John Wayne was John Ford’s most frequent collaborator, yet the movie that may very well be the director’s best Western -My Darling Clementine- doesn’t feature the Duke at all. During their long partnership in Hollywood,John Ford and John Waynepumped out a slew of movies now considered icons of the Western genre.
Their contributions to cinematic history include a wide range of classics, fromStagecoachtoThe Man Who Shot Liberty ValancetoShe Wore A Yellow Ribbon. Together, Wayne and Ford made some of thegreatest Westerns ever made. As for what John Ford’s best movie in the genre is, that’s obviously up for debate.
Interestingly, one of the strongest candidates for that title wasn’t a product of his relationship with John Wayne. Rather, the 1946 all-time great Western starred John Ford’s other favorite collaborator.
My Darling Clementine Is One Of John Ford’s Best Westerns
My Darling Clementine Is An Excellent Adaptation Of the Gunfight At The OK Corral
In 1946, John Ford teamed with Hollywood A-lister Henry Fonda and well-known actress Linda Darnell forMy Darling Clementine, one of manyWesterns focused on the Gunfight at the OK Corral. The story focuses primarily on four characters: Henry Fonda’s Wyatt Earp, Victor Mature’s Doc Holliday, Cathy Downs' titular Clementine Carter, and Linda Darnell’s Chihuahua.
Although still an action-oriented Western,My Darling Clementinedeals heavily with romance, specifically in regards to Doc Holliday. Both of the major female characters in the film are love interests to Victor Mature’s character, despite Henry Fonda being the star. There’s also much emphasis on the tense rivalry between Doc and Wyatt Earp.
Through this focus,My Darling Clementineis able to build a deeply human, well-crafted cast of compelling characters for the audience to invest themselves in ahead of the inevitable showdown with the Clantons and the action that transpires at the OK Corral.
The tragedy that unfolds during the battle - as seen inTombstoneand several other Westerns - is made all the more meaningful by the arcs of the movie’s four central characters.
Why Wasn’t John Wayne In My Darling Clementine?
John Wayne & John Ford Didn’t Become Known For Their Western Movie Partnership Until Later
Given that Wyatt Earp is one of the biggest heroes of the Western movie genre, it may seem surprising that John Wayne never once played the iconic lawman. Having been released in 1946 (during John Wayne’s heyday),My Darling Clementinecomes across as the ideal opportunity for Wayne. But even with Ford as the director, that avenue wasn’t explored.
HadMy Darling Clementinecome ten years later, there’s a good chance that it would have been Wayne who got the role. But it’s important to note that even though Wayne and Ford had already developed a working relationship by this point, the actor had yet to become Ford’s go-to Western star.
After their famous team-up in 1939’sStagecoach, John Wayne and John Ford continued to work together, but the director found other actors for the lead roles in his Western movies.
After their famous team-up in 1939’sStagecoach, John Wayne and John Ford continued to work together, but the director found other actors for the lead roles in his Western movies. In fact, Ford waited nearly a decade before casting Wayne in another Western,which wasFort Apachein 1948. It was this movie that seemingly sparked their long-running string of Western collaborations.
Henry Fonda Was John Ford’s Second Most Frequent Star In His Western Films
Henry Fonda & John Ford Made A Long List Of Successful Movies Together In The Late 1930s And 1940s
While it’s true that John Ford’s critically acclaimed 1946 Western classic doesn’t feature John Wayne, it does include the director’s other top star. John Wayne may be the most high-profile collaborator of Ford’s, but he had other actors he frequently leaned on as well, with Henry Fonda being the star closest behind Wayne in terms of leading roles.
Henry Fonda starred in a whopping total of eight films associated with John Ford, including two that featured John Wayne -How The West Was WonandFort Apache. Of Ford and Fonda’s collaborations, three were Westerns, includingMy Darling Clementine.
Both Henry Fonda and John Wayne appeared inHow The West Was Won, but only Wayne appeared in the chapter that was directed by Henry Fonda.
With its 100% Rotten Tomatoes and across-the-board critical reception,My Darling Clementineis a perfect representation of how much potential John Ford and Henry Fonda had as an actor-director duo. Their shared resume may not be as long as John Wayne and Ford’s, but it’s equally impressive nonetheless, simply because of the body of work.
Nearly all of their movies together are retroactively thought of as classics of Hollywood’s Golden Age. BothMister RobertsandGrapes of Wrathwere nominated for Best Picture, withDrums Along the Mohawk,Young Mr. Lincoln, andHow the West Was Won, all getting Oscar nominations as well.
My Darling Clementine,on the other hand, doesn’t boast any Oscar nominations, but it is commonly named as one of the greatest Westerns ever for both Henry Fonda and John Ford. When considering the number of Westerns the latter made with John Wayne, that’s quite an accomplishment.
