MovieChat Forums > Red River (1948) Discussion > Is it true Wayne only dies once?

Is it true Wayne only dies once?

posted 19 years ago by Balibari
11 replies | jump to latest

*Apologies if you've seen this post elsewhere, it must have been asked 100 times but I can't find it*

Is it true 'The Duke' has only been killed once? I haven't yet seen The Cowboys but I believe Bruce Dern shoots him (given the socio-political views of the 2 actors it's kind of appropriate!). I assume he's shot and killed as opposed to being wounded. But has he been killed in anything else, or is the legend of this being his only screen fatality true?

[–] sumautwr 19 years ago

No, John Wayne rides off into the sunset,(jungle fire) on a buldozer in "The Fighting Seabees"

[–] okrid 19 years ago

He also dies in The Alamo

[–] Bonny_Jonny 19 years ago

He dies at the end of The Shootist (his last, and imo best film).

[–] mikemkelly 19 years ago

He also dies in "The Sands of Iwo Jima".

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] boardwalk_angel 19 years ago

In the original story, the novel written by Charles Schnee, Dunson's wound - from Cherry - causes him to collapse, and he soon dies. Matt and Tess bury him in Texas beside the Red River.

"All you need is a gorilla and a dream"

[–] bkoganbing 19 years ago

Cherry just nicks the fat off him in Red River, but here's two more screen
deaths for the Duke. In Wake of the Red Witch and Reap the Wild Wind he goes
down on a diving job on wrecks and dies both times.

Bureaucrats need love

[–] wtl471629 17 years ago

It isn't on screen but he also dies in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

[–] real_big_boy2002 17 years ago

No, he actually dies in a total of 10 movies. 7 of these he dies on screen and three he dies but death is not on screen. There is also one that I am not sure about because I have not seen the movie. The 7 which he dies on screen are as follows: (1) The Shootest (1976, his last movie),(2) The Cowboys (1972),(3) The Alamo (1960), (4) Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), (5) Wake of the Red Witch (1949), (6) The Fighting Seabees (1944), (7) Reap the Wild Wind (1942). The 3 where he dies off camera were: (1) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), (2) The Sea Chase (1955), (3) The Deciever (1931). The movie where he supposedly dies but I have not seen the movie is: (1) Central Airport (1931). I have personally seen all but a couple of these movies as I am a big John Wayne fan. Hope I helped out with this information.

[–] rion-smith 17 years ago

Thank you for that comprehensive list. I was thinking that he died in The Flying Tigers, but I guess not (it's been a few years since I have seen that movie). Anyways. thanks again for the clarification!

[–] LatigoMeans 17 years ago

He doesn't die in "The Conqueror" or "The Greatest Story Ever Told" - but his credibility as a Mongol and a Centurion respectively certainly does. :)

I love The Duke and rank many of his films among my favorites. So I mean no disrespect but really... a Mongol? A Centurion? Too funny. These two roles should rank as two of Wayne's screen deaths even if only tongue-in-cheek.

~LjM
Step on it! And don't spare the atoms!