While The Conqueror is widely considered John Wayne’s weakest film, he quickly redeemed himself with what many believe is the best Western of all time. Although he became a legendary figure thanks to his Westerns, it’s easy to forget his successful work in other types of movies.
Both The Quiet Man and Island in the Sky are well-known films – one a romantic drama, the other a survival story. However, director John Wayne also made some less successful movies, including Jet Pilot, which he himself considered his worst. Films like Big Jim McLain and The Green Berets haven’t aged well and are difficult to enjoy today.
John Wayne’s The Conqueror Is One Of The Worst Movies Ever Made
One of the worst John Wayne movies is arguably his 1956 historical film, The Conqueror. In it, Wayne plays Genghis Khan, the famous Mongol leader, showing his wars with rival tribes and a complex love story with Susan Hayward, who plays Bortai.
Even ignoring the valid criticism of Wayne being a poor choice for the role, The Conqueror is simply awkward and boring. While the battle scenes and costumes are visually grand, they can’t save a film hampered by a weak script and bad acting.
The film isn’t very accurate when it comes to historical events, and the dramatic moments don’t quite land because the characters seem to be acting in separate stories. Tragically, the production of The Conqueror became known for the unusually high number of cancer diagnoses and deaths among its cast and crew – including John Wayne – which many believe was caused by filming near a former nuclear test site.
John Wayne’s Next Movie After The Conqueror Was Western Masterpiece The Searchers
Even though The Conqueror is famous for being a terrible film, it actually did well in theaters. John Wayne supposedly disliked the movie and was unhappy with his acting as Genghis Khan. While many consider The Conqueror to be his worst film, he quickly followed it up with one of his best performances in The Searchers just a few months later.
In the classic John Wayne and John Ford film, The Searchers, Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a hardened Civil War veteran on a years-long quest to rescue his abducted niece. The film is notable for being Wayne’s most complex and somber role, and it successfully blends exciting adventure with a deeply unsettling look at a troubled character.
John Ford’s The Searchers is full of iconic scenes, most notably the final shot of Ethan returning to the desert after finishing his quest. While the film was initially a hit in May 1956, it’s now celebrated as a landmark achievement in filmmaking.
The Searchers Is John Wayne’s Greatest Movie
John Wayne starred in more than 100 films, including classics like Stagecoach and Rio Bravo. However, many film lovers consider The Searchers to be his finest work. While some of the film’s humor and depictions of race haven’t held up well over time, it offered a strikingly realistic and unflinching portrayal of the Old West and the racism common during that era.
John Wayne delivers a career-best performance in a visually stunning film that holds up to repeated viewings. It’s a movie highly respected by other directors – Spielberg reportedly watches it before each new project, and filmmakers like Lucas and Scorsese have clearly drawn inspiration from it. Simply put, The Searchers is far superior to The Conqueror.
Read More
- Lacari banned on Twitch & Kick after accidentally showing explicit files on notepad
- YouTuber streams himself 24/7 in total isolation for an entire year
- Ragnarok X Next Generation Class Tier List (January 2026)
- Gold Rate Forecast
- ‘That’s A Very Bad Idea.’ One Way Chris Rock Helped SNL’s Marcello Hernández Before He Filmed His Netflix Special
- Answer to “A Swiss tradition that bubbles and melts” in Cookie Jam. Let’s solve this riddle!
- How to Complete the Behemoth Guardian Project in Infinity Nikki
- Shameless is a Massive Streaming Hit 15 Years Later
- Return to Silent Hill Star Breaks Down Her “Daunting” Experience on the Sequel Film
- We Need to Talk About Will
2026-01-25 21:01