Here are the ten best performances by John Wayne, ranked.

He quickly becomes enchanted by Mary Kate Danaher, a spirited local woman.

But his tyrannical behavior along the way causes a mutiny, led by his adopted son.

John Wayne on the poster for The Searchers

Image via Warner Bros.

Stagecoach follows a diverse group of passengers traveling through dangerous territory under the looming threat of attack.

A determined young girl enlists the help of a tough U.S.

Marshal and a Texas Ranger to track down her father’s murderer in Indian Territory.

Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne hugging in The Quiet Man

Image via Republic Pictures

Three outlaws on the run risk their freedom and their lives to return a newborn to civilization.

A merchant ship’s crew tries to survive the loneliness of the sea and the coming of war.

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Sean Thornton, an American ex-boxer, moves to Innisfree, Ireland, to reclaim his family’s homestead and find tranquility. He quickly becomes enchanted by Mary Kate Danaher, a spirited local woman. Their courtship faces challenges due to the opposition of her brother, Red Danaher, who withholds her rightful dowry. As Sean navigates the cultural differences and stands up to Red, he learns about love, pride, and what it means to be part of a community.

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Cast Placeholder Image

John Wayne as Thomas Dunson and Joanne Dru as Tess Millay in Red River (1948)

Image via United Artists

Red River Movie Poster

Dunson leads a cattle drive, the culmination of over 14 years of work, to its destination in Missouri. But his tyrannical behavior along the way causes a mutiny, led by his adopted son.

John Wayne as The Ringo Kid standing in an open field in Stagecoach

Image via United Artists

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Stagecoach follows a diverse group of passengers traveling through dangerous territory under the looming threat of attack. As they face external perils on their way to Lordsburg, each character’s personal story unfolds, revealing hidden depths and forging unexpected connections, ultimately shaping their shared journey and individual destinies.

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John Wayne, Glen Campbell and Kim Darby all on horseback in True Grit (1969)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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A determined young girl enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger to track down her father’s murderer in Indian Territory. As the unlikely trio ventures into dangerous lands, their quest for justice is complicated by their differing motives and the harsh realities of the Wild West.

Colorized close-up of Pedro Armandariz as Pedro Roca Fuerte and John Wayne as Robert Hightower in 3 Godfathers

Image via MGM

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John Wayne as as J.B. Books riding a horse and pointing a gun in The Shootist

Image via Paramount Pictures

The Shootist 1976 Film Poster

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A close-up of John Wayne smiling with rope over his shoulder in The Long Voyage Home

Image via United Artists

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A merchant ship’s crew tries to survive the loneliness of the sea and the coming of war.

John Wayne and Angie Dickinson stand in a hotel room of a saloon in ‘Rio Bravo’ (1959)

Image via Warner Bros.

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John Wayne and James Stewart have a discussion in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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John Wayne in The Searchers

Image via Warner Bros.

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