In the postwar hawaii, house unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal. Its also another commiebaiting companion piece to big jim mclain, and for that reason alone its the weakest of the three films wayne did with wellman. 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. Big jim mclain original trailer turner classic movies. House unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter attempt to break up a ring. Feigning love for suspect nancy vallon nancy olson, mclain ferrets out the name of the big cheese in charge of operations. Feigning love for suspect nancy vallon nancy olson, mclain ferrets out the name of the big. Big jim mclain 1952 edward ludwig cast and crew allmovie. Find movie and film cast and crew information for big jim mclain 1952 edward ludwig on allmovie. The duke and his partner jim arness wayne s reallife protege head to hawaii to investigate a subversive prored organization. John wayne stars as big jim mclain, a troubleshooting special agent who is assigned to the investigation of a worldwide terror ring headquartered in hawaii. Near the end of his career, in the mid1970s, he took on two more such roles, each time playing an urban cop. 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.
Many of dukes fans are not aware of his fondness for custom made coffee mugs. May 26, 2006 the name of john wayne s special agent, jim mclain, had the same initials as that of senator joseph mccarthy, which was seen by many as more than a coincidence, since he made the film while serving as president of the motion picture alliance. Oct 10, 2019 in this cold war film, big jim mclain john wayne and his partner mal baxter james arness head to hawaii to investigate a subversive procommunist organization. Todays movie is the really, really, really bad big jim mclain 1952 featuring john wayne, nancy olson, and james arness. John wayne, nancy olson, james arness, alan napier, veda ann borg, hans conreid. Jim mclain john wayne and his partner, mal baxter james arness, are investigators for the house unamerican activities committee, who are sent to hawaii to find the leaders of a local. The first and possibly most notable of these was big jim mclain, a wayne. As always you can subscribe to the show on itunes or follow the links to social media in the podcast show notes. Actor john wayne in big jim mclain the quiet man paramount moviephoto measures 8 x 10. John waynes company made this picture and wayne worked a great deal of humor into this one. John wayne is a special agent tracking down a communist spy ring headquartered in hawaii.
John wayne wades into fraught political waters as jim mclain, an investigator for the house unamerican activities committee who finds work busting a hotbed of communists in sunkissed honolulu circa 1952. A period drama that captures the political mood of postwwii peacetime. Big jim mclain directed by edward ludwig produced by john wayne robert fellows wayne fellows production warner bros index. May 15, 2016 big jim mclain 1952 official trailer john wayne, nancy olson movie hd. The desert trail john scott posing as john jones 1935. The war movies and john wayne 1977 thats action 1977. I saw it thirty years ago on the afternoon movie on kxlytv in spokane, and i still cant. It is hard to tell precisely whether the warners big jim mclain, which put in a bulky appearance at the paramount yesterday, is supposed to be taken seriously as a documentation of the sort of.
Specifically, his staunch anticommunist beliefs as he plays a. American actor, director, and producer john wayne 1907 1979 began working on films as an extra, prop man and stuntman, mainly for the fox film corporation. When the movie opened in europe it was retitled marijuana and its drugdealing subplot took center stage while. 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. Big jim mclain directed by edward ludwig produced by john wayne robert fellows waynefellows production warner bros index. Actor john wayne in big jim mclain the quiet man paramount moviephoto measures 8 x. Big jim mclain 1952 official trailer john wayne, nancy olson movie hdu. Feigning love for suspect nancy olson, wayne ferrets out the name of the big. James edward grant, richard english, eric taylor, james atlee phillips uncredited, william wheeler story. 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. House unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter come to hawaii to track communist party activities.
Jim mclain john wayne and his partner, mal baxter james arness, are investigators for the house unamerican activities committee, who are sent to hawaii to find the. Prestatehood hawaii locales range from elite resorts to a shinto temple and from the sunken remains of the battleship arizona to a molokai leper colony. John wayne cast and crew mugs from 1950 to 1954 including flying leathernecks, the quiet man, big jim mclain, hondo and more. Sep 11, 2019 john wayne was one of the most popular film actors of the 20th century, known for roles in films such as true grit and the alamo. He frequently worked in minor roles with director john ford and when raoul walsh suggested him for the lead in the big. Wasnt one of wayne s best picture, but being john wayne, we still enjoyed his movie. The documentarystyle story moves swiftly, with goodnatured humor peppered throughout. Big jim mclain on dvd 085391145332 from warner bros directed by edward ludwig. Big jim mclain 1952 video detective movie trailers.
Big jim mclain 1952 john wayne crime, drama youtube. Big jim mclain 1952 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. 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. John wayne was one of the most popular film actors of the 20th century, known for roles in films such as true grit and the alamo. Of all the kill the commies cold war films of the 1950s, john wayne s big jim mclain may well be the worst. The duke fights communists in hawaii in this film that was a strong political statement to the enemies of freedom. John wayne and paul were close friends and the story goes that fix taught duke his distinctive walk.
In the postwar hawaii, house unamerican activities committee investigators jim mclain and mal baxter hunt down communists. Welcome to todays show, big jim mclain 1952, my name is john. You can also go to to read notes, bios, and other random movie. Big jim mclain commemorative packaging dvd 1952 best buy. Mar 02, 2019 big jim mclain 1952 official trailer john wayne, nancy olson movie hdu.
He frequently worked in minor roles with director john ford and when raoul walsh suggested him for the lead in the big trail 1930, an epic western shot in an early widescreen process called fox grandeur, ford vouched for him. Big jim mclain movie 1952 john wayne, nancy olson video. With john wayne, nancy olson, james arness, alan napier, veda ann borg, hans conried, hal baylor. In big jim mclain, john wayne is at his unapologetic patriotic best. Big jim mclain subtitled, repackaged, special packaging. 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 pact in eastern europe. John wayne made a lot of great films, he stood for many positive values, but big jim mcclain showcases his less than inspiring personal beliefs. Staring john wayne, alan napier, nancy olson and veda ann borg. Big jim mclain 1952 cast and crew jim mclain john wayne and his partner, mal baxter james arness, are investigators for the house unamerican activities committee, who are sent to hawaii to.
Movie info 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. Beginning with flying leathernecks 1951 and through the shootist 1976, john wayne had custom mugs made which he gave to the cast and crew of each movie. In the final court of public opinion, big jim mclain. He is the quintessential american icon who loves freedom and hates collectivist communism, socialism, etc. This dvd is released by warner brothers in honor of dukes 100th birthday on may 26th, 2007.
Specifically, his staunch anticommunist beliefs as he plays a house unamerican activities committee investigator. This movie is supposed to be a film noir and a political thriller. Paul fix was a prolific actor whose career spanned 56 years. Two members of the united states unamerican activities committee. John wayne was extremely loyal to his friends and helped them whenever possible to land roles in his movies. 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. With john wayne, nancy olson, james arness, alan napier. Certainly its the hardest one to sit through today. Jim arness, waynes friend and future gunsmoke star, is along for the ride.
This was the first film in which wayne played a contemporary law enforcement officer, instead of an old west lawman. It is the only john wayne movie where anyone is taller than john wayne that i have seen and i have seen just about every movie wayne made. Regardless of your politics, youve got to get a copy of big jim mclain and watch for its comedy value. Big jim mclain by edward ludwig edward ludwig, john wayne. Its another handsome looking warner brother cinemascope effort. Big jim mclain is a political thriller starring john wayne that takes place after world war ii, at the beginning of the cold war. Jim arness, wayne s friend and future gunsmoke star, is along for the ride. 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. Along with his flagwaving war movies, wayne made other political features that represented blatant anticommunist propaganda. Big jim mclain 1952 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. 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.
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