25 Free John Wayne Westerns
January 24, 2011 9:35 AM   Subscribe

 
No "True Grit"?

I jest. But this Frank Rich article on the 1969 original and the Coen Brothers remake is well worth a read.
posted by blucevalo at 9:49 AM on January 24, 2011


Their list of free movies online is fantastic. Thanks for this.
posted by zarq at 9:51 AM on January 24, 2011 [7 favorites]


Wow.

But sadly, no Overland Stage Raiders - featuring a young actress named Louise Brooks.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:05 AM on January 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


This collection includes Stagecoach, "the first modern western" and a breakthrough role for John Wayne. Keen stuff, thanks!
posted by filthy light thief at 10:09 AM on January 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


via Brainpicker, wow.
Guess "The Searchers" dont get thiers.
posted by clavdivs at 10:13 AM on January 24, 2011


But wasn't there really only one John Wayne western, done over and over again?

I keed, I keed. He was pretty awesome. Reading in Dick Cavett's new book about the Duke discussing Noel Coward just adds more to the man.
posted by Capt. Renault at 10:19 AM on January 24, 2011


25 free John Wayne movies? Still overpriced.
posted by nevercalm at 10:27 AM on January 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


(@brainpicker has an amazingly rich twitter feed FYI)
posted by marvin at 10:34 AM on January 24, 2011


I used to hate westerns when I was a kid. Especially John Wayne. Especially John Ford. Never got 'em. Stupid, boring, dusty. It wasn't until I got much older, and got off my political high horse, that I came to appreciate them as parables of character and maniliness, and saw that all these films were in a colloquium with one another, and that they admitted many different meanings of character and manliness, not just use of force, although use of force always came under consideration, and it was all pretty interesting -- character being just about all that really matters.
posted by Faze at 10:51 AM on January 24, 2011 [7 favorites]


Cool find.
posted by nola at 10:51 AM on January 24, 2011


25 free John Wayne movies? Still overpriced.

I'm actually with you on that. I recently saw Reel Injun, and though I never liked John Wayne-type movies before that, it left me with almost a nausea towards them.
posted by orange swan at 10:56 AM on January 24, 2011


Louise was on her way down in Overland Stage Riders--it's her last credit.
posted by Ideefixe at 10:58 AM on January 24, 2011


Ideefixe: I was going to say something similar. If I'm not mistaken, Brooks was in her thirties when she made that movie. Certainly not old, but not what one thinks of when they note the appearance of a "young actress named---", given her biggest roles were behind her at that point.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:18 AM on January 24, 2011


It's times like these that I'm glad to have a university internet connection (it's currently at 20 MBytes/sec, heh).
posted by spiderskull at 11:28 AM on January 24, 2011


Gah, yeah, I got my Brooks-ology mixed up.
posted by Joe Beese at 11:32 AM on January 24, 2011


I thought the Frank Rich piece a bit overdone (see comment qaboive)
Here the films Wayne made:
http://www.fandango.com/johnwayne/filmography/p116130
my favorite, The Searchers, based on some events that actually did take place.
posted by Postroad at 11:39 AM on January 24, 2011


The John Wayne Movie Quality Test:

1: Is Lee Marvin in it?
2: Is Jimmy Stewart in it?
3: Is Victor McLaglen in it?
4: Is Natalie Wood in it?
5: Is Robert Duvall in it?
6: Is Bruce Dern in it?
7: Is John Carradine in it?
8: Is Henry Fonda in it?
9: Is Walter Brennan in it?
10: Is Maureen O'Hara in it?

More than one yes: A definite watch.

Once only: Watch with guarded enthusiasm.

None: It's likely you've come across an inessential deep cut. Look out for these warning signs:

*World War II
*Vietnam
*Dean Martin playing Wayne's brother.
*Laughably voluminous cowboy hats.
*Wayne pitting his wits against the Commies.
*Wayne playing a professional oil well firefighter.
*Wayne playing a Mongol.
*Wayne, in full centurion getup, uttering the words "Truly, this man was the son of God."
posted by Iridic at 11:42 AM on January 24, 2011 [10 favorites]


@ Iridic -- If Maureen O'Hara is in it, it's worth watching. Even (especially?) if The Duke is missing. The guy may be an icon but he was a lousy actor.

As for O'Hara, who cares if she could act? Rowr!
posted by Man with Lantern at 12:40 PM on January 24, 2011


11: Is Montgomery Clift in it?
posted by blucevalo at 12:54 PM on January 24, 2011


The test isn't nearly that complicated:

1. Did John Ford direct it?*
2. Did Howard Hawks direct it?

*This usually means a yes answer to at least one of questions 3, 8 and 10 on the list above.

Obligatory clip from The Quiet Man.
posted by TrialByMedia at 3:11 PM on January 24, 2011 [4 favorites]


Look out for these warning signs:

*Wayne pitting his wits against the Commies.


You best not be speaking ill of Big Jim McLain. After all, "He's A Go-Get'Em Guy for the U.S.A. on a Treason Trail That Leads Half-a-World Away!"
posted by .kobayashi. at 6:41 PM on January 24, 2011


15 Free Hitchcock Movies
posted by brundlefly at 8:12 PM on January 24, 2011


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