Killing John Wayne: The Making of the Conqueror
Reviewed By Ian Banks June 24, 2022
Author Ryan Uytdewilligen
Distributor:
ISBN: 978-1493058471
Publisher: Lyons Press (October 1, 2021)
Release Date: October 2021
Website: https://ryanuytdewilligenauthor.com/
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Killing John Wayne presents a rather stunning image of John Wayne on the cover of the book: he was the man who took the Western Movie to another dimension altogether and in the process became a household name; as well as making millions for the Hollywood movie makers of the time and of all people, eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes.
To the modern generation of movie goers, John Wayne can still captivate with his drawl, his somewhat laconic style and that certain something called screen presence. But what of the picture on the cover of him dressed as Shogun Genghis Khan, a far cry from his beloved image of a goody, goody Marshal in a swag of Western Movies.
Ryan Uytdewilligen has spent considerable time researching the years when Hollywood was a place that produced Stars, huge household names; a town of glitter and glitz and often some appalling behaviour from the ‘famous’ directors of the day, along with up and coming starlets who would do almost anything to try and reach their dream, that of becoming a Star.
Howard Hughes was a man who adored women; he was known for bevy of beauties, his fame spread with the infamous Playboy Club and Playboy bunny era. He was also heavily involved in the Movie industry, pouring in money, often sabotaging movies and generally lavishly spending money to enhance his lifestyle, and those of his current ‘favourite’ from starlets, to famous actresses such as Rita Hayworth, Susan Hayward and many more.
But what of killing John Wayne. John Wayne was a three packet a day smoker, and when he died of cancer it was put down to his cigarette habit. When Rita Hayworth died of cancer and alcoholism, it was put down to her lifestyle. Along with many other people involved in the movie industry in the late 1950’s and 1960’s, many died young due to one form of cancer or another.
Nevada had been used as a nuclear test site during the post WWII years and when the land became available, Hughes put up the money to have the Studios of RKO relocated out there. He considered it the perfect place for filming Westerns and the like; Movies that were so popular in the day. Uytdewilligen places the location firmly as being ‘just 153 miles from the St. George, Utah, set, nuclear bombs were detonated regularly at Yucca Flat and Frenchman Flat in Nevada’.
Scientists were reluctant, if not in denial, about the radiation left in the ground and in the area, even though they were well aware of the situation. But money talks loud and clear and so filming went on. Hughes was never present at the Studio’s even though he was a powerful force as to what movies where to be made and what ‘stars or starlets’ would appear in the films.
Many ended up as bad ‘B’ and ‘C’ class movies and many others never saw the light of a cinema projector. The Conqueror (1956) Howard Hughes’ final cinematic vision was one such movie, which after having money poured into it, became a dismal failure as John Wayne’s talents and accent as a Fu-Manchu, Mongol madman, lacked far more than a certain something: he was a western movie actor with the required drawl. Susan Hayward as his sultry lover was also far out of place.
Uytdewilligen states this is the true story of the worst movie ever made which it most probably was and still is; the toll of deaths related to the Studios location and in particular the filming of this movie, also adds to the worst label. When John Wayne was diagnosed with cancer one of the Scientists stated “Oh no, don’t tell me we have killed John Wayne.”
Any movies buff will totally enjoy this sad tale of greed, lies, glitz and glamour as the seedy side of an industry filled with ‘seedy ’is explored. Anyone who enjoys a good read about times and people long past will also enjoy this well constructed and presented work on Hollywood, the ‘Cold War’ years of secretive happenings, and what really did happen to John Wayne.