True Grit

Rating:
Summary: True Grit-True Hit!
Review: John Wayne scores big points in this memorable western. He won his only Oscar for his larger-than-life portrayal of the drunken, overweight, and completely fearless one-eyed Marshal, Rooster Cogburn. It's not hard to tell that Glen Campbell is an amateur when it comes to acting, but he in no way ruins the film. Kim Darby is terrific as Mattie Ross, the little spitfire girl who gives even the Duke almost more than he can handle.

Robert Duvall and Strother Martin almost steal the show themselves as villians you'll love to hate. Although Duvall's character does expose a sensitive side near the end of the film, he is still an outlaw, and his thirst for revenge against Cogburn ultimately gets the best of him.

Campbell's character suggests the brash, arrogant, inexperienced macho man who is really more talk than walk, while Darby's character is defiant even in the face of pure evil. In this respect, the two characters are a bad complement, but that's precisely why they are so entertaining. The many confrontations and disagreements that Campbell and Darby's characters have throughout the film even provide a bit of comic relief to the Duke's hard-lined, albeit amazing, performance.

All in all, if you want a movie with larger-than-life heroes, villains that are dirtier than a sandbox after a rainstorm, and just a bunch of great actors in a great movie, look no further. One of my all-time favorites, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: COULDA BEEN A CLASSIC
Review: I have to weigh in here. This is one of the most frustrating films ever, especially for fans of the book by Charles Portis. The Duke was super as Rooster Cogburn, the scenery and sets were gorgeous and authentic, and the character actors were perfectly cast (especially Dennis Hopper as Moon & Robert Duvall as Lucky Ned Pepper). Despite other reviewers' reservations about Kim Darby, I thought she was perfect as Maddie Ross. If she had problems with Wayne on the set, they didn't show up on screen! My gripe with the movie comes down to one actor...Glen Campbell. His whiny, high-pitched "acting" is better suited to a BAD high school production. At times he gestures frantically in a laughable attempt to convey emotion. Even his clothes are wrong...better suited to a formula tv western than this gritty, realistic depiction of the savage west. One cringes every time poor ole Glen opens his mouth to speak. It's obvious that he's way over his head when paired with "real" actors. Was this amateur cast merely to secure his recording of the theme song (which in itself is pretty bad)? Each time I see this otherwise great film, I find myself wishing that Industrial Light & Magic can find a way to digitally replace Campbell with a real actor and can at last present True Grit as the classic that it should be. Wayne fans shouldn't miss this one. Neither should avid western fans. Casual fans, however, should check out The Searchers, Red River, Hondo, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, or any number of other bonafide classics before subjecting themselves to a classic example of a potentially great film ruined by miscasting of a key role.

Rating:
Summary: "Baby Sister"...and..."The Big Fella".....
Review: This review refers to the Paramount(Widescreen Collection) DVD edition of "True Grit"...

A great big nod to Paramount for giving us The Duke's Academy Award winning role as "Rooster Cogburn" on this superb DVD. This fabulous Wayne western from 1969 looks immaculate. Presented in widescreen, the picture is clear and sharp, and all the beautiful scenery in Technicolor is glorious.The sound in DD2.0(MONO) was surpisngly good as well.(Could be great in surround though).If you love this film, John Wayne or a great western, grab this one up!

The story for those that may have missed it, is very adventurous as well as highly amsuing. Rooster Cogburn is a take no prisoners U.S. Marshall. That's not all he is though...he's an old, overweight,brash drunkard. But he's got 'grit'. And that is exactly what young Maddie Ross is looking for when she hires him to go after the man who killed her father.Maddie(Kim Darby), now affectionatly called "Baby Sister" by our guy, is also a take no prisoner's kind of gal..but not exactly in the same way as Cogburn is. Maddie is a proper young lady, who's family "has property", and brandishes her lawyer as her weapon of choice. And what's more..she's going along on the hunt for this bad guy who has joined up with a group of some really bad hombres. Also in on the ride is an inexperienced but gung-ho Texas Ranger(Glen Campbell)who Maddie is immediatly at odds with.The sparks fly as this trio hits the trail.

John Wayne IS Rooster Cogburn.Rooster Cogburn IS John Wayne. The Duke delivers the lines as only he could.There's a great scene, where a drunken Cogburn falls off his horse, flat on his face, but yet doesn't spill a drop of the open whiskey bottle he holds.Later on you'll thrill to seeing him riding in, guns blazing in each hand as he goes after the bad guys.It's pure Wayne! The bad guys by the way are legends in themselves, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper among them. Strother Martin also adds to the fun going toe to toe with Maddie on a horse deal. Elmer Bernstein provides the glorious music, and Campbell sings the title song. Directed by the great Henry Hathaway, it's a film filled with immense talent.

It's fun and adventurous and is rated G, but there are some scenes that may be a bit too violent for younger viewers.
The DVD also includes English Subtitles for hearing impaired viewers. There are no special features, but for me, seeing this film restored so beautifully, having The Duke looking so great on my screen was bonus enough.

Saddle up with "The Big Fella"...and enjoy...Laurie

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining late era John Wayne western
Review: True Grit is an entertaining western starring John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, a US Marshal, who is enlisted by a murdered man's daughter played by Kim Darby, to track down and get his killer.

Wayne is excellent as the ornery Cogburn. There is real chemistry between he and Kim Darby, and that chemistry really propels the movie along towards the great climax at the finish. Kim Darby does a fine job as Mattie Rose. She's a no frills by the numbers young women and her run-ins with the men in "True Grit" make for some very fun viewing.

Glen Campbell is adequate as the Texas Ranger who is involved in tracking the same killer, but he's a bit wooden and a different actor might have brought more to the role. There is also a wonderful supporting cast. Look for Strother Martin, hilarious as a suffering horse dealer who must deal with Mattie and also Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper.

"True Grit" delivers some decent fun and entertainment. If you enjoy westerns and John Wayne you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Now That I Have Read The Book . . .
Review: The Story: John Wayne plays a territorial marshal hired by adolescent Kim Darby to find her father's killer, and Glen Campbell plays a Texas ranger after the same man for other reasons, who tags along.

First Commentary: I disagree with those who say that this is Wayne's finest performance (see "The Shootist", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", or "The Quiet Man"), but it might be his most John Wayne performance (i.e., a pure example of what people liked about him). It also won him an Oscar, that (in my opinion) he had earned before and again later. Glen Campbell's character is obnoxiously likable and adds a fine supporting performance. Kim Darby initially seemed likable but wooden in her delivery at times, but please see Second Commentary below. The scenery/setting is stunningly beautiful at times, and the music is good. The entire cast of "bad guys", featuring Dennis Hopper, Robert Duvall, and Jeff Corey, are quintessential villains. For fans of Western shoot-outs, the meadow scene is hard to beat. Overall, a good movie that is a great introduction to John Wayne for those too young to have watched his movies when they came out.

Second Commentary: Now that I've read the book, I know that Kim Darby played the part of Mattie Ross EXACTLY as Charles Portis wrote it. The film is very faithful to the book . . . until the end. The film's ending was a Hollywoodized, lightened-up, abbreviated, simplified alteration of Portis' original ending, which would have had Darby lose her arm to the snakebite, Campbell live and just disappear, and Wayne die a sorry death 25 years later. I think I like the film's ending better.

Rating:
Summary: A classic western from the Duke
Review: Nobody does westerns like John Wayne did. Of course, I don't need to tell anyone this, because the Duke's name is almost synonymous with the term 'western.' In my opinion, this is one of his best. It stars Wayne as the tough, old codger Rooster Cogburn, the one-eyed lawman that's killed more than his share of outlaws. A young girl, Mattie Ross(played by Kim Darby), hires Cogburn to track her father's killer, and Rooster sets out with her and a Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell) to find the villain.

If there was ever an actor with 'True Grit,' it was John Wayne. He plays the role of Cogburn wonderfully, and the rest of the cast is good as well. This is a typical western--the good guys, the bad guys, a shootout, etc.--but Wayne adds a style that is all his own. If you're a fan of western movies, chances are you already own this one. If not, pick it up. It's well worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Duke's Oscar
Review: John Wayne finally got his due when he received the Best Actor award for his role as Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit." (It was more than overdue considering his great, but ignored by the Academy, work in Red River, The Searchers, The Quiet Man, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.) John Wayne is great here, and he has a lot of fun poking fun at his "tall in the saddle" image.

This movie, though, is a little too long, and Kim Darby is definitly the weak link in the cast. She is too old for the role, and her acting is annoying at times. (The Duke thought she was a spoiled brat who brought her personal problems onto the set which he thought was unprofessional. It is really no surprise that she didn't move onto bigger and better roles.) Glen Campbell, however, is fine in his debut. Strother Martin is good for a laugh as always, and young Dennis Hopper and Robert Duvall are both good in their supporting roles.

Despite any qualms about the length and Darby's performance, the ending more than makes up for them. The scene where the Duke, with a forest of golden aspens as a backdrop, advances on four outlaws by himself is one of the signature moments of his storied career.

Rating:
Summary: western masterpiece
Review: This is only the second wayne movie I have ever watched. So I basically went into it with my eyes wide shut. This is a remarkably likable movie in which I think co star kim darby steals the show! This movie had alot of funny one-liners that were very witty. I figured this movie would be just like all the rest of the westerns I have seen, but this one stands out. John Wayne won an oscar for this movie. Very impressive!

Rating:
Summary: "Baby Sister"...and..."The Big Fella".....
Review: This review refers to the Paramount(Widescreen Collection) DVD edition of "True Grit"...

A great big nod to Paramount for giving us The Duke's Academy Award winning role as "Rooster Cogburn" on this superb DVD. This fabulous Wayne western from 1969 looks immaculate. Presented in widescreen, the picture is clear and sharp, and all the beautiful scenery in Technicolor is glorious.The sound in DD2.0(MONO) was surpisngly good as well.(Could be great in surround though).If you love this film, John Wayne or a great western, grab this one up!

The story for those that may have missed it, is very adventurous as well as highly amsuing. Rooster Cogburn is a take no prisoners U.S. Marshall. That's not all he is though...he's an old, overweight,brash drunkard. But he's got 'grit'. And that is exactly what young Maddie Ross is looking for when she hires him to go after the man who killed her father.Maddie(Kim Darby), now affectionatly called "Baby Sister" by our guy, is also a take no prisoner's kind of gal..but not exactly in the same way as Cogburn is. Maddie is a proper young lady, who's family "has property", and brandishes her lawyer as her weapon of choice. And what's more..she's going along on the hunt for this bad guy who has joined up with a group of some really bad hombres. Also in on the ride is an inexperienced but gung-ho Texas Ranger(Glen Campbell)who Maddie is immediatly at odds with.The sparks fly as this trio hits the trail.

John Wayne IS Rooster Cogburn.Rooster Cogburn IS John Wayne. The Duke delivers the lines as only he could.There's a great scene, where a drunken Cogburn falls off his horse, flat on his face, but yet doesn't spill a drop of the open whiskey bottle he holds.Later on you'll thrill to seeing him riding in, guns blazing in each hand as he goes after the bad guys.It's pure Wayne! The bad guys by the way are legends in themselves, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper among them. Strother Martin also adds to the fun going toe to toe with Maddie on a horse deal. Elmer Bernstein provides the glorious music, and Campbell sings the title song. Directed by the great Henry Hathaway, it's a film filled with immense talent.

It's fun and adventurous and is rated G, but there are some scenes that may be a bit too violent for younger viewers.
The DVD also includes English Subtitles for hearing impaired viewers. There are no special features, but for me, seeing this film restored so beautifully, having The Duke looking so great on my screen was bonus enough.

Saddle up with "The Big Fella"...and enjoy...Laurie

Rating:
Summary: This is one of Wayne's best!
Review:

This is typical John Wayne, in his later years, and one of his best. I think his best was The Shootist, perhaps closely followed by The Quiet Man.

The supporting cast, played by Kim Darby (Mattie Ross), and the villainous Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper as a young Texas Ranger was a good foil for Wayne, played their parts admirably.

This was great entertainment, with John Wayne playing John Wayne (as he always did, with only the name changed to protect the guilty.)

If there is anyone left who has not viewed this film, it is trime you did--perhaps even for the second or third time.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre<BR<
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books