All 11 John Wayne Movies From The 1970s, Ranked

With John Wayne‘s unfortunately passing in 1979, the 1970s proved the final chapter in his storied and tenured acting career that saw him rise to be the most iconic Western actor in history. Wayne’s filmography in this decade both cemented and boosted his legendary status, portraying different roles in various genres that defined his career and made him a household name across the world. His characters and films explored many Western cultural themes such as loyalty, justice, courage, and revenge that have become trademarks of his work throughout the years.

It’s incredible to think that Wayne was still evolving and progressing as an actor, even into his late 60s, with nuanced roles in films like Rio Lobo and The Cowboys. Whether portraying a rugged Civil War veteran on a mission or a hardened mentor, passing down his wisdom and tales to a younger group, the 1970s felt like a year that Wayne could do no wrong on the screen. His embracing of complex and cerebral characters, with less reliance on his physicality and action scenes, made it a stand-out decade, showing the true acting talent of one of the all-time greats.

11 Swing Out, Sweet Land (1970)

As Himself

In Wayne’s most different and unusual outing in film in the 1970s, this patriotic TV special saw Wayne play the host and narrator for a film consisting of pro-America vignettes and scenes with a wide array of actors, stars, dancers, and musicians. It presented a montage of sequences that celebrate America and its history, with Wayne guiding the audience through the journey of the formation of the United States with grace and poise.

Though Wayne is just himself, he still commands the screen with his trademark charisma and charm that have made him an icon of American cinema and the perfect frontman for a love letter to all things Americana and U.S. ideals. However, it has to be thought of in a different light due to it not being a traditional film; it is still an enjoyable watch and shows once again that in any facet, role, or piece of media, Wayne will elevate and bring gravitas to the work.

10 McQ (1974)

As Detective Lieutenant Lon “McQ” McHugh

After dominating the Western landscape for decades, the 1970s saw Wayne further broaden his horizons and take on different genres that took him slightly further out of his comfort zone. In the neo-noir thriller McQ,he takes on the leading role of Detective ‘McQ’ in a more modern setting, in which his character investigates the brutal murder of his partner, which leads to conspiracy and corruption in his very precinct. McQ, led by his morals and quest to avenge his best friend’s untimely death, sees him turn on the very institution he helped grow.

A few years before starring in this film, Wayne passed on playing the lead in
Dirty Harry
(1971), a role that later went to Clint Eastwood, a decision Wayne would go on to regret.

With police corruption and violence still being a hot-button issue to this day, McQ touched on a sensitive and divisive topic back in the mid-1970s in a sharp and gritty drama with a well-constructed narrative. Though fans at the time were so used to seeing Wayne in his usual Western roles, it was a change of scenery that perhaps wasn’t as well received as expected. Wayne commanded the screen with his usual presence and charm, but it didn’t quite hit the notes of some of his more stellar performances in the rest of the decade.

9 Brannigan (1975)

As Lieutenant James “Jim” Brannigan

Similar to McQ, Wayne once again shows his acting range isn’t just limited to the American frontier and takes on the role of Police Lieutenant Jim Brannigan. Brannigan is a tough Chicago officer who is tasked with flying to London to help extradite a notorious American criminal (John Vernon) back to the United States. The plot follows Brannigan as he deals with the culture clash and personality differences between himself and the British Commander (Richard Attenborough) while trying to apprehend the gangster who has been kidnapped for ransom.

The story is unique and genuinely compelling, with moments of levity and humor peppered in, showing the differences in style and policing from both sides of the Pond. Wayne and Attenborough share a fantastic chemistry that only grows as the film progresses, and Wayne’s gruff and no-nonsense persona clashes masterfully with Attenborough’s polite and straight-laced approach. Overall, the ‘fish-out-of-water’ story is executed well, with solid acting throughout, but it still feels like it lacks some of the punch and gravitas of some of Wayne’s more iconic, predominantly Western, films.

8 The Train Robbers (1973)

As Lane

The 1970s perhaps didn’t show Wayne at his absolute physical prime, but his acting throughout the decade continued to be a testament to the man and his supreme talents. In films like The Train Robbers, Wayne commands the audience as effortlessly as ever, playing stoic cowboy Lane, who helps a widowed woman retrieve a stash of gold buried in Mexico worth $500,000. Once word gets out that there is a fortune to be had, a gang of bandits and robbers all try to find the gold first or get it under their possession by any means necessary.

Though the film ends in a rather unfortunate and misguided twist ending, with the widow actually turning out to be not who she claimed, the overall narrative and atmosphere of the film is one of heightened suspense and intrigue. The battle sequences, particularly the final climactic shootout, are excellently choreographed, and Wayne’s charisma and machismo help solidify him still as the go-to Western actor. Wayne’s chemistry and rapport with Ann-Margaret, who plays the widow, is genuinely enthralling and, combined with the interesting plot, make it an underrated gem in Wayne’s filmography.

7 Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973)

As J.D. Cahill

Cahill U.S. Marshal sees Wayne combine two long-running themes of his career by playing a rugged Lawman, J. D. Cahill, in a Western film. The mature U.S. Marshal is put in a moral dilemma as his two sons help commit a bank robbery with an outlaw gang, which forces him to choose between his family and the law he swore to uphold. Wayne, once again, is on top form, delivering a performance that rivals his most famous works in a poignant and measured display of a man caught between a rock and a hard place.

The film has an ensemble cast featuring the likes of Western icons like Harry Carey Jr., Paul Fix, and Hank Warden, starring in supporting roles that help elevate Wayne’s commanding performance. Cahill U.S. Marshal touches on themes not often visited in the Western genre, and Wayne’s heartfelt and, at times, sensitive performance shows that he can pack a sentimental punch when needed. The sincere family dynamic and stellar performances up and down the cast make this a must-watch, but it does lack some of the polish of his other 1970s work.

6 Chisum (1970)

As John Chisum

Andrew V. McLaglen’s classic American Western sees Wayne star as the titular leading man, John Chisum. Chisum is one of Wayne’s most versatile roles, seeing his character go from a mild-mannered cattle baron who wants what’s best for his family and business to a ruthless and calculated killer. Chisum is forced to deal with an amoral businessman (Lawrence Murphy) who has killed two of his men and stolen part of his land, forcing the usually stoic character to abandon his sensibilities and go on a mission for revenge.

Wayne and Murphy’s collision course is truly one of the best builds from any Western in the 1970s, with their chemistry and back-and-forths adding tension and action to every scene. The climactic fistfight between the pair is one of the best fight-fights in any Wayne film, with the two trading blows together in the townhouse before Murphy falls to his death from the second story. Though the film lacks a bit of complexity and emotional depth, it still has all the hallmarks of a classic Wayne Western and is still a captivating film to watch.

5 Rooster Cogburn (1975)

As U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn

In a much-anticipated sequel to True Grit, Wayne reprises his role as the gritty one-eyed U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, a character based on the star of Charles Portis’ 1968 Western novel and the role that previously saw him win his only Academy Award. In this installment, Cogburn has had his badge suspended due to his heavy-handed approach to arrests but is given a final chance to redeem himself by rounding up and apprehending a gang of bank robbers. The film sees a seamless blend of comedy, action, and suspense as the Lawman’s career and life hang in the balance.

Rooster is joined on his mission by a spinster named Miss Eula Goodnight (Katharine Hepburn), and Wayne and Hepburn’s chemistry is fascinating to watch through the film as the two go from adversarial to developing a begrudging partnership through the sharing of a common goal. Though not as iconic as its predecessor, due to a less compelling narrative, it’s still obvious why Wayne’s portrayal of Cogburn won an Oscar in True Grit, as he masterfully embodies one of the most interesting and layered characters in Western history.

4 Big Jake (1971)

As Jacob McCandles

In a film that was a ‘final’ for both legendary director George Sherman and Wayne’s frequent co-star Maureen O’Hara, who subsequently retired for 20 years, it feels like a film made for them to go out with a bang. Big Jake sees Wayne play estranged husband and father Jacob McCandles, a wandering gunfighter who is tasked to return to the family after Jake’s grandson ‘Little Jake’ is kidnapped by an outlaw gang. It’s a film that combines fast-paced action with genuine, heartfelt moments that see a family broken apart before coming back together.

What has made Big Jake one of Wayne’s most beloved later career films is the combination of fighting sequences and family-orientated drama that provides a gripping story throughout the film. The final rescue feels grand and epic, with life-and-death stakes and an epic battle that sees Jake kill his nemesis with a pitchfork in a brutal and gruesome ending. Wayne continues to roll back the years and gives a lively and energetic performance that can be put alongside any in his stellar career.

3 Rio Lobo (1970)

As Colonel Cord McNally

Howard Hawks’ Rio Lobo is the director’s third film in an unofficial trilogy of movies (all starring Wayne) that show a small-town sheriff forced to defend his office against a violent, local outlaw. In this film, Wayne portrays Colonel Cord McNally, a Civil War veteran and an old friend of the sheriff who aims to get justice on a pair of traitors who sold out his secret Union army to the Confederates. The film follows the story as he must recruit a rag-tag team to hunt down and apprehend the men responsible for both the modern-day crimes and their treacherous past.

Rio Lobo is expertly paced and directed, as the tensions simmer perfectly from the character’s past actions into the current day. Wayne gives another compelling performance in a revenge-based narrative that usually brings the best out of his acting style. The well-choreographed action sequences feel grand and realistic, with many tense points in the high-stakes drama, and while it is one of Wayne’s best films of the decade, it just falls short of the impact and popularity of his best ’70s films.

2 The Cowboys (1972)

As Wil Anderson

Based on William Dale Jennings’ 1971 novel of the same name, The Cowboys sees Wayne star as veteran cattle rancher Wil Anderson alongside Roscoe Lee Browne and Bruce Dern. Anderson is preparing a huge cattle drive across the country and is forced to hire a group of local schoolboys to replace his usual farmhand team, who have all abandoned him for the gold rush. Wayne delivers a typical stand-out performance as the mature and wise rancher who is forced into combat when a bandit named Long Hair is intent on attacking his group and stealing his herd.

His depiction of Anderson is complex and layered, being a brutal gunslinger and fighter one moment while also displaying kindness, patience, and compassion when it comes to his young crew.

Wayne showcases his incredible acting range, playing a mentor, guardian, and parental figure, showing a softer side than is usually presented in the majority of his other Western roles. His depiction of Anderson is complex and layered, being a brutal gunslinger and fighter one moment, while also displaying kindness, patience, and compassion when it comes to his young crew. Wayne delivers one of the best performances of his career in a role that allows him to display a range of expressions and emotions, producing one of the finest films of his career.

1 The Shootist (1976)

As John Bernard “J.B.” Books

The Shootist follows the story of sheriff-turned-gunslinger “J.B.” Books, an aging ex-lawman who learns he has terminal cancer and is given only a few weeks to live. Books had become a legendary gunfighter with a fierce reputation, having committed over 30 killings in his lifetime, and his career in law enforcement has made him many enemies, so his final days are spent fending off notoriety-seeking criminals and journalists. Books uses his remaining time to organize one final epic shootout with three different men who all have grievances with him, as his tombstone is delivered the same day.

In a role Wayne expressed a strong desire to play, the character study of Books and his excellent depiction is one of the finest in cinema. Wayne and Books share many parallels, with Wayne being diagnosed with lung cancer in 1964, and his health and ailments during filming must have ironically mirrored his character’s failing body at the same time. In what would ultimately go on to be John Wayne‘s last ever film appearance before his death in 1979, his understated yet impactful performance would reflect his own legacy, with the film holding a special place in cinema history.