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Though he made his share of clunkers throughout his career, John Wayne starred in some of his worst films early on. A big part of that was simply down to the way movies were made in the late 1920s and early '30s. Every fan of the Duke knows about his so-called "Poverty Row" era, where he fronted Western movies made for cheap and churned out at a dizzying rate. But when sound in film started to emerge in the late 1920s, Wayne also found himself leading some unique and curious movies that were all based on pictures that had come out less than a decade prior.

For example, Wayne was cast in an early Western remake for the unusual reason that he resembled the star of the original movie. Indeed, Ken Maynard had fronted multiple features for First National Pictures during the '20s, including 1926's "The Unknown Cavalier.

Perhaps more than most genres, Westerns are a genre driven by star power. Certain movie stars possess the ideal qualities needed to properly portray Western heroes and villains. During Hollywood's Golden Era, actors such as John Wayne, James Stewart, and Randolph Scott encompassed the quintessential Western star. The latter half of the twentieth century saw the likes of Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, and Kevin Costner emerge as part of the next generation of iconic Western movie stars.

An often overlooked aspect of the Western is the array of female stars that cemented their legacies through the genre. Actresses such as Barbara Stanwyck, Maureen O'Hara, and Jane Russell enjoyed immense success in the Western genre through their starring roles. Character actresses like Jane Darwell, Joanne Dru, and Katy Jurado became staple figures in dozens of Westerns during Hollywood's Golden Era. These phenomenal actresses played an integral role in shaping the history of the Western genre.

Since the early days of film, the Western genre has been a staple of the cinema world. Audiences around the world love tuning in for these stories of the West, often featuring cowboys, outlaws, and the sprawling settings of the American frontier. Of course, because of these factors, violence is often a very prominent element of these films. Many Western fans love when the dramatic showdowns between good and evil culminate in violent gunfights, explosions, and all-around calamity. However, it is essential to note that these aspects of the genre are not everyone's cup of tea.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of enjoyable Westerns that don't rely on these explosive elements. From beloved classics to modern stories, many films highlight the essential characters and settings of the genre without diving too deep into the violent side of life on the frontier. After all, even the most dedicated Western fans need...

Louisa Mellor Mar 12, 2017

SS-gb’s penultimate episode is the calm before the finale’s action-packed storm. At least, it had better be…

This review contains spoilers.

See related Westworld episode 10 review: The Bicameral Mind Westworld episode 9 review: The Well-Tempered Clavier

It’s finally happened; Douglas Archer has dropped the pragmatism and taken a stand, silencing critics Sylvia and Harry in the process. Next week, he’s on a mission for England so terribly bold and dangerous it deserves a terribly bold and dangerous English codename - Lionheart say, or Nelson’s Pointy Hat. Let’s go with that.

In Operation Nph, Archer and his trusty walrus companion Harry Woods are going to break the King out of German custody and transport him to a remote airfield where he’ll be flown to freedom. The ‘Next time…’ trailer promises that there’ll be guns, planes, fisticuffs, warships and all sorts of excitement.

Susan Hayward. Susan Hayward movies: TCM Star of the Month Fiery redhead Susan Hayward it Turner Classic Movies' Star of the Month in Sept. 2015. The five-time Best Actress Oscar nominee – like Ida Lupino, a would-be Bette Davis that only sporadically landed roles to match the verve of her thespian prowess – was initially a minor Warner Bros. contract player who went on to become a Paramount second lead in the early '40s, a Universal leading lady in the late '40s, and a 20th Century Fox star in the early '50s. TCM will be presenting only three Susan Hayward premieres, all from her Fox era. Unfortunately, her Paramount and Universal work – e.g., Among the Living, Sis Hopkins, And Now Tomorrow, The Saxon Charm – which remains mostly unavailable (in quality prints), will remain unavailable this month. Highlights of the evening include: Adam Had Four Sons (1941), a sentimental but surprisingly...