The films of John Wayne

[moira finnie]

The above is John Wayne, who looks so unbelievably young in The Big Trail.

Raoul Walsh is said by some sources to have cast Wayne on the recommendation of John Ford, who'd cast him as an extra in some films after spotting him as a prop assistant around a studio lot. Whatever the truth is, it's all there: his grace, sweetness, that funny walk (Lauren Bacall says that his feet were tiny, which is why he walked that way), and, oh yes, a charismatic stellar quality, like a diamond in the rough.

I would love to see The Big Trail in the movie theatre because of the wide screen process attempted in that movie. It also interests me since it is one of the few times we can see Tyrone Power Sr. in a talkie, but you probably knew that, Sandy.

[MissGoddess]

I finally saw Trouble Along the Way this weekend. I thought it was cute and unexpected. He's so big he seemed to dwarf everyone around him, even the sets themeselves, except when he was on the football field. I enjoyed it for a change of pace and I even thought one scene in particular was rather racy!! Remember when Marie Windsor approaches him in the saloon and basically lays it on the line that either he agrees to sleep with her or she'll sue for custody of their little girl. I was pretty shocked by that, considering any adult in the audience would have understood exactly what was implied. Talk about a mother-from-heck. The little girl was a good actress, playing a normal acting and behaving child, if a little too precocious, but then the point seems to be that is due to growing up around pool halls.

Donna Reed was charming but I wish her character had more screen time. When she burst out with her story about how she grew up and that she didn't want that for his daughter, it was the only time I saw her character say or do anything interesting.

I can see a little bit how Wayne must have been with his daughters in his scenes with the little girl.

While it's not a favorite it is nice to see him getting to do something different, very different.