50 best John Wayne movies
Before he was one of Hollywood's most bankable and iconic Western movie stars, actor John Wayne was an Iowa-born USC lineman named Marion Morrison. Morrison lost his football scholarship due to a shoulder injury from a bodysurfing accident and landed a job in 1927 as a prop guy on the Fox Studios lot. That gig didn't last long, however, as it took just three years for Morrison to snag his first lead role in 1930's "The Big Trail." Not being fond of the name Marion Morrison, the movie's producers instructed director Raoul Walsh to change it. Thus was John Wayne born.
The swaggering masculinity Wayne infused into characters bled off-screen and permeated American culture for decades with nostalgia for unencumbered male machismo and a sense of a man's personal responsibility to be true to his own nature, popular opinion notwithstanding. By the time Wayne appeared in John Ford's "3 Godfathers" in 1948, his on-screen persona of the hardened, egoist male had firmly politicized the Western hero with shades of disgust for things like communism and liberalism.
Though Wayne was most famous for his roles in Westerns, he also starred in war dramas, took on the role of an American boxer in "The Quiet Man," and put himself on the other side of the camera as a producer and director, most notably of the Academy Award-winning historical drama "The Alamo." Wayne was nominated three times for Academy Awards, winning once for Best Actor in 1970 for playing U.S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn in "True Grit." He was even posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980 by Jimmy Carter.
But Wayne has become more of a hotly debated figure today. In November 2023, actor Robert De Niro slammed the Western star while giving a speech at the Gotham Awards, citing Wayne's previous comments calling Native Americans "selfish." De Niro was referencing Wayne's infamous 1971 interview in Playboy when he came out in favor of white supremacy, expressed no remorse over slavery or the treatment of Native Americans throughout American history, and used a homophobic slur to describe the actors in "Midnight Cowboy." Those comments also led to an exhibit devoted to Wayne at his alma mater, USC, to be removed in 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Duke appeared in more than 175 films, though there are some you might be surprised to hear he turned down. At a 50th anniversary screening of the Western comedy classic, "Blazing Saddles" in July 2024, director Mel Brooks said Wayne passed on the film because it was "too dirty." He also, funnily enough, turned down "Dirty Harry," in part because he wouldn't accept "[Frank] Sinatra's rejections."
To look back on the roles he did say "yes" to, Stacker ranked John Wayne's 50 best movies from lowest to highest according to its IMDb rating as of Dec. 5, 2024, with ties broken by the number of votes. Further ties were broken by Metascores from Metacritic. This ranking focuses on Wayne's acting credits from his first starring role in 1930 and his breakout performance in 1939's "Stagecoach" to his final star turn in 1976's "The Shootist."
It's worth noting that some of Wayne's films don't have too many user votes, but that's largely because they were released in the first half of the 1900s, and for the first several years of his career he was making much smaller pictures that never received the sort of wide release a Wayne film demanded in the 1950s and 1960s—when he was the most popular movie star in America.
Read on to find out if your favorite made the cut.
#50. The High and the Mighty (1954)
- Director: William A. Wellman
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 147 minutes
A plane is going down and only Wayne's character, a washed-up co-pilot named Dan Roman, can save the day. This 1954 disaster flick filmed in CinemaScope raked in tons of money at the box office and even won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. Along for the ride is Wayne's "Stagecoach" co-star Claire Trevor.
#49. The Undefeated (1969)
- Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 48
- Runtime: 119 minutes
Starring Wayne alongside fellow A-lister Rock Hudson, "The Undefeated" takes place in Mexico right after the Civil War. In the film, an ex-Confederate colonel (Hudson) and ex-Union colonel (Wayne) must team up in a fight against Mexican revolutionaries. Wayne fractured two ribs and dislocated his shoulder during shooting, neither of which stopped him from finishing the job.
#48. Noah's Ark (1928)
- Directors: Michael Curtiz, Darryl F. Zanuck
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 135 minutes
Chronicling two parallel stories, 1928's "Noah's Ark" depicts both the epic biblical flood and also a tale of romance set during World War II. It was made when Wayne (then Morrison) was still working in a Hollywood props department and acting as an extra in various films. Consequently, you might have to watch this film numerous times before you can spot him during the flood scene that involved hundreds of other extras.
#47. Dark Command (1940)
- Director: Raoul Walsh
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 94 minutes
Loosely based on real events, "Dark Command" takes place in Kansas just before the Civil War. The film brings Wayne together once again with co-star Claire Trevor and focuses on the rivalry between two candidates for town marshal: Wayne's character Bob Seton and Walter Pidgeon's Will Cantrell. However, what starts out as a political dispute grows into something far deadlier, with the two eventually squaring off on the battlefield. Director Raoul Walsh gave Wayne his first big starring role a decade earlier in 1930's "The Big Trail."
#46. The Spoilers (1942)
- Director: Ray Enright
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 87 minutes
Set during the Nome Gold Rush in 1898 Alaska, 1942's "The Spoilers" pits two miners against a greedy commissioner over the rights to a claim. This film, which also starred Marlene Dietrich, was a remake of three previous versions and was remade again in 1955.
#45. Flying Tigers (1942)
- Director: David Miller
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 102 minutes
"Flying Tigers" features Wayne playing the role of one Capt. Jim Gordon, who commands a mercenary outfit of fighter pilots. After an arrogant hotshot joins the team, Gordon finds himself amid two battles: one for his country and the other for his integrity. This World War II propaganda film from 1942 was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Special Effects.
#44. Donovan's Reef (1963)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 109 minutes
Representing the final collaboration between Wayne and director John Ford, this action-comedy explores themes of bigotry and American greed on an island in the South Sea. It was rumored that Ford was more irritable than usual on set, which resulted in a series of blowouts between him and various cast members, including Wayne. Ford would later make just two more feature films and documentaries before his death in 1973.
#43. Rio Lobo (1970)
- Director: Howard Hawks
- IMDb user rating: 6.7
- Metascore: 55
- Runtime: 114 minutes
"Give 'Em Hell, John," is the tagline for 1970's "Rio Lobo." In director Howard Hawks' final film, Wayne plays an ex-Union officer named Cord McNally who hunts down a traitor after the Civil War. McNally discovers that the traitor is living in a Texas town called Rio Lobo and has organized a gang of outlaws. Naturally, an explosive showdown ensues.
#42. The Life of Jimmy Dolan (1933)
- Director: Archie Mayo
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 88 minutes
In "The Life of Jimmy Dolan," a prizefighter goes on the lam after possibly killing a reporter. Released in 1933, the film features Wayne in a supporting role and stars Mickey Rooney as a child with a disability. It was later remade as "They Made Me a Criminal."
#41. Trouble Along the Way (1953)
- Director: Michael Curtiz
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 111 minutes
Sporting a rare suit and tie, Wayne plays football coach Steve Williams in this comedy-drama. Williams struggles on and off the field, battling for the custody of his daughter while helping his team stage a major comeback. Keep your eyes peeled for an uncredited cameo from James Dean.
#40. Island in the Sky (1953)
- Director: William A. Wellman
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 109 minutes
Long before survival movies like "Alive" or "The Grey," there was "Island in the Sky." The 1953 film is about a man who crash-lands his plane in a frozen wasteland. While stranded, Wayne's character struggles to keep his men alive while awaiting rescue. Playing an uncredited role in the film is Fess Parker who would later star in the "Davy Crockett" series. Wayne himself played Crockett in "The Alamo."
#39. Angel and the Badman (1947)
- Director: James Edward Grant
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 100 minutes
Wayne plays a ruthless gunslinger who starts questioning his violent ways in 1947's "Angel and the Badman." Prompting his change of heart is a Quaker girl named Penelope Worth (Gail Russell), who nurses Wayne's character back to health after an injury. This was the first film to bear the tag "A John Wayne Production."
#38. The Comancheros (1961)
- Directors: Michael Curtiz, John Wayne
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: 55
- Runtime: 107 minutes
Hot on the heels of "Rio Bravo" came 1961's "The Comancheros," a film about a Texas ranger who goes undercover in order to take down a gang of arms dealers. Initially helming the adventure flick was director Michael Curtiz of "Casablanca" fame. However, Curtiz grew ill toward the end of production, prompting Wayne to take over (uncredited) directing duties.
#37. Chisum (1970)
- Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 111 minutes
"Chisum" is based on the true story of the toughest man west of the Pecos: cattle baron John Chisum, and of course, Wayne is in the title role. Chisum enlists the help of fellow gunslingers Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett while waging war over land rights. In real life, Billy the Kid would ultimately betray Chisum, which resulted in his murder by his former friend Garrett.
#36. The War Wagon (1967)
- Director: Burt Kennedy
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: 65
- Runtime: 101 minutes
1967's "The War Wagon" sees Wayne once again teaming up with Kirk Douglas—this time to tell the story of a man on a quest for revenge. Wayne's character Taw Jackson hatches a plot to steal back the gold and land that had been taken from him. Helping him pull it off is former enemy Lomax (Douglas), who had shot Jackson five years earlier. The unlikely pair plan to rob the heavily guarded stagecoach War Wagon, which is used to transport large gold shipments.
#35. Rooster Cogburn (1975)
- Director: Stuart Millar
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 108 minutes
Reprising the role that won him an Oscar in 1969's "True Grit," Wayne plays Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn in this 1975 film of the same name. Starring opposite Wayne is Katharine Hepburn as Eula Goodnight, a missionary. After Eula's village is raided by a group of thugs, she and Cogburn make it their mission to dish out some good old-fashioned Southern justice.
#34. The Alamo (1960)
- Director: John Wayne
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 162 minutes
John Wayne's directorial debut, 1960's "The Alamo," retells the historic 1836 battle where less than 200 Texan soldiers squared off against a Mexican army of nearly 2,000. Wayne had his eye on making the film since 1945. In addition to directing and producing "The Alamo," Wayne naturally stars in the lead role as Col. Davy Crockett. It was rumored that John Ford was brought in to film the sequence of the assault by the Mexican army, but it has never been accurately substantiated.
#33. The Shepherd of the Hills (1941)
- Director: Henry Hathaway
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 98 minutes
In 1941's "The Shepherd of the Hills," a moonshiner's plan to murder the father he never knew is disrupted when a gentle stranger rolls into town. It turns out that there's more to the stranger than meets the eye. The movie finds Wayne in top form as the Ozark Mountain moonshiner, cursed with the task of seeking vengeance.
#32. Tall in the Saddle (1944)
- Director: Edwin L. Marin
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 87 minutes
A misogynistic cowhand (Wayne) rolls into town to find his employer dead and the locals hostile. Bolstered by strong performances and swift pacing, this film stands a cut above the average Western—even if it is rife with genre conventions.
#31. The Long Voyage Home (1940)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 105 minutes
Based on four one-act plays by Eugene O'Neill, "The Long Voyage Home" is an ensemble drama that depicts life aboard the British steamer SS Glencairn as the crewmen embark on perilous journeys across the high seas. Dealing with themes of depression, loneliness, and mortality, the film delivers copious amounts of somber drama, punctuated by occasional fistfights and betrayal. It was nominated for six Academy Awards.
#30. North to Alaska (1960)
- Director: Henry Hathaway
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 122 minutes
After striking gold in Alaska, a man named George (Stewart Granger) sends his partner Sam (Wayne) back to Seattle to retrieve George's girlfriend and bring her, you guessed it, north to Alaska. Upon discovering that his friend's old sweetheart is married, Sam returns with a different girl (Capucine) to take her place. If you look closely during the final fight scene, you'll notice that Wayne's toupee gets knocked off. Fun fact: In 1948, Wayne started regularly wearing a wig.
#29. 3 Godfathers (1948)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 106 minutes
While on the run from authorities, three outlaws pick up a newborn baby whom they vow to protect at all costs."3 Godfathers" casts Wayne starring alongside actors Pedro Armendáriz and Harry Carey Jr., the latter of whom would be a frequent player in Wayne productions throughout his career. Director John Ford was reportedly very hard on Carey during the shoot, once even throwing a rock at his head.
#28. Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
- Director: Allan Dwan
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 100 minutes
Eschewing over-glamorized heroics in favor of gritty realism and complex characterization, "Sands of Iwo Jima" presented John Wayne in a new light. In the film, Wayne plays Sgt. John M. Stryker, an uncompromising and mean-spirited leader who made tremendous sacrifices while performing patriotic duties. Stryker goes hard on his squad, not just because of his personal struggles, but because he knows that weakness can result in death on the battlefield. It's only after the squad is called into action on the island of Iwo Jima that Stryker's men see the wisdom of his ways. To prepare for the film, the young male cast underwent three days of intense military training by the toughest drill instructor the director could find.
#27. Hondo (1953)
- Director: John Farrow
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 79
- Runtime: 83 minutes
Not only was "Hondo" filmed in stunning Warnercolor, but it was shot and released in 3D. The movie, based on a story by Louis L'Amour, centers on an Army scout named Hondo Lane (Wayne) who protects a woman and her son from warring Apaches. The movie was the second-highest-grossing 3D movie of the 1950s, bested only by "House of Wax."
#26. Rio Grande (1950)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 105 minutes
Director John Ford was rumored to have two conditions before agreeing to make "Rio Grande" for Republic Pictures: that Republic Pictures secure financing for a different film ("The Quiet Man"); and that the company allow Ford to cast Wayne in the lead role. It was the second condition that caused a problem, as Republic Pictures executive Herbert Yates and Wayne were no longer on speaking terms. Wayne was thus forced to do something he probably loathed—apologize. Once the conditions were met, Ford and Wayne churned out this film about a cavalry officer who battles the Apache during the Civil War in record time.
#25. Bardelys the Magnificent (1926)
- Director: King Vidor
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 90 minutes
At the young age of 19, Marion Morrison appeared in a minor role in this film which takes place during the swashbuckling era and features a Casanova-type named Bardelys who loves to boast about his many conquests. After betting he can seduce a damsel, the wanton Lothario disguises himself as a wanted criminal.
#24. The Horse Soldiers (1959)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 120 minutes
Like a high-stakes game of Capture the Flag, "The Horse Soldiers" follows a Union outfit as it crosses Confederate lines to destroy enemy railroads. As one might expect, the film demanded lots of horse riding and some dangerous stunt work. Sadly, stuntman Freddie Kennedy suffered a fatal injury after falling off a horse during the shoot. Wayne plays Colonel Marlowe, the man tasked with leading the stealth mission.
#23. Hatari! (1962)
- Director: Howard Hawks
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 157 minutes
From director Howard Hawks, this story of a group of men who make a living by capturing African wildlife and selling it to zoos employed as much realism as Hawks could manage. Throwing a wrench in the operation is the arrival of a female photographer, who eventually becomes part of the gang. Filmed on location in Tanganyika, the film has Wayne and his team chasing down all sorts of real-life wild animals, often at the expense of a discernible narrative.
#22. Big Jake (1971)
- Directors: George Sherman, John Wayne
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 57
- Runtime: 110 minutes
Proving he still had plenty of vigor left in him by 1971, John Wayne headlined this film about a cowboy who sets out to rescue his grandson from kidnappers. Wayne's biological son Patrick played the son in the film, while Wayne's other (much younger) son Ethan played his grandson. Another son, Michael, produced the movie (he also was running Wayne's production company Batjac).
#21. McLintock! (1963)
- Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 126 minutes
Wayne plays the titular wealthy cattle baron who serves as an unofficial diplomat for various disgruntled parties, including his own wife, played by frequent leading lady Maureen O'Hara. The film is quite broad in its comedic approach, mirroring some of the themes of the Wayne/O'Hara hit "The Quiet Man," but still gives Wayne plenty of room to play up his rough-hewn persona.
#20. The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
- Director: Henry Hathaway
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 122 minutes
When a mother dies, her four sons come home to pay their respects and find themselves mired in a land dispute. To make matters worse, the four are then framed for the murder of a local sheriff. Will they prove their innocence and get their revenge? As if you need to ask. While filming, Wayne was battling cancer for the first time. Of course, that didn't stop him from performing his own stunts.
#19. How the West Was Won (1962)
- Directors: John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall, Richard Thorpe
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 56
- Runtime: 164 minutes
Broken into five segments and an epilogue (three of which were directed by Hathaway), "How the West Was Won" chronicles the Prescott family saga over the course of many decades. The film depicts a range of historic events including the Civil War, the Gold Rush, and the building of the railroads. Wayne wasn't the only star on the marquee. The movie touts an impressive range of A-list celebrities, including Jimmy Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, Henry Fonda, and Gregory Peck. Wayne's was a small but memorable role as General William T. Sherman in John Ford's segment on the Civil War years.
#18. Four Sons (1928)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 100 minutes
Directed by John Ford, "Four Sons" features an uncredited appearance from Wayne (then Marion Morrison) as a police officer. The film chronicles the lives and hardships of a Bavarian widow and her four sons, three of whom go to war for Germany during World War I while the fourth moves to America. Later, the mother is shunned in her own village after America enters the war because her son who moved away was perceived as an enemy. The movie was remade under the same name in 1940, with the remake being set during World War II instead of World War I.
#17. The Big Trail (1930)
- Directors: Raoul Walsh, Louis R. Loeffler
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 125 minutes
Though he had appeared in several films already, this was Wayne's first true starring role. It was also the picture in which the name "John Wayne" became an official part of the film lexicon. In the film, Wayne's character leads a wagon train from the Mississippi River to the West Coast. Along the way, he encounters all sorts of threats and disasters (and even some romance).
#16. They Were Expendable (1945)
- Directors: John Ford, Robert Montgomery
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 135 minutes
In another World War II drama, "They Were Expendable" follows a squadron of PT-boat crews as they defend the Philippines against a Japanese invasion. As the action unfolds, the main characters also find themselves at odds with the U.S. Navy brass, who they believed didn't seem to care if they lived or died. Co-Star Robert Montgomery did some uncredited directorial work on the film.
#15. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 104 minutes
Wayne plays Captain Nathan Brittles, a Calvary vet on the eve of retiring from service, who is thrust into one final conflict as he takes a patrol out to assuage an Indian attack. This film was shot in Monument Valley, California, in glorious Technicolor. Brittles is a former Confederate soldier, which adds a moral ambiguity to the character's motivations now that he represents a unified U.S. Cavalry. Wayne was just 41 when he played the 60-year-old Brittles.
#14. In Harm's Way (1965)
- Director: Otto Preminger
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 165 minutes
In the wake of Pearl Harbor, a disgraced Naval officer is given a second chance to prove himself in Otto Preminger's "In Harm's Way." While not favored by critics (who took issue with its slow pacing), the film is nevertheless enjoyed by fans. In a later autobiography, Preminger labeled Wayne as an "ideal professional."
#13. The Cowboys (1972)
- Director: Mark Rydell
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 52
- Runtime: 134 minutes
If a movie is going to call itself "The Cowboys," that movie better include John Wayne in a leading role. Thankfully, this 1972 Western does just that. In the film, Wayne plays a rancher named Wil Anderson who embarks on a cattle drive with the help of inexperienced cowhands. Meanwhile, ruthless cattle rustlers await the right time to strike. On the heels of the film came a TV spinoff starring Robert Carradine that lasted one season.
#12. Fort Apache (1948)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 128 minutes
"Fort Apache" is the first film in John Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy." The film stars Henry Fonda as a demoted Civil War general assigned to a remote outpost deep in Apache territory. Once there, he disrespects the local tribe and butts heads with his second-in-command, Captain Kirby York, an Apache expert played by Wayne.
#11. True Grit (1969)
- Director: Henry Hathaway
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 128 minutes
Adapted from the novel by Charles Portis, "True Grit" tells the story of alcoholic U.S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, who agrees to help a teenage girl (Kim Darby) track down her father's killer. This film would earn Wayne his one and only win for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. Famous filmmaking duo Joel and Ethan Coen released a 2010 remake with Jeff Bridges playing the role of Cogburn.
#10. Baby Face (1933)
- Director: Alfred E. Green
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: Data not available
- Runtime: 71 minutes
Made in 1933, "Baby Face" follows an ambitious young woman (Barbara Stanwyck) as she sleeps her way up the corporate ladder at a big city bank. Wayne appears in a supporting role as Jimmy McCoy Jr., one of the woman's earliest conquests.
#9. El Dorado (1966)
- Director: Howard Hawks
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 126 minutes
In what is basically a retread of "Rio Bravo," this film finds a gunslinger (Wayne) and an alcoholic sheriff (Robert Mitchum) teaming up to take on a thieving cattle baron. Actor James Caan appears in a supporting role. Though Wayne, in his role as producer, had previously fired Mitchum from "Blood Alley," the two were on very good terms when "El Dorado" went into production.
#8. The Shootist (1976)
- Director: Don Siegel
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 100 minutes
A dying gunslinger (Wayne) arrives in a small town to visit a doctor (Jimmy Stewart) and upon diagnosis searches for ways to leave the world quickly without suffering. "Blood Alley" co-star Lauren Bacall appears as a widow who rents Wayne's character a room. Based on a novel and directed by Don Siegel of "Dirty Harry" fame, the film would be Wayne's last. Like the very character he portrays in "The Shootist," Wayne was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He died three years later.
#7. Red River (1948)
- Directors: Howard Hawks, Arthur Rosson
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 96
- Runtime: 133 minutes
Like John Ford, director Howard Hawks was a master of the Western genre. His best efforts routinely starred John Wayne. The first important collaboration between Hawks and Wayne was this film about a man named Thomas Dunson (Wayne) whose tyrannical behavior invokes a mutiny during a cattle drive to Missouri. While it goes without saying that Wayne was no stranger to the Western genre by 1948, this film was special because it exposed a more subtle and complicated side to his cowboy persona.
#6. The Quiet Man (1952)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 129 minutes
After helming "Rio Grande" for Republic Pictures, director John Ford was given the money he needed to make his lifelong passion project. The movie stars Wayne as retired American boxer Sean Thornton, who falls in love with a fiery maiden, played by Maureen O'Hara, after returning to the Irish village where he was born. Part of the film was shot on location in Ireland, with glorious hues of Technicolor green to show for it.
#5. The Longest Day (1962)
- Directors: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Gerd Oswald, Bernhard Wicki, Darryl F. Zanuck
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 178 minutes
It's D-Day from both the Allied and German perspectives in 1962's "The Longest Day." It took $10 million to produce the 1962 epic war film, making it the most expensive black-and-white film of its time. At age 54, Wayne portrayed Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort, who was 27 years old on D-Day—which Vandervoort was none too pleased about.
#4. Stagecoach (1939)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 93
- Runtime: 96 minutes
Despite playing the lead role in 1930's "The Big Trail," Wayne struggled to achieve major success in the years that followed. That all changed after John Ford's "Stagecoach" was released in 1939. In the movie, a group of people traveling by stagecoach catch word that Geronimo and his violent clan might be headed their way. Legendary filmmaker Orson Welles reportedly watched "Stagecoach" 40 times while making "Citizen Kane," taking inspiration from its architecture. This movie was Wayne's big break; after its release, his career as an A-list movie star officially began.
#3. The Searchers (1956)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 94
- Runtime: 119 minutes
More than just a John Wayne and John Ford collaboration, "The Searchers" is widely regarded to be the greatest Western of all time. In the film, an American Civil War veteran (played by Wayne) sets out to rescue his niece after she's kidnapped by Comanches. Wayne was so enamored with the role of Ethan Edwards that he named one of his children John Ethan Morrison, who would come to be known professionally as Ethan Wayne.
#2. Rio Bravo (1959)
- Director: Howard Hawks
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 93
- Runtime: 141 minutes
With the help of a motley crew (including a not-exactly-against-type Dean Martin as a boozy deputy), a small-town sheriff (Wayne) keeps a powerful rancher's brother behind bars in "Rio Bravo." It's just a matter of time before the rancher comes around, aided by a mob of angry men. The film is said to be a direct rebuttal to Gary Cooper's somewhat timid performance in "High Noon," a 1952 film sharing a similar premise.
#1. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
- Director: John Ford
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 94
- Runtime: 123 minutes
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better than "The Searchers," here comes "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." The film tells the story of Sen. Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart), who is celebrated in the town of Shinbone as the man who shot ruthless outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). But when Stoddard returns to the town and recounts his tale, it's revealed that Wayne's character—a gunslinger named Tom Doniphon—was the true hero all along. The film marked the first time Wayne and Stewart shared the screen, and the cast also included frequent Wayne co-stars John Carradine and Strother Martin.
Data reporting by Luke Hicks.
