John Wayne was known for spreading his rather vitriolic opinions whenever he had the chance, even going as far as to state his belief in white supremacy in a controversial Playboy interview that solidified his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most controversial stars.
The western star appeared in many classic movies during his career, often working with John Ford to create incredibly popular tales of heroic cowboys and American brilliance. Despite his success, Wayne still found himself easily annoyed by others, especially if they tried to do what he did. Take Clint Eastwood, for example, whose entry onto the scene in the 1960s threatened to knock Wayne from his throne as the western’s most iconic figure.
As Hollywood changed and Ford started to become too old and symbolic of an outdated kind of cowboy film – too heroic and optimistic in comparison to the grittier and nihilistic ones now beginning to emerge – he found himself feeling spiteful. In fact, Wayne made several movies out of spite, like McQ, which was created in response to Eastwood’s Dirty Harry.
Released in 1974, three years after Dirty Harry, McQ saw Wayne try and replicate the kind of character that Eastwood had played so well in Don Siegel’s film. Wayne had turned down Dirty Harry, but after watching it, he came to regret his decision. He told Michael Munn, “I thought I could be Dirty Duke. After all, I chose to do it because I turned down Dirty Harry.”
He revealed that when he “saw the picture, I realised that Harry was the kind of part I’d often played enough.” Thus, he made McQ, directed by John Sturges, out of spite, although the film failed to garner as much success and longevity as Dirty Harry.
That wasn’t the only time Wayne made a film out of spite, however. Back in the 1950s, the anti-Communist Wayne had allowed his politics to inform his decision to turn down High Noon, which instead starred Gary Cooper in the leading role. The movie was written by Carl Foreman, who was blacklisted by Hollywood due to his suspected Communist leanings, and Wayne simply didn’t want to be associated with it.
Thus, he instead starred in Rio Bravo, directed by Howard Hawks, which bore a few similarities to High Noon, although Wayne ensured that his film ended much more heroically. Hawks explained: “I made Rio Bravo because I didn’t like High Noon. Neither did Duke. I didn’t think a good town marshal was going to run around town like a chicken with his head cut off asking everyone to help. And who saves him? His Quaker wife. That isn’t my idea of a good Western.”
Evidently, Wayne and Hawks weren’t impressed with the fact a woman played such a key role in being a hero, and instead made their own conservative version of the film. Fred Zinnemann, director of High Noon, was once quoted as saying, “I admire Hawks very much. I only wish he’d leave my films alone!”
Wayne might have been a Hollywood hero to many, but he wasn’t above making movies out of spite. It just goes to show that no matter how much success you get, if you’re a naturally spiteful and jealous person like Wayne was, these traits will seep into every area of your life, including work.