John Wayne Was Pressured to Play John Ford’s ‘Idea of a Man’ as Ringo Kid
Movie star John Wayne went down in history for his portrayal as Ringo Kid in Stagecoach. However, he had quite a difficult path leading up to the ensemble film after his first leading role in 1930’s The Big Trail was a box office disaster. Wayne had to work as a B-movie actor in Western movies before he had the opportunity to work with John Ford as Ringo.
John Wayne played Ringo Kid in ‘Stagecoach’
Stagecoach is a Western ensemble film that follows a group of unlikely passengers on the Overland stagecoach. Set in the 1880s, they’re headed for Lordsburg, New Mexico. The passengers include a philosophizer (Thomas Mitchell), a woman with a poor reputation (Claire Trevor), and a shy liquor salesman (Donald Meek).
However, their journey makes a sudden unexpected turn when they encounter an escaped outlaw named the Ringo Kid (Wayne). His presence also comes with the looming danger of an Apache attack while they travel through the Wild West.
John Wayne knew he was playing Ringo Kid as John Ford’s ‘idea of a man’
James S. Olson and Randy Roberts’ book, John Wayne: American, explored the importance of Ringo in Stagecoach to his career. However, it also posed numerous challenges for the movie star through the filming process. He knew going into it that he was playing “John Ford’s idea of a man” by accepting the role of Ringo.
Ford showed Wayne some early footage to ask what he thought of his performance. The movie star didn’t waste any time and gave a straightforward response to his mentor.
“Well, hell, I’m playing you, so–you know what that is,” Wayne said. In the years to follow, he reflected on the experience and said that the filmmaker always put Ringo “in a good light … Anytime there was a chance for reaction–which is the most important thing in a motion picture–he always took reactions of me, so I’d be part of every scene. I knew Ford liked that particular character as well as me, and I think this is what he would have wanted a young man to be.”
Olson and Roberts noted that Wayne’s Ringo didn’t have as many lines as the supporting cast, but it didn’t matter. The role asked for him to have a large presence on the screen and that’s exactly what he delivered.
The movie made his career
Wayne needed a big hit at this point in his career, and playing Ringo in Stagecoach was exactly that. It was the perfect opportunity to display what the movie star could do. As a result, he became a mainstream actor, pulling him away from the dreaded B-movies that put him in numerous roles he didn’t enjoy.
Wayne would go on to star in other legendary Western movies, including The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and True Grit. However, he also demonstrated his presence in dramatic roles in films such as The Quiet Man.
