MovieChat Forums > The Shootist (1976) Discussion > John Wayne was good in this.

John Wayne was good in this.

posted 9 years ago by thomaswilliamboner
14 replies | jump to latest

I'm not usually a fan of John Wayne movies, but he is really good in this. He seems more natural and himself in this movie. I'm surprised at how good he could act when not playing "John Wayne"

[–] Zuider_Zee 9 years ago

He was simply America's greatest actor. There is no one today who can compare.

[–] srklondie 9 years ago

Well, that's a bit of a stretch. Perhaps you haven't seen enough to compare him with. You're entitled to your opinion, though.

[–] grendelkhan 9 years ago

Uh, not even close. Western actor, maybe; but, your mileage may vary.

I've enjoyed Wayne in some films, not so much in others. It usually depends on how well the material matches his personality. With this one though, I think there was more of a personal connection to the character and it brought a lot out of him that you didn't normally get.

Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!

[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

This is certainly the best performance I have seen from Wayne. And while his fundamental lack of talent is no doubt an exaggerated myth, it's true that he rarely saw fit to step out of his comfort zone all the same, opting to get by on his established screen persona.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] svengali64 8 years ago

Don't think John Wayne was the greatest of actors and I am sure he would be the first to admit this but what you do get is a movie legend who rarely disappoints. This is a great final movie from the Duke and I admit the last scenes are very emotional. It was like losing someone very close. An incredible career.

[–] ReedBalzac 8 years ago

This is my favorite John Wayne movie, and I think he is excellent in it.

He is not the greatest actor ever, I think that is Olivier.

I think JW is possibly the best character actor of all time. If not the best, at least on the list.

My two cents.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

Character actor means a supporting actor.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] Traianus 7 years ago

He was not a particularly great actor. A great actor to me means that the actor has some versatility and can play vastly different roles very well. Wayne generally did not do this. He was basically the same person in every single role he ever played, and he became very good at this.

Having said all that, I think he was absolutely outstanding in The Shootist, where he does demonstrate some depths, skills and sides to his character that are rarely if ever seen in his other films.

[–] Duck (13) 6 years ago

I think Wayne was an under rated actor. His performance in Red River, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Searchers and this movie (among several others) prove that he could and did stretch himself as an actor.

Although he was a really good actor when given an opportunity to really act he is no where near the "America's greatest actor". But he may have been the Worlds greatest movie star!

[–] twinA (4826) 6 years ago

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[–] joegerardi (378) 6 years ago

Here we go again...

Every time I see this, I wonder which 2 Wayne films films you saw, because you certainly couldn't have seen more. Watch the Searchers. Then watch Wings Of Eagles. Then watch She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. And of course, The Shootist.

Now see if you think the performances are ANYTHING alike. Many state that he should have won the Oscar for Yellow Ribbon for his nuanced performance of a man 25 years his senior. People like Spielberg and Martin Scorsese consider The Searchers one of the greatest movies ever made, and in no small part to The Duke's acting. Even John Ford, commenting after seeing Red River said of Wayne "I never knew the big sonovabitch could act.

Honestly- you must not have seen many Wayne films if you think he hadn't any versatility. Did he do a lot that were similar? Sure. Clint Eastwood did 3 "Man with No Name" movies, and the Dirty Harry movies were basically the same thing, as was High Plains Drifter. Lots of actors stick with what they know.

..Joe

[–] MIchiganJFrogg (-35) 6 years ago

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[–] joegerardi (378) 6 years ago

He didn't always pick good ones...

It was said that people could see him visibly shudder any time anyone mentioned "The Conqueror."

Not only was he terrible in it, the radioactive ground they filmed on most likely gave him the cancer that eventually killed him.

..Joe

[–] MIchiganJFrogg (-35) 6 years ago

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