Rating: 
Summary: Solid, journeyman job
Review: One of Wayne's better 1960s Westerns. This is clearly not in the same league as the classics of the 50s such as The Searchers and Rio Bravo, but is nonetheless a fine, action-packed shoot-em-up. I think George Kennedy won an Oscar for his role as the evil hired gun. Dennis Hopper is superb as the wimpy son of the town crook (who in turn is played by the fellow who portrayed the Lieutenant on TV's Barney Miller). You will probably recognize most of the supporting cast. (The actor who played the Sheriff, Micah, on The Rifleman plays Sheriff Billy in this movie.) Martha Hyer does a decent, understated job as the female lead. The one major dramatic flaw in the movie occurs near the end. (I may be giving something away here, so don't read any further if you haven't seen the movie.) I am referring to the total lack of on-screen mourning by the good guys when one of their fellow protagonists dies. This also happened in some other Wayne Westerns of the 60s. But I am quibbling here. This is a true Western with a wonderful soundtrack.
Rating:
Summary: Solid, journeyman job
Review: One of Wayne's better 1960s Westerns. This is clearly not in the same league as the classics of the 50s such as The Searchers and Rio Bravo, but is nonetheless a fine, action-packed shoot-em-up. I think George Kennedy won an Oscar for his role as the evil hired gun. Dennis Hopper is superb as the wimpy son of the town crook (who in turn is played by the fellow who portrayed the Lieutenant on TV's Barney Miller). You will probably recognize most of the supporting cast. (The actor who played the Sheriff, Micah, on The Rifleman plays Sheriff Billy in this movie.) Martha Hyer does a decent, understated job as the female lead. The one major dramatic flaw in the movie occurs near the end. (I may be giving something away here, so don't read any further if you haven't seen the movie.) I am referring to the total lack of on-screen mourning by the good guys when one of their fellow protagonists dies. This also happened in some other Wayne Westerns of the 60s. But I am quibbling here. This is a true Western with a wonderful soundtrack.
Rating:
Summary: Imagination
Review: The mystery of Katie Elder and her husband may have come from American history. Doc Holiday had a lady friend named "Big Nose Kate Elder"
I have often wondered if that had anything to do with this film.dp
Rating:
Summary: Family
Review: The Sons Of Katie Elder is one of my all time favorite films and my two toddler age sons love it as well. The film starts out with funeral of Katie Elder who raised 4 sons. John Wayne, Dean Martin, Earl Holliman and Michael Anderson Jr. From beginning to end, you can feel the passion of Katie Elder and her love for her sons is felt throughout the entire movie. It is a typical John Western, but with more added feeling. Martha Hyer as the only female seen in the film is wonderful. For me, one of the best parts was the character roles of some great old time character actors. Strother Martin, John Doucette and my two favorites, Paul Fix and John Litel. This is a movie that I can watch every couple of days and never tire of it.
One of the best.
Rating: 
Summary: COOL MOVIE!
Review: This is a great movie! The music is great (Of course it is! It's by Elmer Bernstein!), and the acting is good too. There is a lot of action, and plenty of funny parts. I am always in stitches when Tom (Dean Martin) auctions off his "glass eye". The brothers' family arguments are mighty funny too. Definitely a great Western! I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A touching and at times poetic western
Review: This is a vastly underrated western that deserves greater exposure. Its a wonderful morality play about a good woman's sons gone bad and the last chance they have to redeem themselves. John Wayne and Dean Martin are superb and the rousing musical score by Elmer Bernstien is itself worth the price of the video.
Rating: 
Summary: Not one of Duke's best!
Review: This western has its moments - but there is a fatal mistake in the final shoot-out: John Wayne actually manages to fire 16 or 17 shots (just count them)with his six-shooter without having any second in the movie to re-load. Hathaway should have caught that! It is also unlikely that Wayne - who is nearly 60 - could be big-brother to Michael Anderson,Jr. - who is about 18 years old in the movie. If you watch closely, there are other mistakes. The director must have been tired. The movie could have been much better!
Rating:
Summary: Imagination
Review: You might consider this a ultra-typical, run-of-the-mill, almost ordinary John Wayne Western, in which the hero makes a grand and mysterious entrance and finishes the bad guy with a no-BS finale. Yet in between all this is a wonderful movie, with good performances and an intriguing plot. The story of Katie Elder and her strong sons are what entertained me the most. The brothers return home for their mother Katie's funeral, disliked and unwanted by most everyone in Clearwater, and yet the townsfolk can't help themselves in their praise for Katie. Also, there is some mystery concerning how their father died 6 months earlier, and how Katie lost the family ranch, and as the Duke and company begin to ask questions, you get a real sense of the "Wild Elder Brothers" and a town about to explode into violence. Little things make this movie seem kinda amateurish, like the fact that 55+ Wayne plays brother to an 18 year old kid, or the guns-a-blazin' "Go, Duke!" finale. The entire movie has that typical 1960s feel, as if the movie was made for television (it was probably shot on a TV-sized budget) and it shows in the acting and the laughable music. Still, the rough-housing scenes between the brothers are great and the mystery of their parents make for some great entertainment. 4 stars for Wayne or Western fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Stomping good fun, 4 stars for Duke-fans...
Review: You might consider this a ultra-typical, run-of-the-mill, almost ordinary John Wayne Western, in which the hero makes a grand and mysterious entrance and finishes the bad guy with a no-BS finale. Yet in between all this is a wonderful movie, with good performances and an intriguing plot. The story of Katie Elder and her strong sons are what entertained me the most. The brothers return home for their mother Katie's funeral, disliked and unwanted by most everyone in Clearwater, and yet the townsfolk can't help themselves in their praise for Katie. Also, there is some mystery concerning how their father died 6 months earlier, and how Katie lost the family ranch, and as the Duke and company begin to ask questions, you get a real sense of the "Wild Elder Brothers" and a town about to explode into violence. Little things make this movie seem kinda amateurish, like the fact that 55+ Wayne plays brother to an 18 year old kid, or the guns-a-blazin' "Go, Duke!" finale. The entire movie has that typical 1960s feel, as if the movie was made for television (it was probably shot on a TV-sized budget) and it shows in the acting and the laughable music. Still, the rough-housing scenes between the brothers are great and the mystery of their parents make for some great entertainment. 4 stars for Wayne or Western fans.
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