In this article, I linked to an interview video in this piece with John Wayne, which I think was from the early 1970s, where he discusses his issues with High Noon in relation to McCarthyism. He also did an interview with Playboy where he expressed similar sentiments. Perhaps he later changed his mind, but I've not seen any interviews to that effect. I'd be interested to see/read them though. Throwing down the star certainly wasn't a slur on police officers either, to my mind. :)

Anyway, thank you. You mentioned some great titles there - especially The Bravados, which I consider underrated, and The Searchers is obviously a masterpiece. :)