The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout

The incredibly true story of a failed Hollywood epic and the devastating repercussions it had, not only on some of Hollywood’s most iconic stars, but on the residents of a small, desert town. Hollywood is littered with bad movies. The Conqueror is one of the worst in a crowded field of terrible films. John Wayne stars as Genghis Khan and things only get worse from there. While it suffers from a host of racist and sexist issues and many quality issues, the reason it is still discussed today is because nearly half the cast and crew contracted cancer. But, why? This is a story of government lies, careless production decisions, and the most powerful weapon ever created by humankind. (Cinequest Festival)