I always liked John Wayne. Maybe it stemmed from his appearance on a two-part episode of I Love Lucy. You remember, when Lucy and Ethel stole the cement block containing The Duke's footprints that was in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. Maybe it was the movies he made with Maureen O'Hara, or the movie McClintock, or possibly the movie True Grit and his nomination as best actor. I was thrilled when his name was called during the 1969 Academy Award ceremony. In my opinion, the older Mr. Wayne got, the handsomer he became.
When I go to bed, I leave the TV on at a low volume to help drown out any noise from the neighbors. I surfed through the channels and there was one of my favorite John Wayne movies--The Shootist (with Lauren Bacall and Ron Howard) about an aging, infamous gunslinger who tries to come to terms with his impending death from cancer. What made this movie most extraordinary for me--John Wayne was also battling cancer and this would be his last movie. Touching. Poignant. Tearjerking. It couldn't have been scripted any better.
(PS - Mr. E, if the date goes great I'll want to shout it from the rafters; however, I promise no matter what happens to write a blog posthaste.)
2 comments:
I always thought JW was a so-so actor, but I saw every western he ever made because, dog gone it, he was just one great American patriot! One of the very few conservatives in Hollywood.
Most people are moved by the icon that is John Wayne, maybe more than the man himself, who was flawed just like the rest of us. But wasn't it great to actually believe that there were heroic and straightforward examples of American masculinity out there, rather than the nation of Alan Alda sensitive New-Age guys that we seem to have become. Makes you long for that simpler time.
Steve
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