Great On Screen Couples: John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara

John Wayne made a lot of films. Something like 142 in which he was the lead. And he starred with a host of actresses, but his best on screen partner had to be Maureen O'Hara. They made five films together between 1950 and 1972: Rio Grande, The Quiet Man, The Wings Of Eagles, McLintock! and Big Jake. They made four really good films and one all time classic (The Quiet Man). The fiery O'Hara was the perfect sparring partner for the rough and tumble Wayne. Their first pairing came with the 1950 western Rio Grande, which was the third film of director John Ford's calvary trilogy (the other two being Fort Apache and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon). This would be the first of Maureen's westerns with Wayne. The other two were Big Jake and the rambunctious McLintock! (which is one of my all time favorites). They switched gears for the military drama The Wings Of Eagles, which was directed by Ford. But the pair's crowning achievement came with the sentimental The Quiet Man, which is beloved by so many fans around the world. This film perfectly captures the love/hate on screen relationship of Wayne and O'Hara. And while the film would lose the Oscar for Best Picture that year, John Ford did take one home for directing. So 5 films and the wonderful chemistry of Big John and the fiery red-headed Maureen provided movie lovers with great cinema and lasting memories.