Rating: 
Summary: A fitting eulogy to the film carrier of John Wayne
Review: It is totally fitting that John Wayne's last film is an obvious eulogy for his legendary career as the greatest Western star of them all. Like many others, I have always thought the Duke need this when he made "The Shootist." This 1976 film, directed by Don Siegel, begins with a montage of gunfights from Wayne's career, thereby establishing the reputation of his character, J. B. Books. It is 1901 and Books rides into Carson City to visit his old friend, Doctor E.W. Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart). The doctor's verdict is that Books is dying of cancer and does not have long to live. Books knows the rightness of this, because in an age of automobiles and electricity there is no place for an old gunfighter. But his reputation means Books will be denied a quiet death: the barber saves clippings of his hair to sell and the undertaker plans to exhibit his corpse. Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall), the widow who runs the boarding house where he is staying, wants to send him packing, not only because of all the men he has killed but because her son Gillom (Ron Howard) thinks Books is a hero. Books tries to explain the code by which he has lived, but the boy cannot understand. Meanwhile, several gunfighters who would love to be the one to gun down the famous Books have arrived in town. Books sees an opportunity to die on his own terms, in one last epic gunfight."The Shootist" is a film of remarkable restraint, that achieves a wonderful eloquence. Wayne and Bacall have some nice scenes together as the widow becomes fond of the dying gunman. But it is the dynamic between Wayne and Howard that drives the film, as the gunman tries to explain to the hero worshipping boy that killing men is not a heroic enterprise. Ultimately, it is left to the boy to learn that lesson for himself and finally get the stamp of approval from his hero. It is impossible to watch "The Shootist" and not think of Wayne's last appearance at the Academy Awards, shortly before his death, when the cancer that would claim his life had reduced his body to a gaunt figure. Life does not always imitate art. But no other major star in the history of film did a better job of going out on their own terms.
Rating:
Summary: The "Duke" Saves His Best For Last!
Review: John Wayne's last film serves as an epitaph of his enormously popular career in film. "The Shootist", directed by Don Siegel in 1976, went through numerous delays and battles before the film was finished. But what the audience is left here is nothing short of a masterpiece. This should serve (and in my opinion, it does serve)as the pinnacle of both John Wayne's and Don Siegel's careers. Many people who are not John Wayne fans will get the exact same enjoyment out of this film as much as his biggest fans do. Simply because the film is beautifully shot and is deeply heartfelt and moving. John Wayne plays J.B. Books, a gunfighter looking to retire. When he returns to Carson City 15 years after one of his greatest gunfights, he is a changed man. He is also an ill man. Doc Hostetler (played be Jimmy Stewart) is forced to tell Books the bad news that he is dying of cancer. (Unfortunately, Wayne truly was dying of lung cancer during the filming of the motion picture). Obeying Hostetler's orders, Books gets a room at Widow Rogers' (Lauren Bacall) boarding house and intends to live out the rest of his life in peace. This does not happen however as the rumour spreads quickly around the town that Books is dying and every gunfighter trying to make a name for themselves unsuccessfully try to shoot him down. With just days before his 58th birthday, Books decides to "go out in style" (guns blazing). He gets Widow Rogers' son, Gillom (played by Ron Howard) to tell local gunfighters Cobb, Pulford and Sweeney that he will meet them at the Metropole Saloon on his birthday. It's just hours before the Rogers' realize what Books is planning to do. The film does tend to become depressingly downbeat at times but in the end, this proves to be John Wayne's finest work. Wayne gives the performance of his career with this film and it's probably just as well that the "Duke" went out with this blaze of glory than say the sequel to "True Grit". (Not that "Rooster Cogburn" is a bad movie, but it doesn't even compare to this magnificent piece). Also watch for excellent performances by Richard Boone (Sweeney), Hugh O'Brian (Pulford), Harry Morgan (Thibido), Scatman Crothers (Moses) and especially John Carradine as Beckum, the undertaker. (Surprise, surprise!!!) The scene in the barber shop between Books and Beckum is truly wonderful. Parents, if you intend to show this film to your children, let them know there is some bloody violence and strong language (for a John Wayne movie). Otherwise, show them this fine work of art. That's right, this is art.
Rating:
Summary: The Movie, the Cast, the DVD
Review: This is the story of the last eight days in the life of John Bernard Books (John Wayne), a legendary gunfighter who pulls into Carson City, Nevada on January 22, 1901. Books is dying of inoperable prostate cancer. Knowing that all he has to look forward to in the few weeks left him is an undiginfied and agonizing death as his disease progressively worsens, and unwilling to go out that way, Books orchestrates one last glorious gunfight, himself versus the only three men in town who just might be able to kill him. The Shootist has the cast from Hell: John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Harry Morgan, John Carradine, Hugh O'Brian, Richard Boone, Scatman Crothers, all in the same movie. Made on a shoestring budget of eight million (not a lot of money for a major Hollywood production even in mid-Seventies dollars) the only way The Shootist could afford such a cast was that everyone involved realized this would probably be Wayne's last picture, and wanted to be involved. Hugh O'Brian volunteered to play his part for free. The only "extras" on the DVD are the original trailer which is mediocre and a "Making Of" feature that's absolutely excellent. In the latter it's revealed the filmmakers changed the ending of the movie from the book on which it was based. In the novel, J.B. Books is killed at the end by young Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard) after surviving the final gun battle. But the powers that were felt it would be awfully hard to have audiences like the Howard character after that. In hindsight they realize their decision weakened the movie. And they're right. That would have been the perfect ending to The Shootist, the ultimate act of love from Gillom to Books, to be the one who ended his pain when no one else could. The way the movie does end is great - The Shootist is fully deserving of its five stars - but it could have been even better. While it would be difficult to make a case against either Once Upon a Time In the West, Red River, or The Outlaw Josey Wales being the best Western ever made, The Shootist is one of the very few movies even worthy to be mentioned in their class. It adds an immense amount of poignancy to Wayne's portrayal of J.B. Books, a strong man in the final stages of terminal cancer, to know the actor was in exactly the same situation at the time. This is arguably Wayne's finest acting job, understated and powerful. While some actors are great for a time, then degenerate into crap roles to finish out their careers (Basil Rathbone's last movie was Hillbillys from Outer Space, if you can believe it), John Wayne was a class act til the very end. The Shootist was the perfect way to cap his career: one last superb Western from the greatest Western star of all.
Rating:
Summary: A fitting finale
Review: While most endings of any kind of career are really graceful, I'd have to say that John Wayne's ending with "the shootist" is about a good as it gets. In the movie, John Wayne is looking to settle down and relax for the rest of his life when Jimmy Stewart, playing a doctor, informs him of his cancer that will end his life soon. Also starring in the movie is Ron Howard, an impressoinable youngster who wants to be a gunslinging hero like Wayne. Good acting abounds all around, and this movie is especially memorable because of all the old details and Wayne movies that come to play. The final act features a grand shootout with Wayne and a bunch of former enemies in a bar, a scene that is emotional and exciting. The ending is magnificent, with the impressionable Ron Howard left hurt but better off. Perhaps Wayne's best western.
Rating:
Summary: John Wayne's elegiac swan song; Farewell, Duke...
Review: As movie genres come and go, the American Western was gasping for its last breath when John Wayne starred in "The Shootist" in 1976. This story about a dying gunfighter counting down his last days in the New World is loaded with an extremely heavy dose of symbolism. This is a quiet western, completely emphasizing dialogue over action. Directed by Don Siegel, a master of the western, the overall mood laments the passing of the Old West and its ideology. I agree with other comments that this film has a slightly made-for-TV quality about it, but it's clear this is supposed to be a delicate look at the death of a revered cowboy, and not a wide-open prairie epic. Like the character himself, John Wayne was dying, and provided for us what would be his final performance. The last words Wayne ever said onscreen at the end of this film are the same words I'd say to him if I had ever met him - "Thank you, sir." Set in Nevada in 1901, Wayne plays John Bernard Books, considered one of the last infamous gunfighters of the Old West. Books settles into Carson City and learns he's dying of cancer. Hoping to live his last few days quietly, he is befriended by a strong-willed widow (Lauren Bacall) who owns a boarding house, and her impressionable son (Ron Howard). His presence becomes known, and enemies from his past emerge looking for a fight, while other so-called friends try to coax the legendary outlaw into letting a little fame rub off. Books soon develops a tender friendship with the Bacall character, while becoming a mentor to her eager son, even though the local Marshall is pressuring him to leave town immediately. Books soon figures out how to rid himself of his enemies and his debilitating condition in one swift stroke. The cast is a large who's-who of western actors and they do an all-around great job; Lauren Bacall looks a little less glamorous than usual, but fits right in as the stern yet feminine widow. Ron Howard gives a brash, "aw shucks" grown-up version of Opie, and Harry Morgan provides a little humor as the cowardly, trash-talking town deputy. There's also a small but fantastic supporting role by the eternal Jimmy Stewart as the doctor who informs Wayne of his ailment. As the titular dying gunfighter, Wayne's role is not as complex as it was in "The Quiet Man" or "The Searchers", but this is still some of the best acting he's ever done. This is a solemn film, about someone reaching the end of their life and isn't afforded much time to rest and reflect because their past is catching up. The sad perspective of the Old West as an antiquated era also shows how we sometimes have trouble trying to stay with the times when the rest of the world is rapidly moving forward. This movie has grown in appreciation over time with many Wayne fans due to his calm, age-old performance. I can't think of another film that has served as such a fitting goodbye to an actor. "The Shootist" is - both literally and figuratively - the Duke's final bow.
Rating:
Summary: A fitting finale
Review: While most endings of any kind of career are really graceful, I'd have to say that John Wayne's ending with "the shootist" is about a good as it gets. In the movie, John Wayne is looking to settle down and relax for the rest of his life when Jimmy Stewart, playing a doctor, informs him of his cancer that will end his life soon. Also starring in the movie is Ron Howard, an impressoinable youngster who wants to be a gunslinging hero like Wayne. Good acting abounds all around, and this movie is especially memorable because of all the old details and Wayne movies that come to play. The final act features a grand shootout with Wayne and a bunch of former enemies in a bar, a scene that is emotional and exciting. The ending is magnificent, with the impressionable Ron Howard left hurt but better off. Perhaps Wayne's best western.
Rating:
Summary: The "Duke" Saves His Best For Last!
Review: John Wayne's last film serves as an epitaph of his enormously popular career in film. "The Shootist", directed by Don Siegel in 1976, went through numerous delays and battles before the film was finished. But what the audience is left here is nothing short of a masterpiece. This should serve (and in my opinion, it does serve)as the pinnacle of both John Wayne's and Don Siegel's careers. Many people who are not John Wayne fans will get the exact same enjoyment out of this film as much as his biggest fans do. Simply because the film is beautifully shot and is deeply heartfelt and moving. John Wayne plays J.B. Books, a gunfighter looking to retire. When he returns to Carson City 15 years after one of his greatest gunfights, he is a changed man. He is also an ill man. Doc Hostetler (played be Jimmy Stewart) is forced to tell Books the bad news that he is dying of cancer. (Unfortunately, Wayne truly was dying of lung cancer during the filming of the motion picture). Obeying Hostetler's orders, Books gets a room at Widow Rogers' (Lauren Bacall) boarding house and intends to live out the rest of his life in peace. This does not happen however as the rumour spreads quickly around the town that Books is dying and every gunfighter trying to make a name for themselves unsuccessfully try to shoot him down. With just days before his 58th birthday, Books decides to "go out in style" (guns blazing). He gets Widow Rogers' son, Gillom (played by Ron Howard) to tell local gunfighters Cobb, Pulford and Sweeney that he will meet them at the Metropole Saloon on his birthday. It's just hours before the Rogers' realize what Books is planning to do. The film does tend to become depressingly downbeat at times but in the end, this proves to be John Wayne's finest work. Wayne gives the performance of his career with this film and it's probably just as well that the "Duke" went out with this blaze of glory than say the sequel to "True Grit". (Not that "Rooster Cogburn" is a bad movie, but it doesn't even compare to this magnificent piece). Also watch for excellent performances by Richard Boone (Sweeney), Hugh O'Brian (Pulford), Harry Morgan (Thibido), Scatman Crothers (Moses) and especially John Carradine as Beckum, the undertaker. (Surprise, surprise!!!) The scene in the barber shop between Books and Beckum is truly wonderful. Parents, if you intend to show this film to your children, let them know there is some bloody violence and strong language (for a John Wayne movie). Otherwise, show them this fine work of art. That's right, this is art.
Rating:
Summary: John Wayne's elegiac swan song; Farewell, Duke...
Review: As movie genres come and go, the American Western was gasping for its last breath when John Wayne starred in "The Shootist" in 1976. This story about a dying gunfighter counting down his last days in the New World is loaded with an extremely heavy dose of symbolism. This is a quiet western, completely emphasizing dialogue over action. Directed by Don Siegel, a master of the western, the overall mood laments the passing of the Old West and its ideology. I agree with other comments that this film has a slightly made-for-TV quality about it, but it's clear this is supposed to be a delicate look at the death of a revered cowboy, and not a wide-open prairie epic. Like the character himself, John Wayne was dying, and provided for us what would be his final performance. The last words Wayne ever said onscreen at the end of this film are the same words I'd say to him if I had ever met him - "Thank you, sir." Set in Nevada in 1901, Wayne plays John Bernard Books, considered one of the last infamous gunfighters of the Old West. Books settles into Carson City and learns he's dying of cancer. Hoping to live his last few days quietly, he is befriended by a strong-willed widow (Lauren Bacall) who owns a boarding house, and her impressionable son (Ron Howard). His presence becomes known, and enemies from his past emerge looking for a fight, while other so-called friends try to coax the legendary outlaw into letting a little fame rub off. Books soon develops a tender friendship with the Bacall character, while becoming a mentor to her eager son, even though the local Marshall is pressuring him to leave town immediately. Books soon figures out how to rid himself of his enemies and his debilitating condition in one swift stroke. The cast is a large who's-who of western actors and they do an all-around great job; Lauren Bacall looks a little less glamorous than usual, but fits right in as the stern yet feminine widow. Ron Howard gives a brash, "aw shucks" grown-up version of Opie, and Harry Morgan provides a little humor as the cowardly, trash-talking town deputy. There's also a small but fantastic supporting role by the eternal Jimmy Stewart as the doctor who informs Wayne of his ailment. As the titular dying gunfighter, Wayne's role is not as complex as it was in "The Quiet Man" or "The Searchers", but this is still some of the best acting he's ever done. This is a solemn film, about someone reaching the end of their life and isn't afforded much time to rest and reflect because their past is catching up. The sad perspective of the Old West as an antiquated era also shows how we sometimes have trouble trying to stay with the times when the rest of the world is rapidly moving forward. This movie has grown in appreciation over time with many Wayne fans due to his calm, age-old performance. I can't think of another film that has served as such a fitting goodbye to an actor. "The Shootist" is - both literally and figuratively - the Duke's final bow.
Rating:
Summary: THE ICON
Review: I GREW UP WATCHING SATURDAY(OBVIOUS RERUNS)MORNING WESTERNS WITH MY DAD, AND I REMEMBER WITH GREAT FONDNESS THE OLD JOHN WAYNE MOVIES WHEN HE WORE TO MUCH MAKE UP. THESE ARE DAYS I REMBER MOST BECASE THEY WERE WITH MY DAD. HIS LATER MOVIES BROUGHT TO US A HERO THAT WENT THE EXTRA MILE, THAT DID NOT QUIT, THAT TRIED TO DO THE RIGHT THING. HIS YES WAS YES AND HIS NO WAS NO. THE SHOOTIST IS NOT MY FAVOITE MOVIE BECAUSE ALL THROUGH IT I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE HIS LAST, AND I DO NOT LIKE IT WHEN HE DIES IN HIS MOVIES. IT IS ONE OF HIS GREATEST.
Rating:
Summary: EXTRA - SHOOTIST J.B. BOOKS DIES IN METROPOLE GUNFIGHT
Review: Carson City - John Bernard Books, the shootist who was staying at the Rogers' boarding house, died in a blaze of gunfire today, January 29, 1901, at the Metropole. Before his own demise, being shot numerous times and twice in the back, Books apparently gunned down four others, Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford, Jay Cobb and Murray, the Metropole's bartender. Dr. E.W. Hostetler was on hand to examine all of the victims. Local police are confused as to how one of Books' ivory-handled revolvers was found near the entrance of the saloon while his body lay dead just a few feet from the end of the bar... One of John Wayne's greatest roles, THE SHOOTIST tells the story of a chronically ill and fading gunfighter who, after getting a final prognosis from Doc E.W. Hostetler (played by James Stewart in one of his final roles as well), determines that the painful death awaiting him at the hands of cancer is too much to swallow. Accordingly he stages a last stand gunfight against three town toughs. A fitting way for John Wayne to end his career in a blaze of glory in this his last film. Wonderfully directed by the great Don Siegel, the film begins with a flashback that includes clips from many of John Wayne's greatest films. THE SHOOTIST is not only a John Wayne masterpiece, it also includes great performances by such notables as James Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Richard Boone, Hugh O'Brian, John Carradine, Scatman Crothers and Harry Morgan. Douglas McAllister
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