No. 41 - True Grit (1969)

The Strangest Trio Ever To Track A Killer

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance) for Western violence

Director: Henry Hathaway; Screenplay: Marguerite Roberts; based on the novel by Charles Portis

Starring: John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glenn Campbell, Robert Duvall, Jeremy Slate, Dennis Hopper, Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, John Fieldler

Movie Introduction: Frank Ross is murdered by his employee Tom Chaney (Corey), who steals family money and flees into Indian Territory. Frank's teenage daughter, Mattie (Darby), is determined to find her father's killer. She leaves home in search of a law officer. She lands on Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Wayne), a one-eyed bounty hunter who has the toughness she's looking for. Mattie hires the hard-drinkin' Cogburn. Right before departure, Cogburn encounters an eager young Texas Ranger, La Boeuf (Campbell) who confides that there is a large reward for Tom Chaney in Texas, where Chaney shot a senator and his prize bird dog. Against Mattie's wishes, La Boeuf throws in with them, and off they go.  

Defining Moment: real grit

For most of the film, we hear about Rooster's sordid past, and watch him drink himself stupid on a number of occasions. You may even begin to wonder if all those stories are true. Folks usually refer to the famous showdown between Rooster and Ned Pepper's gang though most don't believe it. As fate would have it, Cogburn once again finds himself at a stand-off against Ned Pepper and this gang. This time, he takes his reins in his mouth and leaves no room for doubt regarding his grit (Watch the full scene on YouTube.)    

Something subtle you might have missed:  how to pick a good horse

Mattie has to choose a horse for her journey. She references an old wives tale about how to pick a horse to buy.

   One white sock, buy him, Two white socks, try him,
   Three white socks, be on the sly; Four white socks, pass him by.

I heard this old saying many times growing up in Texas. Mattie, however, disregards the saying and buys the one with four socks, and she names him "Little Blackie". In the end, her pick against convention saves her life. 

Memorable Quotes:

"They say he has grit. I wanted a man with grit." - Mattie Ross

"LaBouef, you get cross ways of me and you'll think a thousand of brick had fell on you! You'll wish you was back at the Alamo with Travis!" – 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?" – Rooster Cogburn

Dad's Review:

After a long career of Western Films, "The Duke", was beloved by fans and friends alike. Film critics though, remained lukewarm. Many called his performances "wooden" without a lot of range or display of acting ability. Of course they were dead wrong. He should have won Best Actor for either The Searchers or She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, but he wasn't even nominated.

He did win the award for this film, and it is richly deserved.  He's a gruff, uncomplicated man, who "gets his man" and reward bounty. He's also a whiskey guzzling sloven, who loves gambling. That's not exactly a role model.  Half the film you are thinking "what a worthless cad". The last half of the film he's the bravest, toughest man alive.

At the Academy Awards ceremony, Wayne said, "Wow! If I'd known, I'd have put that patch on 35 years earlier."

Shot in beautiful Colorado in the Fall, True Grit, feels very realistic. This realism shines through in the scene where Rooster is interrogating two thugs, Quincy and Moon, holed up in a cabin along the river. Moon has been shot in the leg and is hurting badly (played nicely by Dennis Hopper). As Cogburn interrogates them, they won't volunteer information. It is an intense scene, for sure. It even ends more violently than audiences were accustomed to from previous Wayne films. It really shocked me, but I thought, "Wow. It would have happened that way."

Duvall's performance as Lucky Ned Pepper is an interesting one. He's a ruthless outlaw, yet after Mattie is captured, he's courteous, and downright kind to her. He portrays a simple man like Rooster, and he does what he has to do to survive. Duvall would later portray Texas Ranger Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove.

Onto No. 42... Surreptitious