Just checked the trivia page, what a downer!
I really enjoyed the film, it's not flawless but it has enough elements to make it a real classic, but I've just checked the trivia pages, and here are the first four bits:
John Wayne was disappointed by the casting of Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, and the two hardly spoke at all off camera.
John Wayne did not get along with Robert Duvall during filming, and at one point threatened to punch the young method actor if he argued with the director again.
Henry Hathaway later said he hated Glen Campbell's performance, which he described as wooden, and claimed the singer was only cast so he could have a hit with the theme song which would help promote the film.
Despite its commercial success, John Wayne was not pleased with the finished film. He greatly disliked Kim Darby's performance, and told interviewers that he had starred in much better films like La chevauchée fantastique (1939). At the Oscar ceremony on 9 April 1970 Wayne personally told Richard Burton that he felt he should have won the Oscar instead, for his portrayal of King Henry VIII in Anne des mille jours (1969).
And this:
Robert Duvall later complained about Henry Hathaway's directing style, saying that he would tell Glen Campbell: "When I say action, you tense up, God damn it!"This one is the icing on the cake:
Director Henry Hathaway did not like Kim Darby and felt she was wrong for the role of Mattie Ross.So basically, Hathaway didn't like Campbell, Duvall didn't like Hathaway and Wayne didn't like Duvall. Worse, neither Wayne or Hathaway liked Darby. And Wayne disliked both the film and his performance. Well, they might have a point at some parts, but that shows that all these people aren't much of critics, judging by the final result. But it kind of makes you feel stupid to enjoy so much something that the main protagonists didn't really like. Weird.
Darth Vader is scary and I The Godfather share