True Grit (1969)

Released in 1969 and directed by Henry Hathaway, "True Grit" is a Western starring John Wayne as an overweight, one-eyed, alcoholic Marshal who signs on to help a stubborn, mature-beyond-her-years 14 year-old girl (Kim Darby) track down her father's murderer (Jeff Corey) in Indian Territory. Glen Campbell plays a Texas Ranger who joins them while Robert Duvall appears as the leader of the outlaw gang. Dennis Hopper & Jeremy Slate have peripheral roles.This is one of the Duke's better Westerns, mainly due to the great story based on Charles Portis' novel. It's talky, yet entertaining with bouts of almost shocking violence (one guy's fingers get chopped off). The locations are spectacular, shot at Inyo National Forest, California (the outlaw dugout), Colorado (Ouray, Canon City, Ridgway, Montrose & Gunnison) and Durango, Mexico. Unfortunately, they're not accurate in the least. The story in the book starts near Fort Smith in West-Central Arkansas and proceeds into the Choctaw Indian Territory of Southeastern Oklahoma, which looks nothing like the breathtaking Rocky Mountain scenery observed in the movie. The 2010 version is more accurate with a more mundane backdrop shot in East-Central Texas and New Mexico. Speaking of which, it's interesting comparing the two movies, which are on par. They're the same story and each has their highlights.Rooster Cogburn is a great character and one of Wayne's more memorable roles. Besides the two "True Grit" movies, Rooster (the character) also appears in 1975's "Rooster Cogburn" (also starring Wayne), which is as good or better than "True Grit" (believe it!), as well as a 1978 TV movie "True Grit: A Further Adventure" featuring Warren Oates as Cogburn, which I have yet to view.Darby was 21 during filming and utterly stalwart while Campbell is surprisingly good. It's also interesting seeing Duvall and Hopper in their younger years.The film runs 128 minutes. SCREENPLAY: Marguerite Roberts. ADDITIONAL CAST: H.W. Gim, Strother Martin, John Fiedler & James Westerfield.GRADE: A-

As already covered in one of the user reviews, this film has dialogue which reflects the day and age the story is set. The following are some reflections which define TG :-- The character of Ruben J. "Rooster" Cogburn is a role that was tailor-made for a Lee Marvin. That is why it was a pleasant surprise for cinema audiences to see John Wayne play such a character. Up until this part, Wayne had never played such an undignified, uncharacteristic role. Yet there is enough of the "John Wayne" screen persona and old school masculinity & decency evoked by the Duke to render him recognizable. -- The eccentric brilliance of Rooster's "family"...Merchant Chen Lee and a Morris the Cat lookalike named "General Sterling Price". What a name for a pet cat! Especially for US history buffs who were well acquainted with General Price's involvement with the state of Missouri and the Civil War, at one point arriving in Richmond, VA to "replace" President Davis.-- Kim Darby's timeless and unrivaled performance as Mattie Ross...'Mattie' was the prototype & blueprint for the contemporary trend in Hollywood films which have been on a mission to redefine women's roles as the hero of the film. Now, of course, this trend has become a tired cliché. The latest hackneyed effort being the latest Star Wars installment (The Force Awakens). However, back in 1969, nothing like this was ever envisioned. Darby's portrayal not only stood up to the Duke on screen, but virtually dominated him throughout the film. A feat no female co-star of John Wayne was able to do (not even Susan Hayward) and no male co-star ever could do (with the possible exception of John Carroll, who came close in Flying Tigers). Darby was cute and amiable in her screen presence. There is also an innocence to Darby where today's teenage actresses are (for example) aged 16 but going on 30 in looks and manner. Darby (who was actually 21 portraying a teen) represents an era when teen girls were naive and gullible. As mature and headstrong as Mattie was, Darby elicited enough gullibility, freshness, and even sweetness to come across as a breath of fresh air when compared to our current "slut" culture of "progressive" feminism. The one thing which the Coen Brothers' remake with Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie totally lacked was genuine charm. -- Glen Campbell was wonderful in his role as the Texas Ranger La Boeuf. In comparison, Matt Damon's methodical re-interpretation lacked the natural unassuming charisma exuded by Campbell. Reportedly, the Duke picked out Campbell for the part. Campbell's lack of acting experience is actually what made his La Boeuf so unassuming and humorous. Some of the lines Campbell delivered are so funny that they almost caricature the image of the Texas Ranger. At times, it almost suggests a subtle parody of Jethro Bodine of the Beverly Hillbillies as a Texas Ranger. Campbell not only held his own against the masterful Duke but displayed superb on screen chemistry with Darby's Mattie. And that title song sung by Campbell was incomparable. What a lovely, beautiful song! They don't make songs with that depth, beauty, and soul anymore. Contemporary country western doesn't even come close to capturing what the title song TRUE GRIT still evokes. Was sort of a Glen Campbell fan back in the 70s with hits like "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Southern Nights". -- Lastly, had to cover the Coen Brothers' remake. It may have been more faithful to Charles Portis' novel, but a remake should never have been attempted. The stark, bleak, nearly humorless 2010 remake left a real bad taste in the mouth. How these pseudo-intellectual dipstick film critics lauded the Coen Brothers' lifeless, soulless remake is beyond me. First of all, where can contemporary America produce character actors like Strother Martin, John Fiedler, James Westerfield, John Doucette, etc. Both Martin and Fiedler have priceless character roles. Strother Martin is one of the all-time classic scene-stealing actors. He could virtually steal a scene from the biggest of stars. The Coen Brothers should have realized that they could never fulfill comparable character actors which are so crucial to carry a film. Conclusion: Henry Hathaway probably turned over in his grave at the 2010 remake.

People's memories are short, and too many people have seen only Hailee Steinfeld's portrayal of Mattie. Let me cast my vote for the screen's first Mattie Ross, Kim Darby, who turned in the superior performance. (And I don't blame Steinfeld herself; for all their brilliance as filmmakers, the Coens are hit-or-miss with actors.) Darby looks a bit older than Steinfeld, more womanly (despite the hat and the shorter hair), and her voice is softer and more feminine -- yet her line readings are paradoxically steelier and more intense. When Steinfeld recites Portis's deliberately stiff, formal, old-fashioned, nearly contraction-free dialogue, her delivery sounds odd, like an immigrant imitating English; Darby speaks the same formal lines more naturally and makes Mattie a more believable figure, and a far more appealing one.

There's a lot to love about this film. Yes, love. And there aren't many actors I can say that about...even though other Westerns are more favorites for me.Let's start with John Wayne's performance. I think he deserved the Oscar...and not just as a nod to his career, but for this film in and of itself. It isn't just that Wayne was getting old, it was that here he wasn't playing typical Wayne. More than most of his films, here he played a character...and the performance is simply iconic.The next best thing about the film is the scenery and photography. Most of it was filmed in western Colorado, and the photography does the scenery justice. The one exception is the scene in the aspen trees fairly early in the film; the camera wasn't level, and I found it quite distracting.And then there's the music. Another bold and brilliant score by Elmer Bernstein.Kim Darby's darned good here. Rooster had grit, but Mattie had spunk. Those qualities work together well, even if -- as it is said -- she and Wayne didn't like each other much.So what's not to like? The performance by Glen Campbell. Don't get me wrong, as a singer, I liked Glen Campbell. But as an actor -- PU! John Wayne made almost a dozen films after this one (and I did enjoy the sequel with Katherine Hepburn), but when I think of John Wayne riding off into the sunset...this is the film that comes to mind.