Which John Wayne and James Stewart Western Movie is the Best?
It's a tough one! Both John Wayne and James Stewart are legend. They made some of the most awesome Western Movies of all time! So, how do you choose just one movie out of three they did together?! But don't worry. Here's the breakdown, ranking them from "worst" to "best" just for the fun of it!
How Did It All Start With Wayne and Stewart?
You know how John Wayne became super-famous playing heroic roles for John Ford, right? And James Stewart became a Hollywood superstar with Alfred Hitchcock, well, they made an unlikely pair for Western Movies - just because they were so different!
- John Wayne was totally the "American Ideal"! The strong, fearless hero, right? While Stewart was more the everyday, average guy who could relate to everyone.
- Imagine trying to put Wayne in something like "It’s a Wonderful Life"! You could never imagine Stewart in a classic Wayne movie like "True Grit." But they always got it right when they worked together, making their clash of personalities and those epic roles work so well. And in Western Movies, it made the entire genre feel that much more unique.
How The West Was Won (1962)
- This movie is HUGE! Imagine 50 years of history, starting in 1839 all the way to 1889. You see the Gold Rush, Civil War, even railroads going in. This whole thing is one of the most ambitious projects ever!
- They had to have three different directors! And they made sure it was totally Cinerama! Those were epic movie experiences - just think about those massive screens!
The Shootist (1976)
- It was the last film John Wayne ever made. They put him back in the Wild West to take on one last tough role.
- John Wayne totally had a major moment. He played a dying gunfighter. The whole thing was kind of a reflection of how Wayne felt about his own life and that’s pretty deep, man!
- We are used to seeing Wayne, a true hero in all those great Western Movies. He did some of his most awesome acting when he played more morally questionable guys! It just made him so different! It is no wonder that a lot of people thought "The Shootist" was amazing. It's a dark Western story that's hard to forget.
- It's a pretty emotional experience to watch John Wayne do that. It makes sense it's called John Wayne's final film, because it was such a great goodbye to those western roles.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
- This one is definitely a super fan favorite, especially when it comes to John Wayne's work and all those epic Western Movies!
- It's hard to say, but it is probably the most beloved one from the entire Wayne/Stewart duo!
- This whole movie, it really uses everything that made these two amazing actors famous!
- This movie might not have been the perfect finale for John Wayne, but for fans who are obsessed with John Wayne Western movies and James Stewart Westerns, this is the must-see!
The western genre is super cool! These are the types of classic Western Movies that will always stand the test of time - they will definitely make you laugh, think, and cry.