House unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter come to post war hawaii to track communist party activities even though belonging to the party was legal at the time. This was the first film in which wayne played a contemporary law enforcement officer, instead of an old west lawman. Halfsheet poster 22x28 fair to good condition theaterused offered by kirby mcdaniel movieart of austin, texas. Staring john wayne, alan napier, nancy olson and veda ann borg. There are plenty of other onlocation scenes in big jim mclain in various area of oahu, as well. Big jim mclainjohn wayne is out to get communists, but america is a. As always you can subscribe to the show on itunes or follow the links to social media in the podcast show notes. Born today most popular celebs most popular celebs celebrity news. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central. Big jim mclain 1952 starts with a bang a bang of thunder, accompanied by bolts of lightning through the darkened sky and a howling gale that literally blows the credits off the screen. Big jim mclain 1952 approved 1h 30min crime, drama, history 30 august 1952 usa in the postwar hawaii, house unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter hunt down communists. See the article in its original context from september 18, 1952, page 0 buy reprints. Big jim mclain 1952 this movie is so pretentious that a narrator henry morgan quotes a speech about daniel webster and the strength of the country. In this cold war film, big jim mclain john wayne and his partner mal baxter jim arness head to hawaii to investigate a subversive procommunist organization.
The year 1952 in film involved some significant events. Big jim mclain, starring john wayne and james arness. It takes even less than these 20 films to demonstrate the why of his screen legacy. House of representatives, house unamerican activities committee huac meeting and talks about how brave the members are for standing up to the attacks against them. In this cold war film, big jim mclain john wayne and his partner mal baxter jim arness head to hawaii to investigate a subversive. And his romantic costar nancy olson is so strikingly beautiful that it makes this an art film. Original movie poster for big jim mclain 1952 2263 warner brothers original u. Big jim mclain is a 1952 political thriller film starring john wayne and james arness as huac investigators hunting down communists in the postwar hawaii organized labor scene. Built in 1942, she saw action in world war ii, korea, and vietnam, earning a total. House unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter attempt to break up a ring of communist party troublemakers in hawaii ignoring somewhat, as do their superiors in the congress, that membership in the communist party was, at the time, legal in the u.
Whatever you think of john waynes politics, the duke was a man capable of a lot of personal kindness. Big jim mclain 1952 edward ludwig related allmovie. Big jim mclain how hollywood addressed communists in hawaii. This movie was released in 1952 during the korean war and only a few years after the fall of china to the reds and the establishment of the warsaw. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Original movie poster for big jim mclain 1952 27930 warner brothers original u. This historical novel classic made in 1952 is a wonderful adventure.
As directed by edward ludwig from a screenplay credited to three writers, big jim mclain is too preachy and polemical for today, when the cold war and huac are long gone. Big jim mclain 1952 santa and the fairy snow queen 1951 bullfighter and the lady trailer 1951 bullfighter and the lady 1951. This one was made while the korean war was still on and its as patriotic as you can imagine. Big jim mclain 1952 2263 movieart original film posters. Big jim mclain is one of the lamest movies john wayne ever did. In 1728, dick lindsay is taken prisoner by captain barclay and incarcerated aboard the black panther, his pirate ship. In the final court of public opinion, big jim mclain was a box office success, ranking twentyseventh on varietys list of topgrossing films for 1952. The ship on the left that mclain and baxter pass, whilst on the picket boat to see the u. Big jim mclain 1952 official trailer john wayne, nancy olson movie hd. Big jim mclain, film study of congressional work against communism, at paramount. They are interested in everything from insurance fraud to the. The top ten 1952 released films by box office gross in the united states are as follows.
But several local celebrities from the fifties, such as lucky luck, entertainer and dj, sammy steamboat, wrestler, and former honolulu police chief, dan loo. Caribbean gold is a 1952 american pirate film directed by edward ludwig and starring john payne, arlene dahl and cedric hardwicke. Feigning love for suspect nancy vallon nancy olson, mclain ferrets out the name of the big cheese in charge of operations. I saw it thirty years ago on the afternoon movie on kxlytv in spokane, and i still cant get the image of the young black marine happily trucking up the gangplank of a troopship to head off to korea. Big jim mclain 1952 john wayne crime, drama youtube. Regardless of your politics, youve got to get a copy of big jim mclain and watch for its comedy value. Big jim mclain on dvd 085391145332 from warner bros directed by edward ludwig. Find similar and related movies for big jim mclain 1952 edward ludwig on allmovie. This was not the first or the last time he helped out colleagues down on their luck. The following year they produced island in the sky 1953.
Big jim mclain how hollywood addressed communists in hawaii in. Overall, film critics prefer the movie, giving it an average score of 65%, compared to cinemagoers. Onesheet poster 27x41 folded fair condition only offered by kirby mcdaniel movieart of austin, texas. Big jim mclain is a 1952 political thriller film starring john wayne and james arness as huac investigators hunting down communists in the postwar hawaii. He is the quintessential american icon who loves freedom and hates collectivist communism, socialism, etc.
The one and only vietnam war film released while the vietnam war was still being fought was waynes the green berets, politically very much opposed to the trend of todays vietnam war films. You can also go to to read notes, bios, and other random movie thoughts. Welcome to todays show, big jim mclain 1952, my name is john. Wayne had seen the venture as a way to produce and direct his own film version of the battle of the. House unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter come to hawaii to track communist party activities. Something wicked this way comes, and with john wayne in the starring role, its not surprising when we learn what kind of wickedness it is. But still, in these days if political correctness being hammered down our respective throats, its nostalgia to know it. John wayne has entirely too much fun wailing on spies as intrigue unfolds around him. Hurst committed suicide after the film was completed. Research recommended that i check out the 1952 film big jim mclain, which starred john wayne and james arness as heroic investigators.
In 1952, wayne and fellows teamed up to start their own production company, waynefellows productions, making primarily films starring wayne, the first one being big jim mclain 1952. Big jim mclain 1952 film complet en francais a 20170808t04. Todays movie is the really, really, really bad big jim mclain 1952. Big jim mclain wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. John waynes large frame was the perfect housing for his massive talent and commanding screen presence. Perfunctorily directed by edward ludwig, the film was written by richard english, james e. Glen, john wayne and tim conway the glen campbell goodtime hour 14 sept 1971 comedy skit duration. In big jim mclain, john wayne is at his unapologetic patriotic best. Genres action, spy film subgenres message movie, political thriller release date aug 30, 1952 usa unknown. Big jim mclain 1952 john wayne punches commies in the.
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