John Wayne's Best Movies
AMC Movie List

John Wayne's Best Movies

Duke it out! Which Wayne classic deserves top billing?

rank title points votes your vote
1 Rio Bravo
The Duke and Dean Martin are the pair of old friends at the heart of this Howard Hawks hit, in which they tussle with a local lawbreaker. 3986 8004
2 True Grit
Wayne's Oscar-winning turn as aging sheriff Rooster Cogburn finds him trekking into Indian territory to avenge a man's death. 3981 8047
3 The Searchers
This John Ford Western chronicles the efforts of a Confederate veteran (Wayne) to track down the daughter of his murdered brother. 3980 8056
4 The Quiet Man
Wayne shows his softer side in this drama about the tempestuous affair between an Irish-American expat and an Irish woman. 3973 8121
5 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
In this John Ford Western, Wayne stars as a rancher who pairs up with a law-school grad (James Stewart) to take down the bad guy. 3757 6605
6 The Shootist
The actor's last movie ever finds Wayne starring opposite Lauren Bacall and James Stewart as a gunslinger dying of cancer. 3689 6905
7 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
This vivid, meditative Western finds Wayne portraying an aging war hero struggling with his impending retirement. 3462 6216
8 Stagecoach
For his breakout performance, Wayne plays good-at-heart outlaw Ringo, who wins over a group of lawmen defending an eastbound train. 3365 5881
9 Red River
This early Howard Hawks Western stars Wayne as a rancher who battles mutiny among his men as he drives his cattle up the Chisholm Trail. 3356 6102
10 Sands of Iwo Jima
This 1949 war flick finds Wayne starring as John Stryker, a marine sergeant charged with leading his men to war. 3052 5780
11 McLintock!
The chemistry between Wayne and Maureen O'Hara hits all the right notes in this 1963 comedy. 3018 4738
12 Fort Apache
The clash of opposites between Henry Fonda and Wayne, as second in command, drives this classic pic. 2182 3576
13 The Longest Day
Wayne shines among an all-star cast in the original blockbuster about the invasion of Normandy. 1638 3414
14 In Harm's Way
The thinking man's war movie stars an older Wayne as a demoted officer with a chance to redeem himself by taking on the Navy's brass. 1624 3634
15 They Were Expendable
Wayne and John Ford's classic makes clear the cruel truth of war: men who sacrifice everything for a cause greater than themselves. 1572 3250
16 The Green Berets
The Duke's most controversial flick is nothing if not memorable and distills the essence of his philosophy. He directed it, too. 1449 3885
17 Flying Leathernecks
Wayne whips a crew of hotshot fighter pilots into shape for battles. The Duke is as gruff and authoritative as ever. 1090 3004
18 The Fighting Seabees
Sure, it's basically a propaganda flick, but the Duke is in fine form, and the ending will have you reaching for the tissues. 1072 3046
19 Back to Bataan
Wayne plays a guerrilla warrior aiding the Philippines against Japan. His magnetism makes up for the flick's racism. 1033 2967
20 Operation Pacific
War and romance come together as Wayne fights to get a sub into fighting condition and win back his ex-wife. 910 2996