“You were terrific, you SOB”: the John Wayne performance Kirk Douglas called his best in years
Actors praising actors for their work is a fairly regular occurrence in Hollywood, but Kirk Douglas celebrating John Wayne carried extra heft when the two icons of the ‘Golden Age’ didn’t always see eye to eye for obvious reasons.
Although the pair shared a deep-seated respect and mutual appreciation, it would be an understatement to say their political beliefs lay at opposite ends of the spectrum and that dissonance made things fractious for a long time.
‘The Duke’ was one of the most outspoken anti-communist figures in the industry and continually railed against the alleged influence those who toed party lines were having on the business he dedicated his life to, whereas Douglas was one of the most instrumental figures in ending the blackout altogether.
He fought for the exiled Dalton Trumbo to be credited under his real name for the first time in years for penning the screenplay for Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus, a moment that pushed the door ajar for the communist witch hunt to draw to a close. It wasn’t only political differences they had, either, with Wayne left incredulous by a particular role that Douglas played.
The latter earned a ‘Best Actor’ nomination at the Academy Awards for playing Vincent Van Gogh in 1956’s Lust for Life, and ‘The Duke’ couldn’t wrap his head around one of his peers embodying a character he perceived to be weak. It was an odd thing to get angry about, but as Wayne’s health worsened in his later years, he and Douglas healed their rifts and became close friends once more.
In fact, Douglas was so bowled over by what turned out to be the final performance of Wayne’s career in 1976’s elegiac western, The Shootist, that he wrote a letter commending him for his work. Not only that, but he said it was the finest turn ‘The Duke’ had given in a long time, adding an additional layer of bittersweetness.
“Dear John, I saw The Shootist,” Douglas wrote. “You were terrific, you SOB. As a matter of fact, I think it was one of the best performances you’ve given in a long time. Great simplicity, great depth, wonderful ironic humour. Of course, there were some things I would have done differently, but I certainly enjoyed the film. All my very best to you. Kirk Douglas.”
The star’s mischievous nature was on full display after he made a point of sneaking in a little dig in Wayne’s direction, but that doesn’t detract from the sentiment. They’d had their issues, but at the end of the day, the duo spent the bulk of their time in the spotlight as two of the biggest draws in cinema, so personal differences could always be put aside in the name of professional back-slapping.
He couldn’t have known it at the time, but The Shootist marked a fitting exclamation point on Wayne’s towering career, and he carried every ounce of his baggage into the part of JB Books.
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