In 1971, a Communist-leaning director “had a prejudice against” working with John Wayne, unaware they didn’t have a choice

In 1971, director Mark Rydell was reluctant to work with John Wayne on the western *The Cowboys*, because of Wayne’s conservative politics and his role in Hollywood’s anti-communist blacklist. Warner Bros had already chosen Wayne, however, so Rydell had to set aside his objections; the pair ultimately worked together without a major political dispute.

Rydell said he had tried to persuade the studio to cast George C. Scott instead, and assumed Wayne would be difficult to direct. Before filming, they agreed to discuss only the movie, allowing them to focus on the production. The article describes how two people with opposing political views managed to collaborate professionally.