John Wayne, known primarily for his iconic roles in western films, had a much more diverse career, as demonstrated by the case of Blood Alley, a film that premiered on October 1, 1955. The film, based on a novel by Albert Sidney Fleischman, tells the story of Tom Wilder, a ship captain who must transport nearly 200 prisoners from a small town to Hong Kong after being released from a prison in China.
A blackmail that worked perfectly
What many people don’t know is that Wayne was blackmailed into taking the lead role after director William A. Wellman issued an ultimatum: “Either Mitchum or me.” The production initially had Robert Mitchum in the main role and Wayne as a producer through his company Batjac Productions. The tensions between Wellman and Mitchum, exacerbated by the actor’s behavioral issues, led to a complicated scenario. Aissa Wayne, John Wayne’s daughter, recounted in her book John Wayne: My Father how the situation deteriorated, forcing her father to fire Mitchum even while he was on his honeymoon with Pilar Pallete.
Due to the lack of alternatives, Wayne was forced to star in Bloody Alley, as other actors like Gregory Peck and Humphrey Bogart declined to participate. The film, which had a budget of 2 million dollars, only managed to gross 2.2 million, which positioned it as a moderate success. In Spain, the movie was not released until ten years later.
Despite the difficulties, Wayne was impressed by Lauren Bacall’s talent, which led him to want to work with her again in The Last Gunfighter, his last film. However, their relationship during that production was not the most harmonious. Today, Bloody Alley is available to stream on Filmin, thus offering classic film enthusiasts the opportunity to explore this lesser-known facet of John Wayne.
