149 John Wayne Movies & TV Shows, Ranked Best to Worst

This romantic war drama western film tells the story of a US Army scout named Hondo Lane, who discovers a woman and her son living in the midst of warring Apaches. He develops sympathy for the duo, and feels that he needs to protect them.

After her grandson is kidnapped by a group of outlaws, who leave behind a ransom note of $ 1 million, Martha decides to call for her estranged husband, Jacob, who is an ageing gunfighter. Along with his faithful dog, Jacob ventures out on his mission to rescue the boy.

During late 1880s, a stagecoach carrying a mixed group of interesting passengers traverses through the hazardous Arizona wilderness. The disparate group that includes a banker, a drunken doctor, a dance-hall girl, a whisky salesman, an army officer’s wife, a Marshall and a notorious outlaw, soon gets to know each other. But the threat of Geronimo’s raiding Apaches looms large over their travel.  

The Horse Soldiers is an adventure war film which tells the story of Colonel John Marlowe, who faces a lot of obstacles while leading his team of Union Cavalry soldiers to destroy enemy railroads. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the mission turns out to be way harder than his expectations.

Rio Bravo tells the story of a small-town sheriff in the American West, who enlists the help of a drunk, an old man, and a young gunfighter, in his attempts to fight off a ruthless cattle baron. 

The Sons of Katie Elder is a Western film which revolves around four sons who reunite in their hometown in Texas, to attend their mother’s funeral. They soon learn that their father has gambled away the family ranch, which had led to his murder.  They therefore decide to avenge his death, as well as win back the ranch.

Rio Grande is a Western film which revolves around a cavalry officer posted on the Rio Grande, who faces against murderous Apaches, and their uprisings. Things get complicated when he finds himself in shortage of troops, and soon one of the new recruits turn out to be his son.

During the gold rush in Alaska, a prospector named George sends his partner Sam to bring his fiancée to him from Seattle. However, Sam finds out that she has married another man, and therefore he returns with another woman instead, who is the hostess at a dance hall.

This film revolves around a wealthy rancher named GW McLintock, who uses his power and influence to maintain a peace in his area, between ranchers, land-grabbers, farmers, Native Indians, as well as the corrupt government officials. Meanwhile, he has also been eagerly waiting for his daughter’s return.

US Marshal Rooster Cogburn is an aging one-eyed US Marshall, who has been stripped of his badge by Judge Parker, due to his drunkenness and his questionable use of firearms. To earn back his badge, he is sent to hunt for a gang of robbers, who have hijacked a shipment of explosives. His job becomes complicated because a girl, who was a victim of the robbers, insists on coming along with him.

While visiting frontier town Shinbone for old friend Tom Doniphon’s funeral, Senator Ransom Stoddard tells local journalist that years ago he had arrived there as a lawyer, and was assaulted by outlaw Liberty valance, but Doniphon had saved him. Later, Stoddard gets elected as representative while Valance continues to harass, so Stoddard confronts him with gun and becomes a legend. But what’s truth?

After killing his opponent in the ring accidentally, a boxer Sean Thornton leaves the States and returns to his native village in Ireland. He soon falls in love with a young woman Mary, but her brother is not happy with their relationship.

True Grit is a Western drama film, which tells the story of a young girl, who in order to find the person who killed her father, hires a US Marshall. A Texas Ranger eventually joins them in their quest for justice. 

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is a Western drama film which tells the story of Captain Nathan Brittles, who is on the eve of retirement.  He takes out one last patrol hoping to prevent a war against the Indians. But the job seems more complicated than he imagined.

Navy Captain Torrey manages to bring his ship through the Pearl Harbor bombing unscathed. However, the ship is later damaged in a subsequent battle due to his negligence, which leads to his demotion. Soon, he tries to mend his relationship with his estranged son, and begins to take a liking to a nurse named Maggie. However he is soon called back for duty. Torrey sees his as his second opportunity to prove himself.    

This highly acclaimed movie is about the quest of a Civil War-veteran to rescue his niece from the Comanches. Ex-Confederate soldier, Ethan Edwards, returns to his brother’s Texas ranch, but finds his family massacred and 9-year-old niece Debbie abducted by Chief Scar’s people. Edwards’ nephew Martin Pawley joins him in his long arduous mission to find Debbie. Does he get his niece back?

JB Brooks is a gunslinger who is on his deathbed. He wishes to die peacefully and with dignity. He is advised to stay in a boarding house, but problem ensues as his enemies are still lurking and seeking to put an end to his life.  

Quirt Evans is a notorious gunman, who is wounded while being on the run. He arrives at a Quaker farm owned by Thomas Worth and his family. They decide to tend to him, and Worth’s daughter Penelope helps him regain his health. She also helps him learn about their peaceful way of life. She eventually develops feelings for him, but it doesn’t seem possible for Evans to leave his past behind so easily.

The Cowboys is a western drama adventure film which revolves around a rancher named Will Anderson, who decides to train few young schoolboys to become cowboys, so that they can accompany him on a cattle drive.

Donovan’s Reef is an adventure romantic comedy film which revolves around the adventures of John Wayne, a World War II hero, who has worked hard to own a shipping company, and is now living on a beautiful South Sea island.  

The Alamo is a Western historical war drama film which takes to the middle of the 19th century, where Mexican forces are invading Texas. Though the Mexican forces are stronger in number and have better arms and training, the Texans are not willing to give up, and their morale still remains high.

After being shot by a gunslinger and framed wrongly for a crime, Rancher Taw Jackson decides to take revenge against those who wronged him. He targets a heavily fortified stagecoach belonging to his enemy, which is known as the ‘War Wagon', as it carries half a million dollars in gold. 

3 Godfathers is a Western drama film which tells the story of Bob, Pete and William, three men who are outlaws. They are on the run from the authorities, but things get complicated when a dying mother asks them to save her child and be his godfathers. The men decide to return the child to civilization, even if it means risking their freedom and their lives.

A widow hires a group of army veterans to accompany her, while she sets out to look for the site where her husband had hidden a significant amount of gold. They make their way to Mexico, unaware that they are being followed by someone.

JD Cahill is a tough and efficient US marshall, but he neglects his two sons. He finds himself in a complicated situation, when his sons get involved with an outlaw, and commits a bank robbery.  

Red River is a Western drama film which tells the story of Tom Dunson who builds a cattle empire with his adopted son Matthew. However, due to his tyrannical ways, Matthew decides to take the herd away from him.

The Longest Day is a epic war film, which revolves around the events of the famous D-day, told from both the perspectives of the Allied Forces as well as the Germans. 

A cynical reporter, who is opposed to the Vietnam War, is assigned to cover the conflict. He tags along with a group of Green Berets. He soon begins to realize why the US got involved in the war.

They were Expendable is a war drama film which tells the story of a Navy commander during the Second World War, who fights to prove that the American PT boats are worthy of being used in battle.

Jake Cutter is an aging Texas ranger, who is assigned to capture Paul Regret, a gambler, who was imprisoned and scheduled for hanging, but had managed to escape. He eventually manages to capture Regret, but things get ugly when they encounter a group of fierce outlaws. The two are forced to unite to stop and defeat them. Regret proves his worth in the fight, after which Cutter begins to have second thoughts about taking him back to the authorities.  

After the American Civil War, ex-Confederate soldiers and ex-Union soldiers are forced to unite to lead their friends and loved ones to safety, when they encounter Mexican bandits and revolutionaries.

Bart Jason is a heartless tycoon who hires a group of thugs to force a family out of El Dorado in order to claim their land.  The sheriff doesn’t seem to be too useful, and therefore, the family seek the help of a gunfighter named Cole Thorton.

Baby Face is a romantic drama film which tells the story of Lily Powers, a girl from a small town, who has been sexually exploited for most of her life. Eventually, she decides to turn the tables and begins to seduce men and make it to the top of the prestigious bank that she works for.

An honorable and veteran captain finds himself in a complicated situation when his regime is placed under the command of a young Lieutenant Colonel, who doesn’t have any respect for the local Indian tribe.

Young trapper Breck Coleman suspects that the killers of his trapper friend are accompanying a bull-train across Oregon Trail, so he agrees to guide a large group of settlers across same trail to accost his suspects at the destination. As they face snowstorms, scorching deserts, dense woods, and Indian attack, Coleman survives attempts on his life and finds love in Ruth Cameron.

How the West Was Won is an epic Western film which takes us to the 19th century, and covers several events such as the Gold Rush, the Civil War, as well as the building of the railroads.

An acclaimed boxer Jimmy Dolan, kills a reporter accidentally at a party. However, he escapes and hides at a home for crippled children, with the help of Mrs Moore, who runs the home. However, a detective recognizes him eventually, and now it is up to Jimmy, to decide whether he will escape or face his responsibilities to the children.  

Beautiful torch singer Bijou Blanche is fired frequently because of her troublemaker image.  At the Seven Sinners Café, she meets the well-mannered navy officer Dan Brent and the two fall for each other. However, given her image, she attracts concerns from Brent’s superior who think his career may get affected because of her. Meanwhile, a local mobster, too, is interested in Bijou.

Brannigan is an action comedy crime film which tells the story of Jim Brannigan, a Chicago Police Lieutenant, who is sent to the UK, to bring back an American mobster, who is being held for extradition. However, the mobster’s hired guns are waiting for Brannigan, preparing an ambush.  

Blinded by ambition, coal-miner Charles ‘Pittsburgh’ Markham stops at nothing to achieve success in the Pittsburgh steel industry. He not only sacrifices his long-standing friendship with Evans, but also breaks his girlfriend Josie’s heart with his hunger for power and money. Before long, his deceitful business dealings bring down his fortunes. However, he gets an unexpected chance to start life afresh. 

New Yorker Molly J. Truesdale boards a bus to find out about life in the American West. During a rodeo, she falls in love with cowboy Dude Hudkins. But when Dude exhibits more love for his horse than her, a dejected Molly leaves for New York, only for Dude to follow and carry her away. 

Montana cowboy, Duke Fergus, visits the notorious Barbary Coast in San Francisco to collect a debt from card shark Tito Morell, but ends up losing all money in gambling and smitten by Morell's lover, dance-hall girl Flaxen. He learns gambling tricks and returns to take over Morell's business and establish his own, with Flaxen as the main attraction.

On its way to California from Hawaii, the engine of a commercial airliner dies. As the pilot attempts a safe crash landing, the passengers begin to reassess their lives.

Pecos Grant rides into a strange town only to find that the townspeople recognize him as a long-lost friend, though he doesn’t know any of them. He soon attempts to solve the mystery.

A lawyer, John Reynolds, goes to New Orleans to aid a local reform league in their fight against the crooked lottery which is run by a Southern ex-general and his beautiful daughter Julie. However, he falls in love with Julie, and shortly after, her father gets murdered as well.   

Three Mesquiteer - Lullaby Joslin, Tuscon Smith and Stony Brooke convince the Oro Grande Mining Company to ship the gold on a plane instead of shipping it on buses in order to protect the gold from being stolen. However, the thieves refuse to be outsmarted and gear up for a battle with the Three Mesquiteers- in air.

The Greatest Story Ever Told is a historical drama film which revolves around the life and the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, presented in two parts.  

The Lucky Texan is a romantic western film which tells the story of Jerry Mason, a young Texan college graduate, who become friends with an old rancher named Jake Benson. Their lives take a turn when they discover a gold mine. However, they are unaware of the danger that awaits them.

Noreen, Edna and Marcia are three small-town girls who arrive in the big city in search of excitement and glamour. They stay in a rented apartment together. When one day Marcia is locked out without her key, a handsome architect named Gordon helps her get in and he also starts flirting with her. He also gets her a job working for a gangster named William Marriott. However, Marriott is soon murdered, and it is suspected that Gordon killed him out of jealousy, due to Marriott’s relationship with Marcia.

Two-Fisted Law is a Western drama film, which tells the story of a rancher who sets out to expose a gang of crooked cattle dealers after they swindle him out of his property rights.

Riders of Destiny is a Western musical film which revolves around a government agent named Saunders, who teams up with a young woman, in order to teach a dangerous group of thugs a lesson.  

Shortly after riding into a town, Randy Bowers is blamed and eventually arrested for murders he didn't commit. Knowing that he is innocent, he is rescued by a woman named Sally Rogers, the niece of the dead owner of the bar where the murders had taken place. Randy flees from the sheriff, and he soon finds himself in the den of the actual murderers. After learning about their identities, he decides to get them all arrested and get his name cleared.

After thwarting a stagecoach hold-up, and rescuing ranch owner’s niece Anita, U.S. Marshal John Traverse takes the place of the murdered town sheriff Davis to find out about a mysterious bandit ‘Shadow.’ When Travers and his Indian assistant Yak learn about a secret room from where Shadow’s goons get orders and also hollowed hideout for sniper, they are ready to go after 'Shadow.'  

During 1870s, professional gambler John Devlin marries Sandy Poli against the wishes of her railroad-tycoon father. They travel to Dakota to buy land which they can sell later to the railroad at profit. As they realize that two crooks plan to destroy farmers’ wheat-crops and properties to make them leave their lands, risking their own lives they decide to help the wheat-farmers.

After her grandson is kidnapped by a group of outlaws, who leave behind a ransom note of $ 1 million, Martha decides to call for her estranged husband, Jacob, who is an ageing gunfighter. Along with his faithful dog, Jacob ventures out on his mission to rescue the boy.

The Alamo is a Western historical war drama film which takes to the middle of the 19th century, where Mexican forces are invading Texas. Though the Mexican forces are stronger in number and have better arms and training, the Texans are not willing to give up, and their morale still remains high.

Jake Cutter is an aging Texas ranger, who is assigned to capture Paul Regret, a gambler, who was imprisoned and scheduled for hanging, but had managed to escape. He eventually manages to capture Regret, but things get ugly when they encounter a group of fierce outlaws. The two are forced to unite to stop and defeat them. Regret proves his worth in the fight, after which Cutter begins to have second thoughts about taking him back to the authorities.  

A cynical reporter, who is opposed to the Vietnam War, is assigned to cover the conflict. He tags along with a group of Green Berets. He soon begins to realize why the US got involved in the war.

This biographical documentary film revolves around the life of General Lewis B Puller, one of the most decorated US Marines, who had served in the World War II as well as the Korean War.

This romantic silent movie based on Rafael Sabatini’s 1906 novel of the same name follows an affluent courtier Bardelys in the court of France's King Louis XIII. Known for being a casual womanizer, he is challenged by another courtier to woo the beautiful Roxalanne. He accepts it and sets out to charm the lady, but instead finds himself in love with her.

Four Sons is a 1928 silent drama film revolving around a widowed mother and her four sons, and the film tries to show how the events of the First World War impact them.  

Opening with Noah and his family praising the Lord after the Great Flood, the film goes on to depict the building of the Tower of Babel and worshipping of the golden calf. It then switches on to the present, depicting the death and destruction during First World War, drawing a parallel with the ancient events, going back and forth in time. 

Hogan is an exiled Irish patriot with a price on his head. When he receives a telegram, he decides to go back to Ireland to settle a family matter. 

In the Scottish highlands, Annie Laurie, a governor’s daughter, gets caught between two warring clans of MacDonald and Campbell. Initially, Annie prefers more polished Donald Campbell, but after meeting Ian MacDonald, she gets drawn by his personality and falls for him. Annie is hesitant to follow Ian, which upsets him. But in a clan conflict, Annie supports Ian by lighting the beacon to help MacDonalds. 

Jim Blaine is a pilot who quits his job after a plane crash, and begins working as a bank teller, until he meets a beautiful parachutist named Jill Collins. When her brother dies in a crash, he reveals his past to her and volunteers to replace him in their air carnival act. Over some time, they both develop feelings for each other.

After a series of robberies at the K&A Railroad, detective Tom Gordon is assigned to solve the mystery. Therefore, he disguises himself as a bandit and boards the train. Madge, a young woman, senses that he is not a criminal and finds herself attracted to him. Meanwhile, it is her father’s secretary Burton, who is actually helping the robbers.

Eddie Fripp, who’s just separated from girlfriend Margie over a misunderstanding, travels to New York to try his luck at singing. When radio singer ‘Whispering’ Jack Smith is knocked unconscious during a hold-up, Eddie is made to sing in his place. Out of the blue, Eddie’s squeaky voice makes him an overnight popular singer, which brings Margie back in his life.

Gore is a ruthless and cynical football coach, who works hard in order to make Calvert College a football power. However, in the process, he begins to neglect his own wife.

This war drama film tells the story of a few divers who make an attempt to save the survivors of a destroyed submarine.    

Thomas Jefferson Scott enrolls at Thorpe University, hoping to become a doctor. Daisy Adams, a football coach, discovers that Thomas has a natural talent for the sport. Thomas is however not interested in football, but still he accepts the free tuition. Over some time, he manages to become a star player, but fame and ill-advised financial deals threaten to ruin his future.

At the outbreak of WWI, Captain Donald King of British Army’s Black Watch regiment goes to India. while his regiment proceeds to France on war-duty. His comrades consider him a coward, but he is on a secret assignment to rescue captured British soldiers. Capt. King earns trust and affection of tribal Princess Yasmani and succeeds in preventing a revolt of the tribe.  

After witnessing a murder committed by four thieves, Billy West soon finds himself stalked by the killers.

In order to gain publicity, a judge sentences a notorious gangster named Louise to fight in the war. Louise survives the war and eventually returns to town, and opens a club to be able to maintain ties with all his former criminal friends.

I Married a Woman is a comedy film which revolves around Mickey Briggs whose boss gives  him a 48 hour deadline to come up with a campaign for their client in order to save their company from ruin. Mickey’s wife Janice, meanwhile, discovers that she is expecting a baby, but is unable to inform Mickey, due to him being distracted with work.  

Mother Machree is a silent drama film which tells the story of Ellen, a poor immigrant from Ireland, living in America. She manages to send her son Brian to a proper school, but when they learn about her, they decide to expel him. Eventually the principal of the school and his wife decide to adopt her son.   

After his coach kills himself, Jack, a college football star pays a visit to his wife. However, things get ugly when he is soon suspected of murdering the coach.

An army man and a navy man try to focus their rivalry on the big Army-Navy football game.

A popular TV talk show host arrives at Arizona alone as an antidote for his stress and as he drives out to his vacation home the following day he finds the dead body of an Indian woman in the car trunk. He is promptly arrested; but is freed due to lack of evidence and on returning home finds a scantily dressed Indian girl. His wife too shows up.