As an actor, there's not much range to John Wayne, BUT as a MOVIE STAR, well, there he had charisma, photogeneticness and presence. I suppose that many DRs feel about Mr. Wayne as I feel about Ms. Kidman and Ms. Roberts and Mr. Reeves.
If you've only tuned into a John Wayne movie on television, you can't recapture the magic that made him a bigger than life movie star.
That said, on to the TOD:
RED RIVER - I'm sure he knew more about the gay subtext than Mr. Heston did when lensing BEN-HUR.
THE QUIET MAN - Wayne met his match in Ms. O'Hara.
TRUE GRIT - didn't want to like this, but, in spite of Mr. Campbell, it works and Kim Darby works well with Wayne's Rooster.
HATARI! - Wayne proves he can do quick-talking comedy and not be totally upstaged by the animals or Elsa Martinelli.
STAGECOACH - Wayne IS The Ringo Kid every bit as much as Gene Wilder was The Waco Kid in BLAZING SADDLES.
THE SHOOTIST - a fitting finale to a long-lasting career.
LEGEND OF THE LOST - it shouldn't work, but it does.
SANDS OF IWO JIMA
THE WERE EXPENDABLE
THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE
HONDO - and I remember the first 3D tv showing, sponsored by 7-11 stores.
and those wonderful westerns for Howard Hawks still hold up!
Worst Wayne appearance, even more than THE CONQUEROR:
"Surely this man was the Son of God" in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD.