John Wayne

[no one]

bambam - I'll wait until this evening then give it my 'cheating' guess

[Atticus]

Guys like Wayne wouldn't work today, because we're more cynical.

True Grit is arch-cynical. Hollywood had already arrived at that destination when Wayne was still thriving. Other 'modern' films of his:
The Shootist
Rooster Cogburn (TG2)
Brannigan
McQ
Cahill
The Cowboys

[jeremyp]

Ford never had Wayne's gravitas, but, like Wayne, he always played a stylized version of himself, just as Robert Downey does.

The modern hero is seen differently. Guys like Wayne wouldn't work today, because we're more cynical. A close Wayne type on TV these days is the captain on "Last Ship." Humorless, stoic, in on every piece of action. Very retrograde.

[jeremyp]

Victor McLaglen? He was a boxer. I saw the Quiet Man. McLaglen and Wayne spent most of the movie fighting each other.

I would never compare the likes of Harrison Ford to John Wayne. Wayne was effective and very good at what he did. Favorites: The Searchers and Liberty Valance.

It wasn't a comparison of stature, it was a comparison of acting limitations. John Wayne's stature was as a macho, heroic, frontiersman. Ford is the modern man, more complex, and nuanced, but still limited in what he can portray.

[Atticus]

I would never compare the likes of Harrison Ford to John Wayne.

Ford never had Wayne's gravitas, but, like Wayne, he always played a stylized version of himself, just as Robert Downey does.

[Per Andersen]

What is the Olympic connection to Wayne's movie The Quiet Man?

Victor McLaglen? He was a boxer. I saw the Quiet Man. McLaglen and Wayne spent most of the movie fighting each other.

I would never compare the likes of Harrison Ford to John Wayne. Wayne was effective and very good at what he did. Favorites: The Searchers and Liberty Valance.

[jeremyp]

John Wayne was a presence, he didn't act. I watched Bogart recently: same thing. I think today's versions would be: Harrison Ford, and Bruce Willis, Sly Stallone.

[no one]

bambam - I would be astonished with anyone producing an answer anywhere near the ballpark without 'cheating' - which is usually what I have to do

[bambam1729]

What is the Olympic connection to Wayne's movie The Quiet Man?

[Halfmiler2]

I always thought the Cavalry trilogy directed by John Ford was among his best. I also find it interesting to watch the B films from early in his career before he hit it big in Stagecoach in 1939.

[Adam$]

Come on Lonewolf:
Don't you remember the Indians in Hondo trying to get info from the Duke, pouring hot coals on his midsection and he didn't give anything up!

There was a story out there -- which I think was true-- about a young Clint Eastwood reaching out to JW to do a role in one of Clint's Malpaso productions westerns.
Wayne supposedly got word to Clint that he didn't like his stuff and thought they were too violent (understandable) among other reasons.
Duke went on to do some nitwit role as a cop who carried a machine gun as an obvious nod to the success of the Dirty Harry films.

[no one]

your right on the 'dumping' element - it wasn't intended - could have framed it more sensitively - I thought that belatedly. Responses thus far have seemed fair enough.

[Dixon]

I doubt anyone could have done a better job in the parts he played. But....no way he could have played Rick in Casablanca, Terry in On the Waterfront, any Bogey or Cagny part.

The Duke was limited but what he was limited to he was great at.

[lonewolf]

Big star..lousy actor.

[ExCoastRanger]

He was pretty good in certain roles. Off the top of my head, Stage Coach, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Red River, a couple of Ford's cavalry flicks and The Shootist stand out as instances when he was very good and sometimes excellent.
They were also times he was opposite heavyweight actors like Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall, and perhaps directed/coached/pushed against type or at least in more creative directions.