Actor John Wayne once had to endure dysentery during the course of filming. the great trail. The film was a box office bombshell, but it went down in history as the actor’s first leading role. Additionally, many other Western films would draw inspiration from the 1930 feature. However, director Raoul Walsh almost gave another actor the role when Wayne contracted dysentery and had difficulty performing even the most mundane tasks.
John Wayne had his first leading role in ‘The Big Trail’
Walsh gave Wayne his big break at the great trail. The plot follows a fur trapper named Breck Coleman (Wayne), who leads and protects a group of pioneers traveling through the Oregon Trail. However, they realize that many dangers loom over these lands, including scorching desert sands, forests that are difficult to navigate, and warrior Native Americans.
Breck begins an affair with a frontierswoman named Ruth Cameron (Marguerite Churchill), who remains on his mind. Meanwhile, he set his sights on finding the men who killed his mentor who were also traveling in wagons in the same direction. Wayne had to complete many stunts, despite having dysentery.
John Wayne suffered dysentery to prevent Raoul Walsh from reformulating him
According to Carolyn McGivern John Wayne: A Giant ShadowThe actor contracted “serious” dysentery while filming the great trail. As a result, she was unable to get out of bed for the first few weeks of filming. The actor was a bit thinner than his usual weight due to his illness.
“I was dizzy, I was sweating, I couldn’t get up,” Wayne said. “She was so sick I lost 18 pounds.”
The actor was a prop before Walsh decided to give him a shot at the title role. the great trail it was the studio’s attempt to save him financially, by bringing in some big stars as well.
Walsh told Wayne that, despite having dysentery, he had to keep working if he didn’t want another actor to replace him. Therefore, he decided it was best to get out of bed, even though he was shaking like a bucket and “looking too thin and frail” to get the job done. However, he still had to perform stunts.
The first scene required Wayne to carry his co-star, Tully Marshall, around the set. However, the production gave Wayne alcohol to get him over it.
“They handed me the jar first and I went back to digging in it,” Wayne said. “It was bootleg straight whisky. I had been throwing up and shitting blood for a week, and now I spilled that raw goo down my throat. After the scene, I called him all kinds of old bastard.”
Raoul Walsh praised ‘the star in the place’
Walsh praised the opportunity to work with Wayne, even though he had to deal with dysentery on set. Movie locations have many potential distractions, but he didn’t let any of them get in his way. Wayne knew he was a new actor and used it as a learning opportunity, which impressed the filmmaker.
“He was truly the star of the place, following every command he was given, every direction or suggestion,” Walsh said. “He was the star student, attentive, respectful and willing to let himself be trained. He just didn’t drink, didn’t stay up late or hit on the protagonist. All of his attention was focused on his work and the role he was playing. If Lady Godiva had walked across the set with her hair cut short, it was a safe bet he wouldn’t even have looked at her.”
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