I think she, and the oncreen relations betw her charecter and Waynes is one of the best things about this movie. One thing you can say about John
Wayne he was not afraid of working across from strong leading ladies....and the relationship between them serves as a reminder of what he never had in his life.
And its probably the best part she ever got as a mature actress also
It is not our abilities that make us who we are...it is our choices
I have to agree with you on this one. I like the way they portrayed as a hard working woman with a tough kindof love for her son. And the way she took Books in and warmed up to him. I was kind of hoping for a deeper relationship for them but like you said she was there to show what Books had missed in life. By the way despite my libertal politics I always loved John Wayne movies and you had to respect the guy for standing up for what he believed in. One of the true American Icons of our age.
shareThe Wayne/Bacall relationship is one of the best aspects of this film. Their scenes are all very pure and realistic. They had great chemistry.
share The relationship between Bacall and Wayne in this movie was superbly crafted, and very enjoyable to watch. And I agree with you...Ms. Bacall was never given a part nearly as good in any other movie since the '50's.
Bacall wrote about her time on the set with Wayne, and said that it was really quite sad, as Wayne was really dying, and the whole cast and crew knew it was his last film. The compassion she shows for Wayne's character was not acting.
The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance
The relationship between Bacall and Wayne in this movie was superbly crafted, and very enjoyable to watch.
Rick -
Wayne didn't have cancer in '76. He had ongoing heart issues, but he wasn't dying.
Can you tell me where to find where she wrote this?
Thanks
Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway. John Wayne
While it's true that John Wayne had no active cancer in 1976 as far as was known by the medical means at that time, he only had a single lung and could only work half days due to low energy levels. He was on 02 (oxygen) the whole time he wasn't on camera and was constantly spitting up blood onset and everywhere else. His health was poor because of having only one lung rather than suffering from cancer when he made this film. According to Maureen O'Hara and Harry Carey Jr, it was clear to everyone around him that this would be his final film.
Sorry I can't recall which actor's biography this information was in...I've recently finished Harry Carey, Jr's autobiography, and some information was in this book. I also read Maureen O'Hara's book and she had a great deal of information about the last days of John Wayne. Both actors worked with John Wayne many times and were beloved friends. I recommend reading both these books if you want to learn what John Wayne was like on and offscreen.
In his book "Talk Show" Dick Cavett wrote about the first time he met John Wayne, on the "Shootist" set. Wayne invited him to watch the filming of the scene where Books is told that he's dying of cancer. According to Cavett, this scene packed an emotional wallop for many people in the room, because to them it seemed obvious that Wayne himself did not have much time left, and several crew members were in tears, covering their mouths to muffle their sobs.
shareHis cancer didn't return until 1978 but in 1976 he was 69 years old and he got around often with difficulty.
share