John Wayne called this 1966 movie the best film he had ever seen

Back in 1977, two years before his death, John Wayne and all living Academy Award winners were written to by The People’s Almanac.

Duke, who won Best Actor for 1969’s True Grit, was asked to list his five favourite movies of all time.

In fifth place was his Irish romantic comedy The Quiet Man, followed in fourth by his Western The Searchers.

Both films were a collaboration between the director John Ford and are considered two of his very best films.

Meanwhile, in third place was The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but it’s not clear if Wayne was referring to the 1921 silent epic war film or the 1962 remake.

Given that the remake was a critical and commercial disaster we’d guess the original.

Then No 2 is the highest-grossing film of all time when adjusted for inflation: 1939’s Gone with the Wind.

But for his favourite movie ever, Wayne chose a 1966 historical drama.

Wayne’s No 1 film of all time is Fred Zinnemann’s A Man for All Seasons, which was adapted by Robert Bolt from his play of the same name.

The movie follows Paul Scofield’s Sir Thomas More, who refused to back Robert Shaw’s Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon and for the King to become the Supreme Head of the Church of England.

A critical hit and box office smash, A Man for All Seasons won six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.