If there was one thing that haunted John Wayne throughout his career more than anything else, it was the fact he didn’t serve in the military during World War II.
Although the actor was granted an exemption from being drafted and made at least one direct attempt to enlist, many were quick to denigrate ‘The Duke’ for failing to fight for his country. One of the easiest ways to get under his skin was to call him a draft dodger, an insult that was used multiple times by people both inside and outside of the industry.
In an effort to atone for his perceived sins, Wayne evolved into arguably the most jingoistic actor in Hollywood history. He always supported the troops, spoke out against anyone who criticised the Vietnam War, and made more than his fair share of war flicks covering several conflicts. In short, Wayne and the Army were on very good terms for a very long time, but even the military had its limits.
Any picture seeking the utmost authenticity in depicting combat or life in the armed forces usually dealt directly with the government’s defence department. The Pentagon’s Donald Baruch was a key figure in bridging the gap between movies and the various organisations that needed to sign off on such productions.
In 1954, Wayne wrote directly to Baruch’s office in the hopes that the defence department and the Marine Corps would assist in Giveaway Hill, a Korean War film ‘The Duke’ was hoping to shoot that year. The screenplay was attached to offer an indication of where the story, centred around a surprise attack by Chinese soldiers that left over a thousand American and South Korean personnel dead, was heading.
The actor wanted the cast to visit the real-life location and inquired about military formations used during the battle, as well as a request to use “certain troops, equipment, and facilities” for up to 30 days. Unfortunately, when Giveaway Hill was kicked up the chain, the military killed the film altogether.
High-ranking official Frank Wirsig took a look at the screenplay, and he didn’t care for what he found. He was aghast at “the bloody carnage depicted in many areas of the script” and called the narrative “objectionable from both a recruiting and public relations viewpoint.” He was also concerned that the movie “would cause an unfavourable public relations reaction, especially among those families and friends that had Marines killed or wounded during the Korean War.”
With that in mind, Baruch then relayed to Wayne that the military “will be glad to discuss any story changes you may be able to suggest to overcome the objections.” ‘The Duke’ failed to respond to that request, and Giveaway Hill fell into the ether of development hell, never to be made at all.
Of every actor in Hollywood, Wayne would be deemed the most likely to bend over backwards to accommodate the wishes of the armed forces, but in this case, both parties decided that the best way to resolve the situation was to mothball the entire thing.