Films that John Wayne was accused of “tainting Hollywood”
(Source: Far Out / Monogram Pictures Corporation)
Sensational fare was never something John Wayne was interested in, leaving the iconic star increasingly intimidated by the ever-evolving evolution of cinema as a result.
Like any other media, film is in a constant state of moving with the times, pushing boundaries, and breaking down barriers, something that the Duke could never comprehend. He was increasingly critical of many recent films in the latter stages of his career, but two in particular stood out so much that he felt compelled to publicly discredit them.
Wayne was still highly regarded as a bankable box office star and A-list star at the end of the 1950s, but two features released in the final year of the decade seriously ruffled his feathers. However, it did not matter that both were enthusiastically received and widely praised, because the elder statesman of the West was apoplectic by their presence.
Quote by Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s play by Tennessee Williams Suddenly, last summer And Robert Rossen’s Gary Cooper vehicle They came to Cordura They were singled out by Wayne in a 1960 radio interview. He described them as “disgusting even to discuss” and “extremely disliked” because of the way their stories dealt with topics that were not popular in Hollywood at the time.
The first sees Elizabeth Taylor’s Katherine Holly witnessing the death of her cousin on a European trip, forcing Katharine Hepburn’s aunt to organize a secret lobotomy to keep the news from getting out. Meanwhile, Cooper’s Tom Thorne has been accused of cowardice, and both feature gay characters.
Wayne did not believe that either of them deserved to be “displayed on a screen designed to entertain a family, or any member of a respectable family,” referring to them as “a poison that pollutes the moral bloodstream of Hollywood.” Not only that, but his staunch defense of the military and those who served in it caused him to retain a special anger They came to CorduraWho blew it up with both barrels.
“To me, at least, this simply degrades the Medal of Honor. The whole story makes a mockery of America’s highest award for bravery.” The award itself.
A decade later, Wayne unleashed similar fury Midnight Cowboy After becoming the first X-rated film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, showing how “The Duke” would increasingly veer into “old man screaming at the cloud” territory during the twilight years of its decades in the spotlight. Cinema isn’t designed to appeal to everyone at all times, but Wayne has used his status and platform to spell out in no uncertain terms the headlines he believes are hurting his career.
