John Wayne and John Ford made several classic westerns together, but it was the 1939 film ‘Stagecoach’ that made ‘Duke’ a star – as well as being one of the director’s worst experiences
John Wayne and John Ford teamed up on numerous classic Westerns, but it was 1939’s Stagecoach that catapulted Duke to stardom, a film which is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year.
Set in 1880, the film follows a group of strangers navigating through perilous Apache territory, and was hailed by Orson Welles as a masterclass in filmmaking.
In fact, Welles viewed it over 40 times in preparation for his iconic film, Citizen Kane, often dubbed “the greatest movie of all time”. In Stagecoach, Wayne – who was notably close with Irish film star Maureen O’Hara – sported his trademark hat, which he wore in many of his Westerns until it retired post-filming two decades later after Rio Bravo due to it simply “falling apart”.
This 1939 film marked a turning point in Duke’s career when director Ford decided to cast him as Ringo Kid. Upon receiving the offer, Wayne felt as if he had been struck “hit in the belly with a baseball bat”, fearing Ford would reconsider and instead opt for Lloyd Nolan.
Despite Ford having to battle with producer Walter Wanger, who consistently dismissed Wayne as a B-movie actor in favour of Gary Cooper, he stood his ground. Ford refused to make the film at all unless Wayne got the part.
However, even securing the role didn’t protect Duke and his fellow actors from Ford’s tough treatment on set of what became his first sound Western.
The director was notorious for his tough treatment of actors, often pushing them to deliver better performances. On the set of Stagecoach, he unleashed a verbal attack on actor Andy Devine, who played Buck, saying: “You big tub of lard! I don’t know why the hell I’m using you in this picture! ” However, Devine shot back: “Because Ward Bond can’t drive six horses.”
The director also targeted Thomas Mitchell, who played Doc Boone, and was met with a sharp remark about one of his recent flops: “Just remember: I saw Mary of Scotland!” However, John Wayne bore the brunt of his behaviour, with the director frequently calling him “a big oaf” and “dumb”.
He constantly criticized Wayne’s line delivery, walk, and even how he washed his face on camera.
According to Claire Trevor, who starred in Dallas, the director at one point grabbed Wayne’s chin and shook him, saying: “Why are you moving your mouth so much? Don’t you know you don’t act with your mouth in pictures? You act with your eyes.”
This behaviour continued throughout his career, causing some actors to walk off set, but Wayne tolerated it, largely because he credited Ford with making him a star in Stagecoach.