Although some of the acting in this movie is somewhat disappointing, the scene in the dentists office with Wayne and Huddleston is a comic gem. "Go ahead and yell, most of my patients yell alot" along with "If you'da been a good enough actor I wouldn'ta had to use it" after giving Wayne "the real stuff". I crack up every time I see it.
shareI had a chance to ask actor David Huddleston (who played the Dentist) about this scene a couple of years ago. After Huddleston says the line about being "... a good enough actor..." Wayne does a double take. I asked Huddleston if this was an ad lib because Wayne looks genuinely surprised at the line.
He replied that the scene was shot shortly after Wayne returned to the Arizona location from Hollywood following his winning Oscar night. Many of heard the story of Wayne arriving on the set to find the cast and crew all standing with their backs to him. They turned around - and all were wearing eye patches, congratulating him on his win for TRUE GRIT.
Anyway, while shooting this scene, Howard Hawks pulled Huddleston aside and told him to say the line about being a "good enough actor." Huddleston did and Wayne's double take was genuine. To his credit he held character - and when the scene was cut he walked over to Huddleston and told him, "That was funny. Once."
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I always thought this was the best comic personality in a movie comedy line of all, even beating out some of the classic Hope-Crosby lines
Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time
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I remember thinking the Dentist was out-acting the Duke.
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