MOVIE NEWS – When John Wayne told Steven Spielberg he was making a movie that was “too un-American,” even though the director had offered him a part. The film in question, 1941, not only left a blemish on the career of the Jurassic Park director—it also caused a rift with one of the biggest icons of American Westerns: The Duke.

Steven Spielberg has often spoken of his admiration for the legendary filmmaker John Ford, and it’s no secret that Ford’s work helped shape his cinematic vision. Spielberg has even said that he used to rewatch Ford’s movies before starting his own projects for inspiration. Naturally, this led to a deep appreciation for John Wayne, Ford’s frequent leading man—and eventually, an offer to cast him in a new project.

Wayne Declines the Role and Warns Spielberg

At the time, John Wayne was near the end of his illustrious career, and it wasn’t entirely far-fetched to imagine him accepting a supporting role in a Spielberg film. Spielberg, having previously met Wayne at a funeral in Los Angeles, decided to send him the script for 1941. Wayne’s response? He not only declined the role—he outright urged Spielberg not to make the movie at all.

“[Wayne] was really curious, so I sent him the script,” Spielberg recalled. “He called me back the next day and said he thought it was a very un-American movie and that I shouldn’t waste my time making it. He said, ‘You know, that was an important war, and you’re making fun of a war that cost thousands of lives at Pearl Harbor. Don’t make fun of World War II.’”

Wayne wasn’t the only big name who turned it down. Charlton Heston—best known for Planet of the Apes—also declined a role in the film. According to Spielberg, Heston told him the script felt like a slap in the face to America and lacked the respect the subject matter deserved.

Spielberg Moves Forward Despite Criticism

Despite these warnings, Spielberg pressed on. He ended up casting Robert Stack as General Stilwell, a decision that Spielberg later praised as possibly better than his original choices. Sadly, Wayne passed away before 1941 was released in 1979, so we’ll never know how he would’ve reacted to the final version.

Judging by the reception, though, it’s safe to assume Wayne wouldn’t have been impressed. 1941 was critically panned upon release, failing to meet the lofty expectations set by Spielberg’s earlier hits like Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Although it did make money, the film was considered a disappointment compared to his previous successes.

The movie itself was a chaotic wartime comedy, focused on a town’s hysteria over a possible Japanese invasion following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Co-written by Back to the Future creators Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the film never quite found the right tone, but remains a curiosity in Spielberg’s otherwise celebrated career.

Source: 3djuegos