I decided to view several movies staring John Wayne. I thought he would be a good actor to examine, as he stared in hundreds of movies. I didn’t realize how much his career influenced American culture. Wayne is the perfect example of a star echoing the mood and viewpoint of our country as a whole. Following his career, you can get a very good idea of how the average middle age White male though about himself, his country and the world.
John Wayne’s movies and characters showcase contemporary American thoughts and attitudes during the time that they were made. Sometimes these attitudes were very racist. Although we were required to view three movies, I found myself viewing much more than that. My research turned up several movies that I wanted to screen for this article, as they were noted as fine examples of the transition of racial and political attitudes in America from the 1930s clear up to the 1960s.
When examining the ideological concerns and values of the wider culture of the time period that the John Wayne represents, we see a man who seems to be molded to symbolize the image of the American male. Early on in his career, Wayne is the tough cowboy that stands firm on his beliefs or the military leader who is willing to kill and die for his country and its virtue.
His example of the way to be an American helped John Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as he learned how to speak English by watching John Wayne movies. (Willis, Gary “John Wayne's America”) It is the image first thought of when you mention the word “cowboy” as he practically perfected the role. His portrayal of the American cowboy and his tough nature is one that foreign leaders have said that our leaders copy.
Article comments
1 - Zetgeist
You ought to download the mp3 of a drunk John Wayne raving on about patriotism off of Bearshare.
2 - Eric Olsen
very interesting and balanced L.Cue, thanks and welcome! So do you like John Wayne? YOu dont' say much about how you feel about this archetypal cowboy.
3 - DrPat
I actually met JW in his tennis club in Newport Beach once. He remarked to a friend of mine that people rarely just talked to him. They were either overwhelmed (often so much so that they would not even approach him), or they were only trying for an interview "sound bite".
I suspect he was a very lonely man at the end of his career.
4 - Nick Jones
Sorry, but when I think "cowboy", I think of Clint Eastwood's The Man With No Name.
5 - L.Cue
I will try to find that mp3. I want to get the clips of Wayne’s album. When I heard it I was dying laughing!
I wrote this for a paper, but became pretty interested in Wayne as a subject. I will post part 2 tomorrow.
Personally, I feel like the great orator of our time, Mr. Chuck D. And I quote, "muthaf@ck him (Elvis) and John Wayne." I used to love that song “Fight the Power” because that was such a cold line. But now that I have researched his career a bit, I can see why some people would really feel this way about him.
I wouldn't say that I'm a fan, but I am interested in his story and life. Even watching his movies has some guilty pleasure to it. I didn’t want to like watching “Stagecoach” but I did. “The Green Berets”, I hated.
6 - DrPat
My personal favorite is "Hellfighters," about a fictionalized bersion of the late Red Adair, the oil-well fire fighter. (Adair was one of the conants brought in to shut down the fires in Kuwait after the Gulf War.
The movie is one of the few Wayne did that shows his strength and character in a non-cowboy role.