This Is Where The War Wagon Was Filmed

Based on Claire Huffaker's 1957 novel, "Badman," "The War Wagon" combines the adventurous spirit of a tried-and-true Western with the off-the-rails shenanigans of a heist flick. John Wayne stars as Taw Jackson, a rancher who was recently released from prison for a crime he did not commit. Looking to get even with his rival, Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot), Jackson reluctantly teams up with the outlaw Lomax (Kirk Douglas) to steal one of his stagecoaches containing $500,000 in gold. Throughout this adventure, viewers are treated to some remarkable scenery that can only be attributed to location shooting. 

In the late 1960s, the green screen and the recently developed StageCraft technology were far from the industry standard. Therefore, filmmakers had two options: construct elaborate and sometimes pricey sets in a studio or find real-world areas to replicate the desired setting of their production. Likely, at least partially, for budgetary reasons, Kennedy went with the latter, filming the entirety of "The War Wagon" at Sierra de Órganos National Park in Sombrerete, Zacatecas, Mexico (via IMDb). He and the team managed to complete principal photography in a 12-week span beginning in mid-September of 1966. 

A throwback in every sense of the word, "The War Wagon" is a triumph as a Western, another fine addition to John Wayne's cinematic legacy, and a prime example of the unique beauty one can only achieve by filming on location.