Wick's Review

Summary - Very Good 3.5

Star power in service to a (then) unconventional story makes for a very good movie. A grizzled John Wayne, shiny Glen Campbell and sharp Robert Duvall provide the star power, while a young girl hiring a de facto bounty hunter to track down her father’s killer provides the novel story.

Rescreening the original seems wise now that we’re two months out from the Coen Brothers remake. The new one stars Jeff Bridges in John Wayne’s role, Matt Damon in Glen Campbell’s and Barry Pepper in Robert Duvall’s. So the Brothers Coen have their star power lined up. Wait’ll they sink their teeth into the unconventional story.

Acting - Great 4.0

The Duke won his only Best Actor Oscar for Marshall Rooster Cogburn, an inimitable performance. Gruff but good, he’s the quintessential John Wayne character.

Robert Duvall jumps off screen in the relatively small part of wily villain Ned Pepper.
Three years later he would play Tom Hagen in The Godfather and his star would shine evermore.

Film - Very Good 3.5

While the story doesn’t rise to greatness, some of the lines do.

Rooster Cogburn: I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned. Or see you hanged in Fort Smith at Judge Parker’s convenience. Which’ll it be?
Ned Pepper: I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man.
Rooster Cogburn: Fill your hands, you son of a bitch!

Edge - Risqué 2.0

Reality - Glib 1.7

The story declares itself set in the flatlands of Arkansas and Oklahoma, yet the movie was shot in mountainous Ouray County, Colorado, the Switzerland of America. Ah, Hollywood reality.

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