James Stewart had already made a significant impact in Hollywood by the time the Second World War broke out, earning his first Oscar nomination for 1939’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and winning Best Actor for The Philadelphia Story a year later.
He enlisted in the Army Air Forces as the US joined the war, later returning to acting in 1946 with It’s A Wonderful Life, which scored him another Academy Award nomination.
However, by the 1950s, Stewart was eager to alter the trajectory of his career and take on different roles.
In 1952, Stewart took on the role of Glyn McLyntock in Bend of the River, a film adaptation of Bill Gulick’s novel Bend of the Snake.
This Western film featured Stewart’s character fighting to deliver stolen supplies to homesteaders after gold is found in the region.
This marked a turning point in Stewart’s career, as he started taking on roles with more violent and ruthless characters – a departure from his 1940s image.
Bend of the River, which airs on ITV4 at 2pm today, was the last film in which the then 44-year-old Stewart appeared with his own hair.
He shared the screen with Arthur Kennedy and Julie Adams, who portrayed his friend Emerson Cole and pioneer Laura Baile, respectively.
Also featured in the film was a budding star in his late 20s, Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr), who played professional gambler Trey Wilson.
This movie was one of Hudson’s last supporting roles before he became a Hollywood leading man.
Despite the film initially receiving unfavorable reviews, it later gained critical acclaim.
However, upon the premiere of Bend of the River in 1952, Stewart was deeply upset that Hudson, a supporting actor, received more applause and cheers from the audience.
Consequently, Stewart decided to cut all ties with Hudson and never work with him again.
Hudson went on to have a successful career as a leading man, starring in films such as Scarlet Angel, The Lawless Breed, Seminole, Magnificent Obsession, and Giant.
Although his sexuality was known within the industry, Hudson tragically passed away from an AIDS-related illness in 1985 at the age of 59.
Despite the setback with Hudson during the Bend of the River premiere, Stewart continued to have a remarkable career.
He went on to work with director Anthony Mann on four additional films in the following years.
Stewart also starred in several Alfred Hitchcock classics, including Rope, Rear Window, and Vertigo.
The actor passed away in 1997 at the age of 89 from a heart attack brought on by an embolism.
