The difference being that Bridges can make a role his own without having been “born for” it.
(clears throat)
Dropping the argumentative smartass posturing now, to ask a sincere question. Aside from True Grit, what do you consider to be Wayne’s three finest performances as an actor? Not his best films – his best performances.
No kidding. I’m interested.
.
Drunken, one eyed fat US Marshall, perhaps. 
What is that a reference to?
Crazy Heart, I’m assuming. I’ve heard a lot worse attempts than what Bridges did in that movie. I’m originally from the South and fake Southern accents normally sound pretty obvious and bad to me, but Jeff Bridges was passable.
Maggie Gyllenhaals’, on the other hand, was awful. She was badly miscast in that movie and I think hurt it. A better (and older) actress in that role would have served the film a lot better and could have elevated it.
I’ve not seen the movie. I thought you were talking about Glenn Campbell’s horrible acting, where he sounds as though he is reading the lines for the first time from a teleprompter. 
At least some Arkansans sound like Texans.
I really think The Cowboys is his best work. I thought he was great in The Shootist. And he gave a fine performance in The Quiet Man.
As for horrible fake Southern accents, it was a general comment, not specifically directed at Bridges. The Cohens have delivered us their share of bad ones between Tom Hanks in The Ladykillers and John Turturro in O Brother Where Art Thou?
Yeah, they could just say “Well, he’s OK in Westerns, but he can’t act in REAL movies.” Of course they could only say that if they were completely ignorant… of such films as “In Harm’s Way”. Wayne could sure as hell act.
But, anyway, my question is who gets to play the Hepburn part in the inevitable sequel?
Yeah, he was OK in Crazy Heart. That’s what gives me hope.
I’m more worried about Mattie’s accent, but we’ll see. Matt Damon (All the Pretty Horses) and Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) have proven they can do passable accents.
You obviously haven’t seen enough Jeff Bridges movies.
I’m sure the Coens and Bridges are well aware of that.
There were a lot of good actors in that movie. Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, Patricia Neal, Brandon de Wilde from Hud and Shane.
Well thanks for the condescension, but yes. Yes I have.
You, meanwhile, seem to have a crush on the man.
I have a hard time telling Jeff and Beau apart. Jeff was in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Beau is in the Stargate TV series, right?
I believe so. Beau is 8 years older but shorter, bigger eyebrows, not as many big or successful movie roles but steady work for the most part.
Duly noted. I’ll keep these in mind and have a look sometime. Maybe I’ll even learn something, although I hate it when that happens.
Thanks, Equipoise, for the great overview of Bridges’s career. He does have amazing range. I suspect his performance as Marshal Cogburn will compliment, perhaps even surpass, but not displace Wayne’s.
AND John Wayne!
Watch the trailer here, if you haven’t yet seen it. Seems like it could be okay.
Maybe…I saw two Navy Colts instead of a saddle ring carbine.
I didn’t hear, “I call that bold talk for a one eyed fat man.”, nor “Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!”
I’m going out on a limb here and guess that you’d probably prefer this particular film not be made. I wish you’d come right out and say what you mean!
That wasn’t in the original trailer either.
Watching that original trailer made me remember how much I love that movie. I am looking forward to the remake, but the original will always have a special place in my heart. The dialogue is so arch, not a contraction in sight, and boy do they all pull it off. “And I think I will not go!”
Forget Jeff Bridges filling John Wayne’s shoes. He’ll be alright and make the role his own.
Forget Matt Damon filling Glen Campbell’s shoes. He’ll be much better.
Forget Josh Brolin filling Robert Duvall’s shoes. He’ll be alright and make the role his own.
I need to see if Hailee Steinfeld will be anywhere near as wonderful as Kim Darby. That’ll make or break the movie for me.
A randomly picked eighteen year old football player from a midwestern high school team that lost every game it ever played would do better than Glen Campbell. My dog would do better, save that she cannot speak and has no fingers to hold a firearm.