Clint Eastwood or John Wayne

Eastwood by a million

Eastwood's a much better actor. Doesn't mean you should like him better, but he is better at his craft. John Wayne played John Wayne. Every time.

For me, it's an easy question: Clint Eastwood.

But I'm going to have to ask my dad. He LOVES the Duke. But he loves Eastwood as well. He'll be a good person to ask. He's seen every single movie by both. I've seen every Eastwood movie, but not John Wayne.

This is a great topic - and I really can't connect with people saying "not close" (must be millenials).

First off - they're not directly competing. John Wayne was born in 1907 (approximately my grandparents age) and Eastwood in 1930 (approximately William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy's age - a little older than my father).

Second - Wayne made a bunch of films even pre-war, and really became a big star with Stagecoach (1939) - about the time Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were in theaters.

Eastwood was a television star in the late 50s before becoming the Spaghetti Western king. He was peaking as the "gritty" realistic streak was hitting Hollywood.

I enjoy the films of both - and recognize them for what they are. Think how terrible it is to find singing in an Eastwood film (OJW notwithstanding), and how organic and awesome it is in Rio Bravo. Wayne films (primarily John Ford) have that fun, "old Hollywood" feel, but occasionally have a dark edge (The Searchers). Some of the Leone films with Eastwood are downright campy (TGTBATU).

Let's accept these two titans of the western genre for what they were - generational representatives of a time when Hollywood wasn't completely out of ideas.

For my money, The Shootist and The Outlaw Josey Wales are the best western films of all time. And if I compiled a list of 50 - probably 40 would star either John Wayne or Clint Eastwood - that is the gulf between those 2 and the also rans.

Both were/are great but Eastwood is also an accomplished director and yea, I prefer his movies.

Eastwood easily.

I know this is not a popular opinion, but John Wayne was not this great actor people try to make it sound like. A mans man sure, but a great actor? no.

In a day where we call out actors for playing the same schtick all the time, John Wayne is no different.