An infamous historical epic that almost certainly killed more than 20% of its 220-strong crew named the single worst decision in cinema history

The history of cinema is so vast, rich, tense, and often troublesome that trying to name the single worst decision that’s ever been made since the advent of the moving image is a near-impossible task, but that hasn’t stopped 1956’s infamous The Conqueror from claiming top spot anyway.

As part of an extensive think piece seeking to determine “The 50 Worst Decisions in Movie History,” Rolling Stone has settled for the ill-judged John Wayne epic as its number one, and it’s easy to see why considering there’s a widespread belief the production ended up killing more than a fifth of its cast and crew members long after the fact.

Of course, we can’t overlook the fact casting the Western icon as Genghis Khan was incredibly racist at the time, and it unsurprisingly holds up significantly worse through a modern lens. It was also terrible in every imaginable way, and regularly finds itself named among the worst features Hollywood has ever had to offer, but it was the production that ended up doing the most long-term damage.

For whatever reason, the call was made to shoot The Conqueror in and around nuclear testing sites in Utah, and while it hasn’t been scientifically proven or concerned, the statistics are alarming. 41 percent of the 220 people who worked on the movie developed some form of cancer, and more than half of that number ultimately passed away as a result, including Wayne.

The correlation is right there for all to see, and for it to happen in what’s roundly regarded as a horrendous work of cinema makes it easy to see why The Conqueror has ended up securing such an unwanted accolade.