Director Ford initially was uncertain whom to cast in the lead role. However, he knew that he did not want John Wayne for the part—considering, among other factors, that Wayne would be playing a character over twenty years older than he was at the time. Reportedly, Wayne's 1948 performance in "Red River" changed Ford's mind, causing him to exclaim, "I didn’t know the big son of a bitch could act!" Ford realized Wayne had grown considerably as an actor, and was now capable of playing the character he envisaged for this film. When shooting was completed, Ford presented Wayne with a cake with the message, "You're an actor now." The role also became one of Wayne's favorite performances. Wayne, himself, felt that his Academy Award nomination for Best Actor of 1949 should have been for "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" instead of "Sands of Iwo Jima".