The Oscar-winning movie John Wayne rejected because of “adultery”
It would be some years before John Wayne would gain the Oscar he so deeply felt he was owed
Appearing in 150 movies in his career, the noted western icon would have to wait until the latter stages of his time in Hollywood before he walked away with the golden statue he so richly desired.
In the rugged tapestry of American cinema, Wayne emerged as a celluloid colossus, a mythic embodiment of the frontier spirit. His stoic visage and gravelly drawl became legendary, transcending the silver screen to etch itself into the collective consciousness. Wayne, born Marion Morrison, navigated Hollywood’s tumultuous terrain, evolving from a bit player into the epitome of rugged masculinity. Yet, beneath the cowboy bravado lurked a complex persona—a man grappling with the contradictions of fame and personal identity.
In the sepia-toned landscapes of the Old West, Wayne’s legacy endures, a cinematic monument to a bygone era and the enduring allure of the American myth. And, given his huge presence in the field, it would have felt slightly cheap for him not to leave his career without an award befitting the column-like shadow that he left looming over cinema. In 1970, he gained that award, picking up the gong for his role in True Grit.
But, he may have had an earlier chance at gaining that invaluable award had his uber-conservative values aligned with the makers of the Oscar-winning movie The Dirty Dozen. It wasn’t the only award-winning movie that Wayne rejected because of his morals, but it was the only one he turned down because of his love of the military.
Amid the tumult of 1960s cinema, The Dirty Dozen stands as a visceral testament to rebellion. Robert Aldrich’s cinematic ballet of renegade soldiers, led by the indomitable Lee Marvin, a role first offered to Wayne, melds gritty warfare with dark humour. A subversive commentary on authority, this ensemble epic remains a defiant and enduring classic.
The subversion of these attitudes provoked Wayne to reject the movie. According to Randy Roberts’ book, John Wayne: American, this was because Wayne did not want to be seen committing adultery on screen, with the role of Reisman engaging in an affair with an English woman.
Though the lead role did not get a nomination at the Academy Awards, the movie would go on to win an Oscar and be regarded as one of the more vibrant offerings from the decade.
