When it comes to movie stardom, the name John Wayne has become synonymous with critical acclaim and audience appeal, and it’s no surprise that several of his films have achieved the elusive certified fresh distinction onRotten Tomatoes. This special honor gets awarded to movies that meet a particular set of circumstances, including a Tomatometer score of 75% or higher, at least five reviews from Top Critics, and a minimum of 80 reviews. By bringing all these factors together, a certified fresh rating means a film has proved itself astounding on all fronts.
Many ofWayne’s most rewatchable movieshave been certified fresh, as his astounding adventures across war, Westerns, and even romance pictures have stood the test of time. Frommust-watch black-and-white Westernsto truly astoundingWorld War II movies, Wayne proved himself time and time again as one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars. As among the greatest icons of classic American cinema,Wayne’s career in the movies flourished from the silent era of the 1920s right through the modern New Hollywood eraof the 1970s.
7Stagecoach (1939)
John Wayne as the Ringo Kid
As one of the crowning achievements ofJohn Wayne and director John Ford’s fruitful creative partnership,Stagecoachwas an incredible must-watch black-and-white Western. With Claire Trevor and Wayne in the starring roles,Stagecoachwas an early hit that cemented Wayne’s status as a leading man and contributed to his legacy as an icon of the Western genre. Following a group of travelers who were threatened by a group of Apache tribesmen, althoughStagecoachhas been criticized for its depiction of Native Americans as simplistic savages, it’s still regarded as one of the most influential movies ever made.
Stagecoachpresented an almost mythic representation of America, utilizing allegorical storytelling and featuring unique and interesting characters. While most Westerns of the 1930s feel like firm products of their time,Stagecoachwas a truly intelligent film that transcended the trappings of its genre to feel wholly timeless.Stagecoachwas hugely influential, with director Orson Welles calling it the perfect lesson in filmmaking, claiming to have watched it 40 times (viaExpress) in preparation for makingCitizen Kane.
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Stagecoach
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Stagecoach, directed by John Ford, follows a diverse group of travelers on a stagecoach journey through dangerous Apache territory. As they face the threat of Geronimo, the passengers confront personal challenges and gain insight into each other’s lives amidst the perilous landscape.
6Back To Bataan (1945)
John Wayne as Col. Joseph Madden
John Wayne showcased his talent for playing war heroes inBack to Bataan, a World War II movie that depicted the events that took place after the Battle of Bataan on the island of Luzon in the Philippines.The Battle of Bataanwas among the most intense phases of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during WWII and occurred following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on U.S. soil. With Colonel Joseph Madden,The Battle of Bataanshowcased the American forces' attempts to rescue remaining U.S. troops from a Japanese prisoners-of-war camp.
Back to Bataanwas a powerful showcase of the grim realities of warthat featured intensely powerful battle sequences. Wayne’s performance stood out as he captured the fractured humanity behind all the violence and warfare and the lives on the line in pursuing their mission. While it’s clear that many American war movies made during the early to mid-1940s were produced as wartime propaganda to sway public support,Back to Bataanhas truly stood the test of time.
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5The Quiet Man (1952)
John Wayne as Sean Thornton
Of the five collaborations between John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara,The Quiet Manstood out as their most timeless. From its beautiful depiction of rural Ireland to the heartfelt love story of Sean Thornton and Kate Danaher,The Quiet Manwas a poignant romantic comedy, an ode to Ireland, and a showcase of how setting can be just as vital to a movie’s success as the characters themselves.The Quiet Manhas become a truly iconic film, leading hordes of American tourists to travel to Cong, County Mayo, to see this John Ford movie’s rolling green hills.
Portraying Ireland as it has never been seen on the big screen before,The Quiet Manshowcased the idyllic way of life in the fictional community of Inisfree, a poetic place whose name was even based on a poem by W.B. Yeats. Telling the story of a retired American boxer falling in love with an outgoing, red-headed Irish woman,The Quiet Mansucceeded due to the excellent chemistry between Wayne and O’Hara. While Wayne made a name for himself as a Western and war hero on screen,The Quiet Manshowcased a softer, more sensitive side to his skillset.
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The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man is a 1952 romantic drama directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne as a retired boxer who returns to his Irish roots. Set in the idyllic countryside, the film follows his attempts to reclaim his family’s homestead while pursuing a romance with a spirited local woman played by Maureen O’Hara. Known for its vivid scenery and cultural depiction, the film explores themes of identity and tradition.
4The Searchers (1956)
John Wayne as Ethan Edwards
The Searcherswas one of the Western genre’s defining films, featuring some of the most beautiful imagery ever captured on screen. With John Wayne as Ethan Edwards, a middle-aged Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his abducted niece, this story of revenge and retribution has earned a reputation as a categoric classic of American cinema. The use of VistaVision and Technicolor inThe Searchersprovided it with the visually stunning aesthetic that helped it stand out among John Ford’s acclaimed filmography.
WhileThe Searchershas since been criticized for its harsh depiction of Native Americans, it was also notable for being a more complex depiction of indigenous peoples than had commonly been seen in the genre at that time. This Wayne Western led the way for the more self-aware revisionist movies that would come later, such as Clint Eastwood’s Best Picture winnerUnforgiven, a film that could not exist without the influence ofThe Searchers. By embracing the darker, more psychological sides of the Western genre,The Searchersopened the door for more complex themes and ideas.
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The Searchers
The Searchers, released in 1956, stars John Wayne as a Civil War veteran who embarks on a years-long quest to rescue his kidnapped niece. Directed by John Ford, the film delves into themes of obsession and racial tension as the protagonist’s motivations become increasingly complex.
3Rio Bravo (1959)
John Wayne as John T. Chance
Director Howard Hawks and John Wayne came together for the extraordinary WesternRio Bravo. This acclaimed film saw Wayne play a Texan sheriff arresting a powerful rancher and enlisting the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter to hold him in jail as the rancher’s gang move in on them. With a litany of mismatched characters,Rio Bravoworked well due to Hawks’ impressive direction, the strong performances of its ensemble cast, and the impressively conjured sense of atmosphere.
Rio Bravowas a movie packed with style that director Quentin Tarantino described as his favorite “hangout” film (viaNew Yorker), which he described as movies that viewers watch repeatedly just to hang out with the characters on the screen once again. In stark contrast to the Western classicHigh Noon, rather than showcase its heroes' inner conflict and turmoil,Rio Bravowas characterized by an unwavering commitment to public duty. While the 141-minute runtime ofRio Bravocan feel bloated, Hawks’ made expert use of his extra time to craft a film packed with style.
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Rio Bravo
Rio Bravo is a 1959 Western film directed by Howard Hawks featuring John Wayne as the sheriff of a small town. The story follows his efforts alongside a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter to keep the brother of a local troublemaker incarcerated in the town jail.
2The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
John Wayne as Tom Doniphon
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancewas a powerful exploration of the very idea of mythmaking. Using the Western genre to comment upon itself, this John Ford classic paired John Wayne and James Stewart in an expertly crafted deconstruction of the myth of the Old West. By peeling back the curtain on the glorification of bandits, cowboys, and outlaws,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valancewas a stepping stone toward more self-aware movies in Hollywood and was a precursor to the New Hollywood movement that would kick off with the release ofBonnie and Clydefive years later.
Through the use of Western tropes and clichés,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valanceexplored how legends were created and that it was only through a loose interpretation of the truththat known backstories of Western heroes were created. The themes and ideas ofThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valancecan be summed up well by its iconic quote: “This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”The Man Who Shot Liberty Valanceshowcased the power of storytelling by representing the true complexities at the heart of stories of heroes and villains.
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1True Grit (1969)
John Wayne as Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn
By 1969, John Wayne had already carved out his legacy as a true legend of the Western genre and could lean even more heavily into his iconic status in late-period Westerns likeTrue Grit. As the hard-drinking, one-eyed U.S. marshal Rooster Cogburn, Wayne embodied a new kind of Western star playing an antiheroic protagonist with a vengeance. Following the hard-nosed Cogburn and a Texas ranger helping a stubborn teenager track down her murdered father’s killer in Native American territory,True Gritbrought together a hodgepodge of mismatched characters to add yet another classic to Wayne’s impressive body of work.
By playing an older, wayward character like Cogburn, Wayne’s role inTrue Gritfelt like an acknowledgment that he had fallen behind the times as he embraced playing a complex and less traditional Western hero. Released around the same time asThe Wild BunchandOnce Upon a Time in the West,True Gritsignaled the Western genre’s moving from one era into the next, as Hollywood underwent great change during the subsequent years. While the Coen brothers' acclaimed remake in 2010 added toTrue Grit’sappeal, the original has remained a vital piece of Western movie history.
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True Grit
True Grit, directed by Henry Hathaway and released in 1969, stars John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, a U.S. Marshal tasked with helping a determined young girl, played by Kim Darby, track down her father’s murderer. The film is based on Charles Portis' novel of the same name and features Glen Campbell in a supporting role. True Grit is a Western that explores themes of justice and moral ambiguity in the 1870s American frontier.
