John Wayne was among the most popular and well-known actors of the 1940s and ‘50s, to the extent that almost every role he adopted in his later career was the protagonist of the film. Wayne’s star power alone was enough to entice most audiences to watch his new projects, regardless of the story or the filmmakers that were attached. It was a kind of Hollywood draw that’s rarely seen today, and it meant that John Wayne’s best movies almost always had him at their core.
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However, John Wayne’s movies weren’t always Westerns or war films and didn’t always feature Wayne at the forefront. The actor had a surprising range that wasn’t often seen in mid-century Hollywood. It was much more common for stars to carve out their niche within the industry and stick to it – but although Wayne certainly found his niche in Westerns and war films, he was always willing to step out of his comfort zone and try something new. This made him one of the most versatile stars of the time, even when he wasn’t absolutely top billing in a particular project.
10 Three Girls Lost (1931)
Directed By Sidney Lanfield
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Three Girls Lost was one of John Wayne’s first credited roles, and his character is far from the macho heroes that he would later come to play so frequently. The film centers around three young girls who abandon their small town and leave their previous lives behind in search of fame and fortune in the big city, where they encounter a series of figures who prove that glitz and glamor aren’t everything it’s made out to be.
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John Wayne is an icon of Western cinema, whose final decade of films featured some of his best work, including The Shootist and Rio Lobo.
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In Three Young Girls, Wayne plays Gordon Wales, the neighbor of one of the titular girls who introduces her to a local gangster and triggers her slippery descent into crime and secrecy. It’s a thrilling story of deceit, love, and crime that embodies all the melodramatic theater of the era, giving Wayne a complex and multi-faceted role that’s very different from his trademark.
9 Maker Of Men (1931)
Directed By Edward Sedgwick
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Maker of Men NRDrama
Maker of Men is a sports drama released in 1931. The film follows Bob, who faces rejection from his father, Coach Dudley, his girlfriend, and his school due to his lackluster football skills. Determined to prove his worth, Bob joins a rival college team with the goal of defeating his father’s team.
Director Edward Sedgwick Release Date August 3, 1931 Cast Jack Holt , Richard Cromwell , Joan Marsh , John Wayne , Natalie Moorhead , Richard Tucker , Walter Catlett , Ethel Wales , Robert Alden , Paul Hurst , Ward Bond , Buster Crabbe , Joe Sawyer Character(s) Dudley , Bob Dudley , Dorothy , Dusty Rhodes , Mrs. Rhodes , Mr. Rhodes , McNeil , Aunt Martha , Chick , Gabby , Football Player Pat (uncredited) , Football Player (uncredited) , Bennett the Monroe Coach (uncredited) Runtime 71 minutes
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Although it’s one of the actor’s lesser-known projects, Maker of Men is surprisingly one of John Wayne’s most rewatchable and entertaining films. It’s much less intense and dramatic than the projects he later gravitated towards, centering instead around a football coach and his son who are torn apart when the son decides to play on a successful rival team. It’s filled with great drama, thrilling sports action, and even some comedy that’s held up surprisingly well.
Maker of Men is far from the traditional John Wayne movie, but the actor still manages to shine in his brief turn. He plays the character of Dusty Rhodes, a supporting character who plays an interesting role in tearing this family even further apart and hammering home the intensity of such low-stakes sports. It’s a great watch for anybody who’s unfamiliar with Wayne’s work, simply because it’s so different from everything else.
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8 Texas Cyclone (1932)
Directed By D. Ross Lederman
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Texas Cyclone NRActionWestern
Texas Cyclone: Set in a small western town, Texas Cyclone follows Texas Grant, who is mistaken for the deceased Jim Rawlins. To help Rawlins’ wife, Helen, save her ranch from Utah Becker, Grant assumes Rawlins’ identity, leading to confrontations that could determine the fate of the land.
Director D. Ross Lederman Release Date February 24, 1932 Writers Randall Faye Cast Shirley Grey , Tim McCoy , Wheeler Oakman , Walter Brennan , John Wayne , Wallace MacDonald , Vernon Dent , Mary Gordon , Harry Cording , Jim Farley Character(s) Helen Rawlins , Texas Grant , Utah Becker , Sheriff Lew Collins , Steve Pickett , Nick Lawler , Hefty , Kate , Jake Farwell , Web Oliver Runtime 63 minutes Expand
Texas Cyclone was one of John Wayne’s very first Westerns, and while he didn’t land the main character, his role was arguably even more entertaining to watch. The story centers around a man named Texas Grant who stops at a small town in the American West during his travels, where he’s shocked to learn that everybody there recognizes him as a suspected dead man. From there, the film slowly unravels this mystery with fascinating relationships, dynamic characters, and surprising twists.
Wayne plays a character named Steve Pickett, an honest resident of the small town who develops a close friendship with Texas Grant and helps him with his duties once he’s fully adopted the identity placed on him.
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Wayne plays a character named Steve Pickett, an honest resident of the small town who develops a close friendship with Texas Grant and helps him with his duties once he’s fully adopted the identity placed on him. It’s a very entertaining and well-written John Wayne Western that nobody ever talks about, but it’s a pivotal moment in the star’s career.
7 Two-Fisted Law (1932)
Directed By D. Ross Lederman
The second of John Wayne’s collaborations with filmmaker D. Ross Lederman in 1931, Two-Fisted Law is a very different kind of Western that finally gives Wayne the more mature, bravado role that he’d later become renowned for. The story follows an American rancher who finds himself the victim of a complex scam by a group of crooked farmers, forcing him to take revenge, settle the score, and prevent them from swindling the other residents of his town.
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Wayne’s role in Two-Fisted Law is admittedly small, but the actor still leaves an impression whenever he’s on the screen. It’s easy to see the beginnings of his Hollywood charm in this project, working alongside a filmmaker that he’s familiar with and beginning to find his footing in the Western genre. It’s not one of Wayne’s most well-known or popular projects, but it’s undeniably one of his most formative.
6 Lady & Gent (1932)
Directed By Stephen Roberts
Lady & Gent was a classic Hollywood drama that incorporates everything audiences had come to love about going to the movies: high-stakes drama, romantic relationships, beautiful visuals, and a sweeping score that soundtracks the entire narrative. The story follows two very different individuals, a retired fighter and a beautiful nightclub singer, who are faced with the challenge of raising their friend’s newly orphaned son. While it’s not one of the defining John Wayne movies, it’s certainly one of his most underrated.
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The problem with many of Wayne’s Westerns is that the stories can feel quite similar and repetitive, as the genre developed a formula and rarely dared to stray too far away from it. However, with these kinds of sentimental dramas, the writers had much more freedom to try new ideas and fresh concepts that audiences perhaps hadn’t seen before. That’s what made Lady & Gent so popular at the time, and it’s the romanticized Hollywood love story that keeps it so enjoyable today.
5 Baby Face (1933)
Directed By Alfred E. Green
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Baby Face ApprovedDramaRomance
Baby Face, directed by Alfred E. Green, follows a young woman who leverages her sexuality to ascend the social ladder during the early 1930s. As she navigates this path of ambition, she begins to question whether her newfound status will ultimately lead to personal fulfillment.
Director Alfred E. Green Release Date November 17, 1933 Writers Gene Markey , Kathryn Scola , Darryl F. Zanuck Cast Barbara Stanwyck , George Brent , Donald Cook , Alphonse Ethier , Henry Kolker , Margaret Lindsay , Arthur Hohl , John Wayne Runtime 71 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
Baby Face was arguably John Wayne’s first step into the noir genre, which grew in popularity enormously throughout the ‘30s and ‘40s. The film starred Barabra Stanwyck as Lily Powers, exploring the character’s exploitation of sex and romance to climb the social ladder and advance her financial status. Wayne appears briefly as one of Powers’ lovers, but his role in this project is admittedly very minor.
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Censorship saw plenty of iconic films banned in the USA, but
Baby Face
’s gripping story and immense popularity kept it in the discussion for many years.
What’s so fascinating about Baby Face its is open and transparent discussions of femininity and sexuality. This made it a huge talking point of the pre-Code era of filmmaking, before censorship was widely applied to all Hollywood releases and these discussions became more widely restrained. Censorship saw plenty of iconic films banned in the USA, but Baby Face’s gripping story and immense popularity kept it in the discussion for many years.
4 The Life Of Jimmy Dolan (1933)
Directed By Archie Mayo
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The Life of Jimmy Dolan DramaRomance
The Life of Jimmy Dolan follows champion boxer Jimmy Dolan, whose public persona contrasts his troubled private life. After a fatal altercation, Dolan flees and finds refuge on a farm for disabled children, managed by Peggy. As he bonds with Peggy, he begins to reevaluate his past choices.
Director Archie Mayo Release Date June 3, 1933 Writers David Boehm Cast Douglas Fairbanks Jr. , Loretta Young , Aline MacMahon , Guy Kibbee , Lyle Talbot , Fifi D’Orsay , Harold Huber , Shirley Grey , George Meeker , John Wayne , Arthur Hohl , Edward Arnold , Joan Barclay , Robert Barrat , Allen ‘Farina’ Hoskins , Clarence Muse , Anne Shirley , David Durand , Mickey Rooney , Sammy Stein Character(s) Jimmy , Peggy , Auntie , Phlaxer , Doc , Budgie , Reggie Newman , Goldie West , Charles Magee , Smith , Herman Malvin , Inspector Ennis , Well-Wisher , Sheriff , Sam , Masseur , Mary Lou , George Lewis , Freckles (uncredited) , King Cobra Runtime 88 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He32DyBle2s Expand
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There’s no denying that The Life of Jimmy Dolan is one of John Wayne’s lesser-known projects, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing of merit in this classical Hollywood drama. The film stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr as the titular character, an acclaimed boxer who finds himself accidentally culpable for the death of a reporter at one of his matches. After an intense legal battle that he manages to win, another lawman hunts down the celebrity boxer and sets out to prove his crime for good.
The Life of Jimmy Dolan has all the drama and twists that audiences could have wanted from this kind of film, but the project hasn’t aged all that well in the years that followed. Some of the storytelling is very messy, the performances aren’t as committed as they could have been, and the visual style is nothing new.
3 The Spoilers (1942)
Directed By Ray Enright
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The Spoilers (1942) PGDramaWestern
Set in the Alaskan gold rush, The Spoilers (1942) follows the conflict between a prospector and a corrupt official bent on seizing valuable mining claims. Starring John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, and Randolph Scott, this Western drama unfolds against a backdrop of frontier justice and moral dilemmas, blending action and romance amid the rugged wilderness.
Director Ray Enright Release Date June 11, 1942 Writers Rex Beach , Lawrence Hazard , Tom Reed Cast Marlene Dietrich , Randolph Scott , John Wayne , Margaret Lindsay , Harry Carey , Richard Barthelmess , George Cleveland , Samuel S. Hinds , Russell Simpson , William Farnum , Marietta Canty , Jack Norton , Ray Bennett , Forrest Taylor , Art Miles , Charles McMurphy Character(s) Cherry Malotte , McNamara , Glennister , Helen Chester , Dextry , Bronco Kid , Banty , Judge Stillman , Flapjack , Wheaton , Idabelle , Mr. Skinner , Clark , Bennett , Deputy Runtime 87 Minutes Main Genre Western YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpsB0ZBPcAQ Expand
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Once John Wayne’s career had fully taken off in the mid-1930s, it took until 1942 for the Hollywood star to adopt another supporting role and sacrifice the lead to somebody else. This project was The Spoilers, a big-budget Western from Universal Pictures that told the story of an Alaskan prospector who gets into a tangle with an American lawman over the affections of an elusive saloon singer.
The 1940s housed some of the most influential Western movies ever made, as filmmakers began to subvert the audience’s expectations and try some new ideas that had previously been considered too bold and risky. One of these ideas was to blend the high-stakes action of the Western genre with a tamer, more sentimental romance that helps balance the tone of the storytelling – and The Spoilers does this perfectly,
2 Pittsburgh (1942)
Directed By Lewis Seiler
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Pittsburgh NRDrama
Pittsburgh is a 1942 film that follows the ambitious Charles ‘Pittsburgh’ Markham as he aggressively pursues financial success in the steel industry. His relentless drive affects his relationships and ideals, leading to loneliness. The story unfolds as fate offers him a second chance after a significant setback.
Director Lewis Seiler Release Date December 11, 1942 Writers Kenneth Gamet Cast Marlene Dietrich , Randolph Scott , John Wayne , Frank Craven , Louise Allbritton , Shemp Howard , Thomas Gomez , Ludwig Stössel , Samuel S. Hinds , Paul Fix , William Haade , Charles Coleman , Nestor Paiva , Bess Flowers Character(s) Josie ‘Hunky’ Winters , Cash Evans , Charles ‘Pittsburgh’ Markham , J.M. ‘Doc’ Powers , Shannon Prentiss Markham , Shorty (The Tailor) , Joe Malneck (Miners Union President) , Dr. Grazlich (Doc Powers’ Partner) , Morgan Prentiss (President, Prentiss Steel) , Burnside (Mine Operator) , Johnny (Miner) , Mike (Markham’s Butler) , Barney, Cafe Proprietor , Wedding Reception Guest (uncredited) Runtime 91 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rk1BwKZ8Ug Expand
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Pittsburgh is a very interesting project for 1940s Hollywood, in that the story has no clear protagonist. There’s a case to be made for several of the main characters to be the “lead“, just as there’s a case to be made that none of them are. John Wayne is certainly the most recognizable member of the cast, but the project is essentially an ensemble. The film follows several figures whose lives all center around Wayne’s character Markham, a greedy coal miner who exploits others to his benefit.
Pittsburgh
is one of Wayne’s least traditional and most experimental projects, but it worked in his favor and was fairly successful with audiences.
Although the story revolves around Markham, the other characters in this tale are just as important to the progression of the narrative. It’s almost the story of a place rather than any of the people in it, as suggested by its vague title. Pittsburgh is one of Wayne’s least traditional and most experimental projects, but it worked in his favor and was fairly successful with audiences.
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1 They Were Expendable (1945)
Directed By John Ford
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They Were Expendable ApprovedDramaWar
They Were Expendable, released in 1945, portrays a squadron of PT-boat crews in the Philippines grappling with military challenges and strategic conflicts following Pearl Harbor. The film explores their efforts against Japanese forces amidst the Navy’s indifferent stance towards their missions.
Director John Ford , Robert Montgomery Release Date December 31, 1945 Writers William L. White , Frank Wead , Norman Corwin , George Froeschel , Jan Lustig Cast Robert Montgomery , John Wayne , Donna Reed , Jack Holt , Ward Bond , Marshall Thompson , Paul Langton , Leon Ames Runtime 135 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
They Were Expendable was John Wayne’s third collaboration with John Ford, the hugely popular filmmaker who essentially monopolized the Western genre throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. They’d previously worked together on Stagecoach, which arguably made Wayne the star that he was destined to become, and the lesser-known The Long Voyage Home.
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They Were Expendable was another huge success that cemented this hard-working duo as an all-time great collaboration, telling the story of a naval commander who fights to get his ship battle-ready at the beginning of the Second World War. It’s arguably the only time John Ford cast John Wayne in a non-lead role, as he quickly recognized the actor’s screen presence and capitalized on it for years to come.