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Nothing about Dick Powell's 1956 historical epic "The Conqueror" went right. Firstly, and most obviously, the casting was horrid. John Wayne, America's racist uncle, was cast as Temujin, a.k.a. Genghis Khan, ruler of the Mongol Empire in the 12th century. His wife, Börte, was played by Susan Hayward. Other white actors playing Asian characters included Agnes Moorehead, William Conrad, and Lee Van Cleef.

Additionally, the production was immensely troubled. "The Conqueror" was filmed partly in the desert outside of St. George, Utah, and production was slowed by an unexpected flash flood. According to the book "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time" by Michael Medved, Harry Medved, and Randy Dreyfuss, Wayne was frequently drunk on set, inspiring his co-stars to match his drunken energy with silly, untethered performances of their own. The film's writer, Oscar Millard, however, said...