The John Wayne Movie He Starred In Because Robert Mitchum Was Fired

Out of all the late John Wayne’s movies, Blood Alley is one of the least discussed in his filmography, barring some titles that are known as lost Wayne movies and his Dirty Harry "rip-offs." However, Blood Alley differs from many of these films, as it is not one of the many acclaimed Western movies Wayne starred in. Set during the Cold War, the movie depicts a voyage from Chiku Shan to Hong Kong via the Formosa Strait. Wayne was cast to play Captain Tom Wilder, but another actor was meant to star in the lead role.

Robert Mitchum was supposed to play Captain Tom Wilder in Blood Alley before he was fired from the movie at the request of director William A. Wellman. Before Mitchum's firing, he had a fallout with Wellman, but the key reason for his dismissal mainly involved the producers. Because Mitchum was released from the production, Wayne was forced to take on the role, while also serving as the movie's producer.

Why Robert Mitchum Was Fired From 1955's Blood Alley

A Feud Between Mitchum & Blood Alley's Producers Took A Turn

At the request of Wellman, Mitchum was fired from Blood Alley because of a fight with the producers and staff. Mike Tomkies recounted in The Robert Mitchum Story: "It Sure Beats Working" that the actor's dismissal was prompted by him throwing Blood Alley's transportation manager into the San Fransisco Bay, which Mitchum claims to be false. News of his firing came before Mitchum accepted the lead role as Clint Tollinger in the Western movie Man with the Gun, which was also released in 1955, a year before Wayne’s appearance as Captain Karl Ehrlich in The Searchers.

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Wayne's daughter, Aissa Wayne, provided more context on Mitchum's firing and disagreement with Wellman in her book, John Wayne: My Father, published in 1991 and co-authored by reporter Steve Delsohn. In the book, she revealed that Wellman and Mitchum's feud started with the TV show This Is Your Life. According to Wayne: "When the show’s producers asked the acclaimed director for a list of people to interview [about his career], Wellman included Mitchum [...]." However, Mitchum later stated that he "didn't have time to talk about [...] Wellman." When they worked on Blood Alley, Wellman retaliated by "badgering Mitchum around the clock."

Even after Mitchum's firing, Wayne was not the first choice to replace him. Plans to cast Roman Holiday star Gregory Peck and Sabrina star Humprey Bogart in Blood Alley both fell through before Wayne ultimately took on the role (according to John Wayne: American by Randy Roberts). Considering Blood Alley's lackluster performance, Wayne's involvement both behind and in front of the camera might have made it more noteworthy in Hollywood history.

Blood Alley Wasn't A Big Success For John Wayne

Blood Alley's Grossed $2.2 Million At The Domestic Box Office

While Blood Alley saw an average performance in cinemas, the critical reception was mixed and lukewarm. For instance, an article in The New York Times did not critically pan the movie, but still condemned Blood Alley for being a "standard chase melodrama patterned on a familiar blueprint" despite its "exotic, oriental setting." The review included some positive comments about Blood Alley, praising Wayne for his "cool, statuesque charms: and Wellman for making the movie "the scene of a lively, if not, top-flight, adventure."

Blood Alley continues to be criticized, sitting at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. While it has a below-average score on this website, many criticisms regarding Blood Alley today slam the movie for its anti-communist "propaganda," which Peck may have taken offense with when he decided to turn down the role. On the other hand, other critics and audience members loved the movie for its anti-communist message while being entertaining. Still, while some will argue that it is one of the most underrated Wayne movies, Blood Alley is primarily considered one of the legendary actor's worst movies.

John Wayne & Robert Mitchum Finally Appeared Together 11 Years Later

Wayne & Mitchum Appeared In Two Movies Together After The Blood Alley Drama

Wayne has doubtlessly had a bigger lasting impact on cinema than the actor who almost got one of his most forgettable roles. However, Wayne and Mitchum went on to star together in El Dorado in 1966, 11 years after Mitchum's firing from Blood Alley. The film follows a gunfighter who helps an old drunken friend struggling to defend a rancher and his family against another rancher trying to steal their water. Mitchum and Wayne play these lead roles, with Mitchum playing drunk Sheriff J.P. Harrah and Wayne appearing as gunfighter Cole Thorton.

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Meanwhile, The Longest Day's cast ensemble is impeccable, also starring Wayne and Mitchum, as well as Henry Fonda and Richard Todd. However, Wayne and Mitchum do not share any scenes in the iconic war movie, which was released four years before El Dorado and seven years after Blood Alley. Based on the 1959 nonfiction book by Cornelius Ryan, The Longest Day tells the story of the D-Day landings in Normandy with Wayne portraying Lieutenant Col. Benjamin H. Vandervoort and Mitchum playing Brigadier Gen. Norman Cota, reuniting the two actors despite their ironic history.

Source: The Robert Mitchum Story: "It Sure Beats Working", John Wayne: My Father, John Wayne: American, The New York Times

John Wayne

Birthdate May 26, 1907

Birthplace Winterset, Iowa, USA