Sands of Iwo Jima

In my quest to see more films by John Wayne, this seemed the logical next step. I really enjoyed this wartime classic. Wayne showed a lot of heart, character, and subtely in his acting that I hadn't yet seen from him. It was a nice departure from the bravado of the last couple of westerns I've seen him in. The script was really solid, and I appreciated the attempts at realism of the director. This was a fine film I enjoyed a lot. 4/5

Sands of Iwo Jima on Netflix

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

This is as fine of a film as you'd ever want to see. Exceptional performances by Wayne and Stewart, beautiful direction by Ford, and a tight, well written script that keeps the action going. This is my kind of Western - loved it. 5/5

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance on Netflix

The Quiet Man

The is my second John Wayne film ("The Searchers" was my first and I loved it), and I definitely enjoyed Wayne in this. He has a striking presence about him, and even though his speaking pattern can be jarring, his ability to move through emotions and convey honesty through everything is refreshing and quite impressive. My problem with this film was the script, and it's not even something that would have bothered anyone when it was released. Quite honestly, the treatment of Maureen O'Hara's character was rather atrocious. She is repeatedly physically assaulted throughout the film, and it's all played for comedy. I guess it was funny to hit, shove, drag, and beat your wife with sticks when this film came out, but it left a really sour taste in my mouth and I couldn't seem to move past it. I wasn't rooting for Wayne's character to win her over - I was hoping someone would arrest him. But that's the changing of the times I guess. However, I couldn't really enjoy the film because of it. 3/5

The Quiet Man on Netflix