John Wayne filmography into other genres as well, including several films dealing with the Second World War (notably "The Longest Day" and "In Harm's Way)". Wayne made some of his most prominent films during this period, including John Ford's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962) with James Stewart. Wayne's political views came under harsh attack from film critics with the release of "The Green Berets" (1968), which Wayne produced and co-directed as well as starred in. The following year, however, he would be praised by critics for his performance in "True Grit", which would earn him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
John Wayne Wayne refused, believing the script to be un-American in many ways. Broderick Crawford, who was eventually cast in the role, won the 1949 Oscar for best male actor, ironically beating out Wayne, who had been nominated for "Sands of Iwo Jima." He lost the leading role of Jimmy Ringo in "The Gunfighter" (1950) to Gregory Peck due to his refusal to work for Columbia Pictures because its chief, Harry Cohn, had mistreated him years before when he was a young contract player. Cohn had bought the project for Wayne, but Wayne's grudge was too deep, and Cohn sold the script