its Magic

June 26, 2021 By Joi

Charlene Holt, El Dorado

One of this western fanatic’s favorite movies is El Dorado (1966). Directed by the wonderful Howard Hawks, the incredibly (downright perfect if we’re being honest) talented cast includes John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Arthur Hunnicutt, Ed Asner, Michele Carey, Christopher George, Paul Fix, and briefly Johnny Crawford (best loved as Mark McCain on The Rifleman).

A movie is only as good as it’s stars and the characters they play, which is why El Dorado is movie gold. The colorful, larger than life characters this cast gives us is a gift that keeps on giving. I honestly believe I fall more in love with this movie each time I see it. The same is true of another Howard Hawks and John Wayne western, Rio Bravo.

James Caan and Michele Carey

The two lead stars in this western (John Wayne and Robert Mitchum) are excellent as always. There is something so right about watching a John Wayne Western and it’s made even more magical when the stars around him were/are just as larger than life and colorful as he was. In El Dorado, the Duke is surrounded by such stars!

Robert Mitchum and Arthur Hunnicutt go with John Wayne as beautifully as Dean Martin and Walter Brennan do in Rio Bravo. When they’re on the screen together, you’re pretty sure they were born for the moment.

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Hunnicutt

When it comes to supporting stars, El Dorado also has an embarrassment of riches: James Caan, Arthur Hunnicutt, Ed Asner, Christopher George, Michele Carey, and Charlene Holt do exactly what a supporting cast should do.

They simply make the film even better.

James Caan could just as easily be considered a lead star in this film (he gives my favorite performance in the film), he is usually treated as a supporting star… you couldn’t ask for any more support than he gives! The same is true of Arthur Hunnicutt, Christopher George, Ed Asner, and Charlene Holt. This movie wouldn’t be as timeless and perfect without this group of talent.

You can find El Dorado on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the wonderful western on Prime Video.