El Dorado (1967)

The comparisons to "Rio Bravo" are unmistakable and if you've seen that picture further words aren't necessary. What I had to constantly keep reminding myself throughout the story was that Robert Mitchum was the drunk sheriff and not Dean Martin. Or as John Wayne's character Cole Thornton would remark - "I'm lookin' at a tin star with a drunk pinned on it".After watching about sixty of John Wayne's films over the years and catching this one earlier today, it struck me that his performance here was about the most natural in any of the ones I've seen. In other words, he didn't even seem to be acting most of the time, just carrying on with buddies Mitchum, James Caan and old-timer Arthur Hunnicutt who probably had the best lines of banter throughout going back and forth with Cole and J.P. Harrah (Mitchum). I know, Wayne detractors will say he wasn't acting in any of his pictures, but I think that would be a disservice to the Duke.So as a big time TV and Western movie fan, I thought it was pretty cool that the film makers had two thirds of the 'Rifleman' regular cast show up here. Paul Fix had the role of old Doc Miller and Johnny Crawford showed up long enough to get shot by Cole Thornton in an early scene. Wouldn't it have been cool if Chuck Connors had a role in this one? Instead, we have almost one-armed John Wayne twirling his rifle like Lucas McCain did on his own show.As for James Caan, I don't know, he seemed to be out of place here a couple of times, especially when he took off the hat. Joey MacDonald (Michele Carey) liked him better with it off, but to me he looked a little goofy with his hair plastered down like that. His Chinese impression was a bit embarrassing too, and I don't mean that in a politically correct way. It was just plain old embarrassing.But overall, a decent Western and if you're a fan of the principles, you'll have to add this one to your watch list. For trivia fans, John Wayne rides an appaloosa in the picture, going by the name of Cochise. I thought that was pretty cool.

Aging gunfighter (John Wayne), drunken sheriff (Robert Mitchum), cantankerous old deputy(Arthur Hunnicutt), and a knife-throwing gambler (James Caan) team up to protect a rancher and his family from hired gunmen. Contrary to what some say about this movie, it's not a remake. It borrows a lot from Rio Bravo but there are a lot of differences, too. Wayne and Mitchum are great. Really good cast backing them up. Arthur Hunnicutt is lots of fun. James Caan has a nice rapport with Duke. Charlene Holt and Michele Carey are the sexy and tough Hawksian women. Christopher George and Ed Asner play the heavies. A good western with likable actors, nice direction, and a fun script.

El Dorado is essentially a remake of the 1959 film Rio Bravo. It has the same plot line of the latter, which is enough reason to consider it in fact a remake, however, it still being considered the second film of a supposed trilogy (Rio Bravo, El Dorado, Rio Lobo). The plot can be a bit simple, but it has very drastic plot turns. In fact,a curiosity about this film would be the fact that every character actions & reaction seems to be a work of the fate in this film. It's just amazing to see how this fate can change the life of almost everyone in the town. In my opinion, i found this film way more interesting and smarter than one of the Wayne's acclaimed best, The Searchers. I think that some will agree that The Searchers is way too outdated. The acting is perhaps very good, highlight to both Robert Mitchum performance as J.P Harrah and to James Caan as Alan Bourdillion Traherne aka Mississipi. John Wayne was the same of ever. The cinematography is one of the highest points of the film. It has few utilization of 'fake scenarios', and it's mostly shot using real environment in Old Tucson and Kanab, Utah. My only and small problem with this film is that i think that the last 30 minutes are way too slow for this film. But still, that's nothing big enough to ruin the watching experience. 8.0/10

Gunman Cole Thornton (John Wayne) turns down a job with rancher Bart Jason (Ed Asner), who is trying to steal water from his neighbor, when he finds he must fight an old friend Sheriff J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum). Later, he returns to town with youngster Mississippi (James Caan) and finds J.P. in a drunken state. Together they must fight off Bart's hired hands.Howard Hawks directed this traditional western with John Wayne doing his best John Wayne impression. It is a little too long at over 2 hours. But it is still a great western. It's great to see a young James Caan and John Wayne is right at home.