This is the Zodiac speaking...
After that unpleasantness with Nman concerning The Passion it is time once again to get back into my list of greatest directors. Today we will be looking at...
#9 John Ford
John Ford was a director active during the middle of the twentieth century, mostly known for westerns, he also directed the screen adaptation of the great Steinbeck novel, The Grapes of Wrath, which I have not seen, nor read. I assume it is a documentary about wine making. That is obviously not why he made the list. He made the list at number nine for one movie and one movie only; The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
Why is this sole entry more worthy than the man who made The Godfather? Three reasons; James Stewart, Lee Marvin, and John Wayne. Had Ford cast two lesser actors the world might have never seen what I have been saying for years, namely that John Wayne is one of the worst actors ever, Keanu Reeves bad. Jimmy Stewart and Lee Marvin put on a clinic and made Marion look like the one dimensional waste of celluloid that he is. The man is a legend based solely on the fact that he was in the right place at the right time, World War II, when Jimmy Stewart was off flying bomber missions and Lee Marvin was getting shot in the ass at Saipan, Wayne was the only semblance of an actor that remained in Hollywood. Stewart and Marvin bring real emotion to this tale and, thankfully, Wayne has little screen time, but just enough for us to realize that the Duke is a Dud. Example: Read Shakespeare's Macbeth, Dostoevsky's Notes From the Underground, and this Blog. I know you all think highly of my writing prowess but when you have great authors to compare me with, I'll even admit it, I'm really shitty. So bravo to you Mr. Ford for showing us what a one note actor, I use the term actor loosely, John Wayne is, and thank you for putting him on screen for just long enough for us to realize it but not long enough for his collective stank to ruin the performances of two real screen legends.
Watch This: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Skip This: Every other film he made with John Wayne
2 comments:
John Wayne H8er!! But that's ok, Ford seemed to like him. The Searchers was a good movie! The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a great movie and if a director gets on the list for 1 movie then I expect to see William Wyler make the list for Ben Hur but we'll see as your top 10 continues. Keep up the good posts, I enjoy them!
Happy thanksgiving pilgrim
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