A Shot of John Wayne

A Shot of JOHN WAYNE

(OC)  John Wayne is dead, a tombstone overhead, an archetype of heroism is gone but his legacy as an American hero lives on in films, westerns a bunch, but also some World War II films like (Stills or clips) Back to Bataan,  Sands of Iwo Jima, They Were Expendable, Flying Tigers, and The Fighting Seebees.; all made during the war that Wayne unheroically skipped. Many a top star like Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable volunteered and saw real action while Big John Wayne stayed home and made his reputation as America’s He Man on camera wearing makeup, but serving as an inspiration to soldiers and civilians alike.  

But hold the phone!  He’s Back!!

[Clip from Battle Los Angeles (BLA) where soldier mentions “John Wayne” for the 2nd time and Echart clips from former films and then BLA) Aaron Eckhart, the actor who played 2^nd fiddle to Erin Brockovich and became the two faced villain in The Dark Knight, going from DA to the Devil, has brought the movie version of John Wayne back to the screen in the riveting “BATTLE: LOS ANGELES”.   This is a sergeant who could give Sergeant Alvin York a run for his Medal of Honor.  The film is a deliberate homage to Big John  (1^st time Wayne mentioned).   

(clips)  The movie is shot like the Bourne films, hand held violent action, but better editing and directing so you can actually absorb the heroic chaos.  But best of all, the enemies are aliens not Germans, Japanese, Arabs or native Americans; villains who are no longer politically correct to mash.   And there is even a hotshot babe in this politically correct crew of black, white and brown heroes who make mincemeat of their foes.  Hey, it’s a Hollywood fantasy so expect a happy ending, sort of.  Check it out and have a shot of John Wayne on me.

(OC)  However, beware; there is also the dark legend that Big John and his equally large buddy, Ward Bond, would get drunk and seek out Jews half their size and beat the crap out of them.   They justified their actions as striking back at the Jews who ruled Hollywood much like the Nazis blamed the Jews for all of Germany’s woes.   And all this bullying was going on while the ovens roared in Europe.  Wayne and Bond never attacked former ironworker, Lois B. Mayer, or the Warner Brothers or any of the other Jews who employed them.

Wayne’s heroism was an act but done so convincingly that his illusion lives on.  He was a much better actor than we thought and BATTLE LOS ANGELES is a tribute to his service to us all.

Simply, Simon