The DU Lounge

In his acceptance speech, John Wayne said that if he had known putting on a eye patch would win him an Oscar he would have put one on sooner.

It's a laugh line because the audience in the auditorium understood how much more there was to the performance.

Many also were familiar with the backstory of how aggressively he had pursued the part, pushing and partnering with the studio to acquire the film rights.

He coveted the opportunity to portray a flawed anti-hero against the straight-laced image his roles usually afforded him.

No doubt the actor members of the Academy were further recognizing the achievement of an actor using his star power to bring a choice role to himself rather than waiting for something acceptable to come along in which a producer might cast him.

Verdict reaffirmed: Deserved.