Rating: 
Summary: Learning to Love John Wayne
Review: I was never a John Wayne fan. I hadn't seen any of his movies, but my limited understanding of his politics and the fact that most of the movies were westerns and war movies made me keep my distance. All that changed a few weeks ago when I stumbled upon "True Grit". I can honestly say that it is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I put it right up there with "Shane" as a wonderful western. The characters are strong; the acting is wonderful; the setting is breathtaking. And John Wayne? Amazing. By the end of the movie, I was a fan. If you haven't seen this one, see it immediately. I think you'll agree with me... it's a winner.
Rating: 
Summary: sorriest john wayne movie ever
Review: the only thing that keeps this movie from getting one star is the fact that john wayne is in it, and the terrific band of actors who play the outlaws. the downfall of this movie is the character played by kim darby. she is supposed to be a 14 year old girl in the old west and yet she some how seems to bully everyone she meets to do exactly what she wants them to do. the whole sequence with the horse trader in town is the perfect example. there is no way all these men living on the western frontier would let a little girl push them around no matter how good her lawyer supposedly is. the biggest travisty is the way she pushes around john wayne's character. he is supposed to be such a big bad marshall that half the time he can't bring back his prisoners alive yet he bows to this little girls every whim. i'll agree with eariler reviewers that the last act is great and the band of outlaws with dennis hopper and robert duvall are great but it's not enough to save the movie from kim darby's character mattie ross.
Rating:
Summary: kim darby is wonderfull!!!
Review: a great western, a great movie. kim darby is excellent and lovable. highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: destined for immortality among westerns
Review: for starters, my dad is a huge john wayne fan. i grew up with 'true grit' and 'the quiet man.' as a kid i realized john wayne was a great actor, and that his films were regarded as classics, but i was too young to really digest this (btw, i'm 17 now). still, 'true grit' was always my favorite. i've probably seen it fifteen times. but as of a month ago been many years since i had watch it. i figured, what the heck, let's celebrate the good-old days of childhood innocence and pop in 'true grit.' boy was i glad i did that. really understanding the film for the first time and understanding all the humor that goes right over the head of a young child was absolutely and undeniably priceless. after i finished the movie i just sat there with a fulfilled feeling, like i had just witnessed something amazing. and it truly is an amazing performance by the duke. i know this sounds really emotional, but i guess it is for me. it brought back so many feelings from my childhood, i'm sure many of you know movies that do that to you. but aside from the power of reminiscence, this is still one awesome movie. john wayne just plays his part perfectly, and is always enjoyable to watch, probably because he is 'playing himself.' and watch out for that last seen, it is powerful. don't miss this flick!
Rating: 
Summary: Fill your hand, you . . .
Review: Could the casting of some of the roles have been better? Yes. Could there have been anyone better than John Wayne to portray Marshal Rooster Cogburn? NO!!! Given a good script and the right character, John Wayne satisfies our desire for a hero like no other actor ever has. If you have not seen True Grit before, don't get caught up in an evaluation of acting skills or musical scores. Simply enjoy John Wayne in a wonderful role. Along with Shane, High Noon, The Shootist, and a very few other movies, True Grit exemplifies the best qualities of the Western genre. Rooster Cogburn is the hero standing against the bad guys without concern for the odds, not afraid to die in the pursuit of a valiant cause. When bad guy Lucky Ned Pepper points out that John Wayne is outnumbered four to one and tells him to stand aside, Wayne gives Pepper the choice of surrendering or dieing. Wayne's one man charge against the Lucky Ned Pepper gang thrills the latent hero in all of us. This movie is John Wayne. This movie is what Westerns are supposed to be. Forget about evaluating the actors, and enjoy the movie.
Rating:
Summary: The Finest West There Ever Was
Review: People watching "True Grit" for the most part are too young to remember John Wayne in earlier years. This film was always intended to be his self-parody. Though it is not as true to Portis' novel as it could be (Cogburn is supposed to look like Grover Cleveland), I defy anyone to keep to the spirit of a novel AND make a comical lampoon simultaneously, as "True Grit" does so well. This film should be a requisite in high school, just to teach children how to follow and appreciate a story's intent. I personally was dissatisfied with Kim Darby, because in the novel, Ms. Ross was not a brat but a brave and tough little girl. John Wayne's daughter was to have had this role, but Ms. Darby was given it instead. Why everyone loves that crabby girl who couldn't act her way out of a dialysis membrane I'll never know. As to Glenn Campbell, there never was a more convincing Texan- and if one looks around, there weren't too many actors who could have done as well with the role. Finally, I can speak from personal knowledge that this film serves as a rough historical document because of the dialogue. I've never heard more authentic dialogue in any Western- people really DID speak that way! (Let's ease off on poor Mr. Campbell.)
Rating:
Summary: Great movie, a classic that can never be breached.
Review: This movie ranks at the top of my all time western favorites. Classic fans will be awed by the quality that digital remastry has given to this movie. Sure they could have gotten better actors than Glen Campbell or Kim Darby, but this movie was all John Wayne.
Rating:
Summary: John Wayne at his best
Review: Just about the best western out there! John Wayne at his best. Great plot, well made. Watch it!
Rating:
Summary: John Wayne tops and in defense of supporting cast
Review: True Grit is a great, great, great movie. John Wayne swaggers through this one the best ever.However, I'm reading many reviews below that are blasting Kim Darby and Glen Campbell. I totally disagree. I thought both were cast very well. Glen Campbell struck me as a very credible actor in this outting - playing a sort of Texas ranger pretty boy. Kim Darby is outstanding - totally believable as this stubborn, brat who shows numerous moments of "true grit" in her role. So, everyone agrees True Grit is awesome and John Wayne is terrific. I just wanted to chime in that Glen and Kim were enormous in making this a winning film!
Rating:
Summary: Very Entertaining Western Fare
Review: This is a very good comedic/dramatic western. The script is first rate, highly literate, and very funny at times. There is a formality in the language and in the manners of the actors. But remember, this is late 19th century western Americana and not modern America where slang/hipness is all the style. I really strongly disagree with the many of the reviewers who take Kim Darby to task. The story depends upon the tension and humor between the noble old drunken reprobate, Rooster, and the determined, brassy, and honorably motivated, Mattie. If either John Wayne or Kim Darby failed in their roles, the movie wouldn't work. That's because the movie is essentially about their relationship and the somewhat unconventional love between them. To my mind, it is a love story--without the sex obviously--between these two very different characters who despite their differences find a common cause and a deep affection for each other. Darby's comedic abilities are shown in a number of scenes. She and Wayne worked off of each other very well. Her scenes with the late, great Strother Martin (Col. Stonewell) concerning horsetrading are priceless and timeless. They are some of the best scenes in the movie. When Kim Darby made this movie she was 21. That's a very young age and some degree of personal immaturity at that age is hardly surprising. John Wayne might have been fully justified in being a bit bent out of shape about conflicts on the set. Then again, I'm exactly Kim Darby's age and I remember vividly the political heat and anger between the older generation and many young Americans over the raging Vietnam War in 1969. Wayne was an outspoken hawk in terms of supporting the war. Kim Darby went on in the next couple of years to act in the anti-war movie, "The Strawberry Statement." You can draw your own conclusions. Regardless of the source of the reported conflict between Wayne and Darby, they both appear as fine professionals before the camera. The supporting cast for this movie was first rate. I even liked Glen Campbell. I thought he did great for an amateur. Alfred Ryder as lawyer Goudy was absolutely first rate. John Fielder as lawyer Daggett was very good. Robert Duval, Dennis Hopper, etc. all gave fine performances. I thought the production values were not all that great at times. The scenes appeared to be a bit slipshod and rushed on occasion, but still, overall a very good and entertaining western with lots of humorous moments. However, I don't think it's up to the level of "High Noon," "The Oxbow Incident," "Red River,"--but then not many westerns are.
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