Wayne and Marvin's Weird First Fight Scene

This negligible John Ford comedy (his last film with Wayne?) has a certain sweet nostalgia to it, as the Duke and Lee Marvin (still in his "great supporting player" phase) anchor a 60's version of a post WWII South Seas comedy sojourn that's not quite politically correct, today.

But there's one scene that always fascinates me in this thing. And it is very early in the movie.

Here's the set-up: Lee Marvin has jumped ship and swum to his old "home island," where he quickly heads over to the main village bar and puts out word that he's "home."

Island resident John Wayne -- Marvin's old Navy buddy -- gets wind of this, and jeeps on over to the bar, entering to find Marvin lounging against the bar in WAYNE's nice white suit and tie -- too big for Marvin. Marvin's chewing on a cigar, a bottle of whiskey near him on the bar.

One other man is present: big Mike Mazurki, playing a local officer of the law in a short-pants uniform that is amusing on the big man. Mazurski, too, is leaning against the bar, saying nothing.

Now, it gets interesting: Wayne and Marvin warily eye each other, somewhat circle each other, exchange greetings. It's Marvin's birthday. Each man says barely a word to each other (Marvin's mumble of "Yeah, that's right" is almost below his breath), but its clear that Marvin has come here to expressly celebrate his birthday in some...specific way.

As the two men silently eye each other, Wayne turns his back for a moment. Marvin raises the whiskey bottle to hit him -- but Wayne turns back, and Marvin puts it down before Wayne can see.

Now Wayne approaches the silent cop Mazurski, and delivers the next line in impeccable "Wayne-ese":

"Why haven't you thrown this guy in the brig! The hoosegow!"

It's a funny, weird line, spoken by Wayne with a poetic edge ("The brig! The hoosegow!" are given poetic weight.)

Mazurski says little or nothing in response, and then this long, near silent scene suddenly turns into a big brawl between Wayne and Marvin, just like the good old days of Fordian moviemaking.

I gotta say it: there is a bizarre homoerotic charge to this scene! Wayne and Marvin seem to eye each other like men longing to "be together." What they're really looking to do -- in the old-time movie manner -- is have a big physical brawl because that's what manly men did back then, I guess.

Still, I find the scene funnier than hell, and not necessarily for the right reasons. Ford just lets the silences build -- and keeps Mike Mazurki standing there stock still -- and builds up to the fight as carefully as he can.

But the main thing I love is Wayne's line, floating through the silence with its own weird, sharp, power:

"The brig! The hoosegow!"

I mean, how long has it been since you've heard the word "hoosegow" in a movie?