John Wayne and Diana Maitland were lying on the couch in the main room of his friend's beach house watching the flames dancing in the huge stone fireplace, soft music emanating from the radio and they were sipping on whiskey while he smoked a cigarette. He was back in his boxer shorts and she was back in her underwear and his dress shirt. It almost felt like they were a happily married couple just spending a quiet evening at home, alone together...at least that was what they both wished.
She'd spotted the bottle of whiskey and the tumbler still on the coffee table in front of the love seat before they sat down, and she had gotten another glass at the bar and brought it to the coffee table and poured them both a couple fingers. She'd taken the glasses to him at the couch, then gone back and picked up his cigarettes and lighter, then joined him. He'd leaned back into the corner of the couch, facing the fireplace, with his right leg lying along the back cushions and his left leg hanging off the front with his foot on the floor. She'd sat between his legs and leaned back on his chest with her legs reclined on the couch in front of her.
He offered her a drag of his cigarette, so she took a long one and handed it back to him as she inhaled it, and then exhaled the smoke slowly from her lungs while she contemplated what they could talk about. Then she remembered what he'd said about himself as an actor, so she asked him softly, "Why do you think you aren't a very good actor?"
He gave a short laugh and said, "Oh, come on, you've seen my movies. I'm only suited to play 2 or 3 types of characters and there's not a whole lot of range with them. I'm either a cowboy or in the military or some other type of tough guy and there's not too many different ways you can play those types of characters."
She asked him, "Have you ever looked at any other different types of roles? How would you know what other types of characters you could play unless you try? Granted you may find there are certain roles that just don't suit you, but how will you know until you try?"
He thought about that for a moment, then replied, "You may be right, but what happens if I make the mistake of playing a character that I am just not suited for and end up making an ass of myself? I don't know if my ego could stand the ridicule."
She leaned her head back and glanced up at him with her eyebrows raised, then looked forward again and said, "You're a big, tough man...I think you could handle a little ridicule. Besides, don't you think there have been plenty of other big stars who have taken on roles that just weren't suited for them? You definitely would not be the first actor to do that, so I don't think there would be as much ridicule as you think. You're John Wayne, one of the most popular, if not THE most popular, leading male star in Hollywood right now...who would have the gall to ridicule you?"
"The critics," he growled; then he took a last drag on his cigarette and put it out in an ashtray he had set on the floor beside the couch.
"Who cares about the critics?" she exclaimed. "I sure as hell don't pay attention to what they have to say about any movies! They think all movies are supposed to be 'works of art' that make you 'think' and that they should 'say something about the human condition.' What the hell?!! I go to the movies because I want to be entertained and enjoy a good story, to escape for a while and NOT think about the 'human condition!' I want action, adventure, humor, romance and passion; and if it adds to the storyline, I like a movie that can move me and make me cry because the actor's portrayal was so good! I've cried over you in a few of your movies, have I told you that?"
He quietly said no as he lit another cigarette. She went on, "I couldn't stand it that you died at the end of 'Reap the Wild Wind.' I sat in my seat for 5 minutes at the end of that movie sobbing because I felt you'd been wronged you and certainly didn't deserve to die even if you were a man of questionable honor. I never liked you dying in any of your movies, so 'The Fighting Seabees' and 'Sands of Iwo Jima' were difficult for me, too. And 'Wake of the Red Witch' was just so sad. I didn't like your character in that movie at first—you just seemed like such a bad man until the background story about Angelique came out, then I understood and cried because I wished I were Angelique.
I loved you as Nathan Brittles in 'She Wore A Yellow Ribbon;' I cried when you would sit at your dead wife and child's graves and talk to her; you looked so lonely and you made it obvious that you had loved her and missed her very much..." Tears were coming to her eyes and her voice cracked as she recalled the expressions on his face in those scenes. Then she continued, "And your portrayal of that tortured soul Thomas Dunson in 'Red River' had me crying several times during that movie." She swallowed a sip of whiskey to get rid of the lump in her throat, then leaned her head back to look up at him as she said quietly, "You're a very good actor, you could play characters with a lot more depth if you wanted to."
He looked at her face and could see she was sincere. He smiled softly and said, "Thanks for your encouragement."
Then she smiled and said with an upbeat tone to her voice, "But do you know what's best about your acting?" When he raised his eyebrows questioningly, she continued, "Your comedy! You're very funny! And I learned in my drama class in high school that comedy is harder to pull off than drama—and you're very good at it. You have a great sense of timing and you can deliver a line that really isn't funny and make it sound hilarious! Or take something totally unfunny, like fight scenes, and make them funny!
And some of your romantic portrayals, like Sean Thornton in 'The Quiet Man' and Capt. Ralls in 'Wake of the Red Witch,' have really made me envy those actresses—you must have great chemistry with Maureen O'Hara and Gail Russell—I think I hate them! And, by the way, don't think I didn't catch that scene in 'The Quiet Man' when you grabbed Maureen's breasts!" She looked up at him with a sarcastic look on her face when she heard him chuckle, then she continued. "You are every bit as sexy, if not sexier, than some of the other leading men who most people think are better looking than you! So, you see, you really do have great range as an actor!" she finished as she looked back up at him.
He had said a quick "Hey!" when she said there were other leading men who were considered better looking than him, and then he smiled and chuckled when she paused and looked up at him before she finished her statements. Then he sighed and said with a slight laugh and a wrinkle of his forehead, "You have no reason to be jealous of Maureen and Gail. They're great actresses and yes, we have good on-screen chemistry, but that's as far as it goes—we're just friends. And by the way, Maureen slapped the hell out of me as soon as that scene was over, even though it was an accident!"
He stopped when she laughed a short Ha! like she didn't believe him...he knew she was smart! Then he continued, "And I think that you're just a little bit prejudiced now because of...this...you and me..." He frowned as he trailed off, not quite knowing how to phrase what was happening between them. He gulped down the last of his whiskey and set the glass on the floor next to the ashtray.
She turned her head forward again and said quietly, "Meaning you don't trust my judgment because I'm in love with you." Then she continued, her voice getting more passionate trying to make him believe her. "OK, maybe I am a little prejudiced, but I'm not the only one who's bought all those tickets to your movies that has made you one of most popular box office stars. You have thousands of fans who aren't in love with you and who think the same way I do! You are just so great to watch on that big screen—you have such an expressive face! I love watching you up there..." her voice ending in a whisper as her emotions tightened her throat.
She sat up with her back to him and gulped down the last of her whiskey to calm down. She'd never realized until this moment that she did love watching him act, and felt he could truly be great at some characters with more depth. The only thing she was afraid of now was how she was going to react watching his future romantic scenes, now that she knew he loved her and wanted to be with her. Would she feel jealous, or would she still just wish that it were she in his arms, kissing him?
He hated to admit he had somewhat of an ego and liked knowing that he had fans that would respect him no matter how good or bad he was in a movie. Regardless of how she felt about him as a man, it was obvious she respected him as an actor. He put his hands on her shoulders and said quietly, "Diana, turn around and look at me." When she did, he took her glass out of her hand and set it beside his on the floor, then put his right hand over her left one on her thigh, grasping it firmly. He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, then said, "I believe you respect my talent and I truly appreciate your faith in my ability to do more. No matter what happens between us, will you always be my biggest fan?" he asked quietly and sincerely.
She closed her eyes, as she was afraid to answer that; she didn't think he'd like her honest answer, but she was going to give it to him anyway. She took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and frowned and said, "I don't know. If I end up staying with you, I don't think I could stay your biggest fan. I don't think I could remain objective about your talent—especially when it comes to the romantic scenes. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle them now, even if we don't end up together." She started to cry, then managed to choke out the question that was really haunting her; "If I don't stay with you, will you still love me?"
