Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. HOME News Politics Royal Showbiz & TV Sport Comment Finance Travel Life & Style TV & Radio Celebrity News Entertainment Films Gaming Music Books Theatre John Wayne “appalled” his co-star on the set of a World War II classic, which almost saw the violent deaths of crew members. By George Simpson, Senior Film and Arts Reporter
19: 01, Thu, Aug 29, 2024 | UPDATED: 19: 03, Thu, Aug 29, 2024
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Film trailer for Flying Leathernecks with John WayneBack in 1951, John Wayne starred in the World War II action movie Flying Leathernecks, which celebrates its 73rd anniversary this week.
Bankrolled by billionaire pilot Howard Hughes, the eccentric businessman decided to film the picture in Technicolor, using the colour wartime combat footage.
The film follows the adventures of the US Marine Corps aviators who had long had the nickname leathernecks, as the marines would originally wear leather stock around their necks.
Allegedly director Nicholas Ray chose Robert Ryan to star opposite Duke as he’d been a boxer in college and was the only actor the filmmaker could think of who could “kick Wayne’s ass”.
John Wayne with Robert Ryan in Flying Leathernecks (Image: GETTY)
As a conservative Republican Wayne had hugely different political views to Ryan who, although he served in the military, was a pacifist. He’d also been a member of the short-lived Committee for the First Amendment during the Communist witch hunts of the House Committee on Un-American activities over the previous years.
Although the pair managed to put aside their differences during the Flying Leathernecks shoot, Ryan was appalled by Duke’s support for the Hollywood blacklisting. He was also gobsmacked at Wayne being in favour of the extension of the Korean War by launching nuclear strikes on Chinese cities and using the US military to force the Soviets out of Eastern Europe.
Meanwhile, there was almost a disastrous set of deaths on set that were narrowly avoided.
Flying Leathernecks poster (Image: GETTY)
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During filming on Flying Leathernecks, Air Boss Paul Mantz and his photo crew were shooting a low-altitude attack when they suffered a premature dynamite detonation. Their B-25 camera platform was badly damaged, but Mantz managed an emergency landing successfully. Talk about a close shave.
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