John Wayne Expressed Dislike for His 1965 Western Film Co-Starring Dean Martin

John Wayne had candid views regarding his 1965 Western film, The Sons Of Katie Elder, which co-starred Dean Martin. While this film may not typically rank among Wayne’s finest works, it surprisingly boasts a perfect 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. In the movie, Wayne portrays John Elder, one of four brothers who reunite in their Texas hometown for their mother’s funeral. Although the film’s story is set in northeast Texas, it was entirely filmed in Mexico.

Directed by Henry Hathaway, The Sons Of Katie Elder premiered in theaters on June 24, 1965, utilizing the stunning Panavision format, and was distributed by Paramount Pictures. At the time, Wayne had recently completed projects such as In Harm’s Way directed by Otto Preminger and The Greatest Story Ever Told by George Stevens, both released earlier in 1965. Dean Martin, renowned as a singer and comedian, had just starred in Kiss Me, Stupid and Robin and the 7 Hoods in 1964. The cast also featured talents like Martha Hyer and Dennis Hopper.

Why John Wayne Wasn’t Enthusiastic About The Sons Of Katie Elder

Health Issues and Grueling Production

John Wayne and Dean Martin ride a carriage in The Sons of Katie Elder

Despite The Sons Of Katie Elder being lauded by critics, Wayne himself was less than pleased with the film and its production. In a revealing interview with the iconic film critic Roger Ebert, Wayne explained his lack of enthusiasm: “I don’t care for it much, myself. I had just got over that cancer operation and I thought I could hear myself breathing all the time. Everybody said it was my imagination.”He recalled director Henry Hathaway requesting physically challenging feats from him, including a scene where he had to jump into freezing water.

Wayne humorously reflected on the tough conditions during filming, stating, “Well, old Henry was very thoughtful of me, of course, since I was recuperating and all. He took me up to 8,500 feet to shoot the damned thing and on the fourth day of shooting he had me jumping into ice water. Very considerate.” Although he didn’t openly critique the film itself, he did illustrate his preference for Hathaway’s later acclaimed project, True Grit (1969), expressing, “Give Hathaway a good story, and that’s what ‘True Grit’ is, and he’s great.”

John Wayne’s Reflections Enhance His Performance

Classic Demeanor Amid Health Challenges

The four sons of Katie Elder standing together in The Sons of Katie Elder

Taking into account Wayne’s personal struggles during this period, his performance in The Sons Of Katie Elder stands out as exceptionally impressive. Despite facing health challenges, he continued to deliver memorable performances in several iconic Westerns, including El Dorado, True Grit, and Chisum. However, following 1970, his film appearances dwindled significantly, with his last credit being an uncredited role in George Lucas’s Star Wars, and his final on-screen performance occurring in The Shootist in 1976. Although Wayne may not have cherished his experience filming The Sons Of Katie Elder, the film remains a celebrated classic of the Western genre and showcases a unique collaboration with Dean Martin.

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