Scott Allen Nollen on Three Bad Men:John Ford, John Wayne, & Ward Bond

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moira finnie
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by moira finnie »

Thanks, Scott. Bond's work in The Long Voyage Home--and that of the entire cast and crew on what looks and feels like a labor of love--is an unsung treasure. I also love John Wayne's performance as an innocent sailor in this film--which reminds me...

In reviewing this thread since yesterday, I noticed that we haven't touched on John Wayne's spot in this triangle very much, perhaps because we "think" we know him.

I realize that Ford (and Wayne friend and fellow actor Paul Fix) helped to nurture John Wayne's screen presence, but do you think that Wayne had an intrinsic sense of his own skill as an actor by the time he did Stagecoach (1939)?

Could you please talk a bit about how John Wayne became close to Ward Bond and Ford?

You recount some of the times when Wayne and Ford seemed to pile on Bond, mocking him and assailing his "ape-like" behavior. Was this "guys being guys" or was it another way for Ford to control the two of his pals?

The relationship between Wayne and Ford seemed to wane when Ford saw him doing things such as The Big Trail and The Alamo independently of his influence. How did they reconcile?

You quote from letters sent to Ford by his wife Mary during WWII when Bond and Wayne's behavior back in Hollywood seemed to be veering out-of-control, especially after breaking off with both their wives. Mary Ford seemed awfully tolerant (some would say "enabling" of the alcoholism around her), but I can't help wondering if you ever felt that the way the three acted together reflected a kind of fear of domesticity/intimacy or were they each trying to cope with the pressures of the uncertainty in their lives in the always hazardous film industry?

Thanks in advance for your replies to these questions.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Scott_Nollen »

By the time Wayne worked on STAGECOACH, he had become very frustrated with the formulaic B Westerns that he'd been making since the commercial failure of THE BIG TRAIL. The only time a "reconciliation" occurred between Ford and Wayne was at Pappy's discretion. Ford didn't offer an explanation; he'd just suddenly act that everything between them was fine. Wayne wanted to make it in the film industry, but really was without much direction until Ford beckoned him back with the STAGECOACH role. Yes, Paul Fix and Raoul Walsh helped develop the Wayne persona, but many of the gestures and expressions Wayne used throughout his career came from Ford, particularly the nonverbal economy that Wayne developed so well over the years. Ford would tell Duke, "I'm shooting a close-up. Just STAND THERE and the camera will do the rest." Ford's uncanny use of the motion picture camera still remains unequaled, as far as I'm concerned.

Wayne met Bond at USC when they both were students and football players. They hit it off then, but really became friends after Ford cast both of them in SALUTE. By that time, Wayne had dropped out of college, but Bond was seeking acting jobs as a way to STAY in school. Bond remained friends with Ford after Wayne was given the cold shoulder; and after Ford put Duke in STAGECOACH, their relationships really took off from there. A lot of the "gorilla" comments and such were, to a certain extent, just "guys being guys." But the fact that Bond was so impervious to abuse made him a constant target. Ford needed a whipping boy, and Bond was the ULTIMATE whipping boy! He would never allow himself to look unable to "take it," but he often could dish it out, as well.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Scott_Nollen »

Mary Ford was so VERY tolerant of her husband's self-indulgent shenanigans that she just naturally offered the same tolerance to Wayne and Bond while Pappy was away "directing World War II." I think the two pals helped fill a void for Mary, and Bond spend a lot of time with Ford's children (probably more than Pappy did himself when he was at home!). Of course, Ford rode his surrogate sons (particularly Wayne) about not serving during the war (of course, Bond was legitimately 4-F due to his epilepsy), but he did appreciate the time they spent at the Ford home during his absence.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Rita Hayworth »

I was looking at Ward Bond IMDb today, and I was stunned to see 274 (about 15-20% uncredited) Acting Credit for a man that had a very short life born in 1903 and died in 1960 at the age of 57.

One of my favorite movies of Ward Bond is "My Darling Clementine" when he played Morgan Earp. Care to share some things about this beloved movie - he was superb in every way shape and form.

Also, when I watched "Mister Roberts" yesterday on TCM and he was fabulous as Chief Petty Officer Dowdy and I was surprised to learned from researching this movie that it was William Powell's last film role and he (Powell) is one of my favorite actors - did he and Powell get along great in this movie?

And, last and not least - possibly my favorite role of all time - is his portrayal of Rev Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton in "The Searchers" with John Wayne and I just never, ever get tired of the grand ole Western. I just amazed how well he did in this classic movie; and wondering what is your thought of this movie made in 1956.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, Scott.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Scott_Nollen »

Yes, Ward is excellent in MY DARLING CLEMENTINE. Ford built up his role as Morgan Earp, and let Ward add some personal touches, such as his famous "horse whinny," which he does to Linda Darnell, who tosses a pitcher of milk in his face! Ford (as he usually did) also lovingly featured Bond's butt in many shots, especially during the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" scene.

The making of MISTER ROBERTS was quite an ordeal, as Ford was roaring drunk during the making of it (he usually abstained while working) and eventually was replaced by Mervyn Leroy when he had to be hospitalized to have his gall bladder removed. There is really no record of how Bond got along with William Powell, but it seems that Ward got along fine with everyone on that shoot. In fact, he directed on one occasion, when Ford departed and until Leroy arrived to take over.

I consider THE SEARCHERS the greatest Western ever made, and certainly one of the best American films of all time. It is such a rich, profound film, and I see new things every time I watch it. Yes, Bond is brilliant, and his character is so richly textured, just like every other aspect of this film. I devote quite a few pages to THE SEARCHERS in my book.

Thanks again for some great questions!
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by JackFavell »

Hi again, Mr. Nollen! I just bought your book last night, which I've been meaning to do for some time now. I am going to apologize in advance for the ridiculous number of questions I have. :D :D

How did Bond prepare (if he did at all) for his films? He's so good, I find it hard to believe that he didn't have what we call now a "process". At the same time, I also find it hard to picture him studying every facet of his character. Do you have any insight on his acting style? Or how he might have prepared for the role of say, Franz, in The Mortal Storm (so creepy), as opposed to someone like John L. Sullivan in Gentleman Jim? Was there something in Bond's past that drove him toward acting, or was it really just a way to make money?

Wagon Master is one of my very favorite movies. Do you have any stories of behind-the-scenes happenings during this film? I've read that it was a dream shoot. Bond is so very warm and wonderful here, it's hard to imagine him as the Nazi from the previously mentioned movie. Did Bond perhaps think of his own family's migration across the plains when making this film?

Also, I noticed some time ago a lot of butt shots in Wagon Master, not of Ward himself, but certainly of Ben Johnson and Dobe Carey, not to mention the butt fight when Carey and his rival vie for the Mormon girl's attentions. I guess Wardy wasn't the only one singled out for butt jokes! Unless it was some elaborate gag meant to dig at Bond himself...

Can you tell me more about Walsh and Wayne's relationship? Or about Ford and Walsh's, both such characters? Or anything you might have found out about Raoul Walsh during your research?

Can you tell me more of Bond's relationships with black musicians?

One more question: In the opening of your book, you talk with warmth about Francis Ford, one of our pioneer film-makers. Did you discover anything about Francis' early career as a director when you were working on the book? I know that a few of these questions are more tangential to the topic at hand, but it would be so wonderful to find out something more about Francis Ford... to me, one of the unsung heroes of silent cinema. There's so little real information about him.

Thank you SO MUCH for being here, we appreciate it a lot.

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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Scott_Nollen wrote:Yes, Ward is excellent in MY DARLING CLEMENTINE. Ford built up his role as Morgan Earp, and let Ward add some personal touches, such as his famous "horse whinny," which he does to Linda Darnell, who tosses a pitcher of milk in his face! Ford (as he usually did) also lovingly featured Bond's butt in many shots, especially during the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" scene.

The making of MISTER ROBERTS was quite an ordeal, as Ford was roaring drunk during the making of it (he usually abstained while working) and eventually was replaced by Mervyn Leroy when he had to be hospitalized to have his gall bladder removed. There is really no record of how Bond got along with William Powell, but it seems that Ward got along fine with everyone on that shoot. In fact, he directed on one occasion, when Ford departed and until Leroy arrived to take over.

I consider THE SEARCHERS the greatest Western ever made, and certainly one of the best American films of all time. It is such a rich, profound film, and I see new things every time I watch it. Yes, Bond is brilliant, and his character is so richly textured, just like every other aspect of this film. I devote quite a few pages to THE SEARCHERS in my book.

Thanks again for some great questions!

This is great and I do wanted to say "Thanks for answering these questions to me!" ...
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

Scott, thank you so much for your wonderful comments, attention to our members, and your devotion to your craft.

In researching your book, did you find ample evidence that being so involved in the creation and filming of the popular television program Wagon Train took its toll physically and mentally on Ward Bond? And when Bond died in Dallas, he was scheduled to appear at the Cowboys/Rams halftime show, but was his appearance political, or just because Wagon Train was so popular a the time?

Thank you again for such a splendid, fact-filled visit!

Sincerely,
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Rita Hayworth »

What was John Ford most difficult movie for him to Direct? ... Same goes to both John Wayne and Ward Bond in terms of acting and preparation for that role. I'm kind of curious what is John Wayne most difficult role is - same goes to Ward Bond too.

I will be getting your book very soon ... Looking forward reading it. :)
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Scott_Nollen »

So many good questions! All of them are answered in my book, but I'll try at least to touch upon them here. As far as Bond's preparation for his roles, he basically studied the script, focused on the character and learned his lines. He may have been fun-loving in his personal life, but he took his work very seriously and always went to work prepared. WAGON MASTER is a wonderful film, and Bond is so natural and believable in it, as he is in everything, really! In the book, I describe in detail Ford's focus on Bond's butt, and the incident in WAGON MASTER where the dog runs in and bites Ward, tearing his trousers!

Raoul Walsh figures in the early careers of both Wayne and Bond, since the two of them appear in THE BIG TRAIL. Walsh selected "John Wayne" as Marion Morrison's screen name, and he--like Ford--immediately noticed the raw natural talent that Duke had. Ford considered Walsh an excellent director, and after his cataract surgery in 1953, began wearing an eye patch--just like Walsh had since losing one eye in a car accident in 1929.

Bond literally wore himself out during the making of WAGON TRAIN, working all week (as lead actor AND unofficially as writer and editor) and then traveling to Dallas on the weekends to visit political friends and carouse the nights away. He was to make a personal appearance at a Cowboys football game, but suddenly died from cardiac arrest in his hotel room. Overwork, lack of sleep and overeating, combined with alcohol and drug abuse, were just too much for him.

Ford gave Bond many challenging roles, even selecting him to play Himself (as "John Dodge") in THE WINGS OF EAGLES. Wayne always mentioned SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON and THE SEARCHERS as the films that presented him with the most challenging roles of his career. He said that Nathan Brittles in YELLOW RIBBON was his best performance. Ford's most difficult film was certainly MR. ROBERTS, mainly because of his ongoing self-abuse. As to technical filmmaking challenges, Ford made so many major masterpieces that each of them presented him with its own specific challenges--from THE IRON HORSE to HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY to THE SEARCHERS. Age ultimately presented Ford with his toughest obstacle.

Simply put, the quantity and quality of the work these three men achieved over several decades is mindboggling.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Scott_Nollen »

I'm so pleased that the subject of Francis Ford has been mentioned. I tried to discover as much as possible about Francis, so he finally could be given his due. He really was a pioneer filmmaker, and there would never have been a JOHN FORD without FRANCIS FORD! Unfortunately so little of Francis' work has survived. I have a few original stills of Francis and his mistress, Grace Cunard, and these are true treasures, now over 100 years old. Francis literally helped develop film technique, and John, though he often treated his brother with outward disdain (casting him as drunks and dullards), he also gave him credit for his filmmaking skills. To see Francis in respectful roles, watch the superb PILGRIMAGE and, of course, THE QUIET MAN. Francis also has an unforgettable role in WIlliam Wellman's heartbreaking THE OX-BOW INCIDENT, and plays the villager attacked by Boris Karloff's Monster in FRANKENSTEIN.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by CineMaven »

Hello Again Mr. Nollen. Have you a moment for yet another question? At the risk of embarassing myself and not being taken seriously as a true classic film fan, I find that as ferocious as Ward Bond could be, he also was just a big ol’ teddy bear. Can you speak to that?

Image Image Image Image

What I'm actually meaning is that he didn’t seem afraid of man nor beast. You could put him up against a Cagney, Gable, Bogie, Ryan, Fonda or even the great Spencer Tracy and Ward Bond didn’t seem to miss a beat, break a sweat or bat an eye. My favorite performance of his is in “A GUY NAMED JOE.” He was man enough to stand up to Tracy but tender enough to comfort Irene Dunne; probably had an unrequited love himself for her in the film. I’ve read Tracy and Dunne didn’t have the greatest chemistry on set. Would you have any information of how Bond felt about working with Tracy? Ward Bond always seems comfortable in his own skin no matter what ‘big movie star’ he played across from. Thanx for any insight you have on this.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by Scott_Nollen »

Yes, Ward is totally convincing in A GUY NAMED JOE. I've always thought that he was cast perfectly in this film. He originally appeared (briefly) with Spencer Tracy in the latter's first film--Ford's UP THE RIVER (1930), and then went on to play his pal in A GUY NAMED JOE 13 years later. You are right: He really does cover a wide spectrum of behavior in A GUY NAMED JOE, and he exhibits some of the same range he later would develop further, especially during his years on WAGON TRAIN, when he must wear "a lot of hats." I would imagine that he thoroughly enjoyed working with Tracy, since they both had such a naturalistic acting style. Bond is so good in this film--and so many others--that it truly is difficult to choose "a favorite" from his hundreds of performances! His sincerity is always there, in whatever character he is playing, but I'll definitely have to add his character in A GUY NAMED JOE to my favorites list.
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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

Post by moira finnie »

I have a few more questions, though I am hoping that others will post theirs too for the remainder of Sunday.

1.) You mention that growing up in Maine, John Ford received a good art education in his school system and was familiar with the work of fellow New Englander Winslow Homer, having visited his nearby studio as a lad. Clearly, Ford's knowledge and interest in art (notably Frederic Remington and other Western artists) was present in every frame of his films.* Did John Ford continue to develop his eye by looking at art and did he collect any paintings throughout his life? Did he ever sketch or paint himself? Did he ever use any story boards or use any sketches provided by his DP when deciding how to place his camera?

2.) You give quite a bit of detail about the conflicts between John Ford and Darryl F. Zanuck (or "Darryl F. Panic" as Ford reportedly called him). Given the fact that some consider the films that Ford made in that period at 20th Century Fox to be among his greatest (The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley), do you think that Ford was someone who chafed under but needed the structure provided by the studio system?

3.) I am intrigued by the performance that Boris Karloff, the subject of your splendid book, Boris Karloff: A Gentleman's Life (Midnight Marquee), gave as a religious madman in Ford's The Lost Patrol (1934). How did the pair hit it off? Did Ford need to do much to encourage Boris to make his character so haunting? Did Karloff and Ford remain friendly?

4.) It was amusing to read that Ford was not pleased to have his name associated with Mighty Joe Young (1949) a film "aimed at adolescents" via the production company, Argosy Pictures. Did he have anything to do with this delightful piece of entertainment? Also, since we have several members who revere the name of Ben Johnson (that's a hushed chorus you hear in the background), could you please touch on Ben's rapport with Ford, Wayne and Bond?

5.) You included several eloquent quotes from Dobe Carey (Harry Carey, Jr.) in your book. Did you have a chance to interview him or anyone else in the extended Ford Stock Company family when researching your book?

6.) Do you have another book in mind for the future? If so, could you please consider coming back for another visit here to promote it?

Thanks a million for giving us this weekend. I know we haven't asked the simplest questions, but we do love this topic and appreciate the love you have for your subjects as well as your wit and generosity. Don't be a stranger, Scott, please!!??

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Re: The Q & A for Scott Allen Nollen on Sat. 2/8 & Sun. 2/9

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