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Paramount Pictures
Taurus Film
Rooster Cogburn Collection
The strangest trio ever to track a killer.
The murder of her father sends a teenage tomboy on a mission of 'justice', which involves avenging her father's death. She recruits a tough old marshal, 'Rooster' Cogburn because he has 'true grit', and a reputation of getting the job done.
CinemaSerf
Jun 3, 2023 · via TMDB
This has got to be one of the finest of this genre ever made. Wayne is superb as a tough, uncompromising US marshal engaged by a naive, but headstrong Kim Darby to avenge the murder of her father. The vain, self-assured Texas Ranger "La Beouf" (Glen Campbell) is also on the hunt and the three of them set off to track down "Lucky Ned Pepper" and his gang. The photography is stunning and we do get quite a sense of the sheer scale of the territory as they close in on their prey. This is a well written, tensely, even - on occasion - quite humorously directed movie with some great music and indubitably a legend out in front who isn't afraid to look old and out of condition. Robert Duvall plays a mean "Ned Pepper" and Strother Martin has some fun as the horse-broker. This is super cinema.
John Chard
May 29, 2019 · via TMDB
It's about the Duke's image really you know. When her father is shot and killed, Mattie Ross is outraged and thirsting for revenge. Seeking out Rooster Cogburn based on his gritty reputation, and aided by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, they head off to find the killer. It's not bold or foolish to say that John Wayne has not only been in better films, he's also given better performances than his Oscar winning turn here in True Grit. However, few of his fans, or anyone who had watched his career closely, were complaining that the big man collected the pinnacle of acting awards. True Grit is a highly entertaining picture that when all is said and done, is as much about Wayne's image as it is a revenge character driven piece. Suffering with ill health in the twilight of his career, Wayne delivers a warm and humble performance as Cogburn. Eye patch over one eye, Rooster Cogburn is a rapscallion who is impossible to dislike, and that comes down to Wayne and his mannered performance. True Grit is boosted by the sparky performance of Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, with the chemistry between herself and Wayne warm and honest, and this gives the film its emotional core, with both characters needing each other without even knowing it. It almost wasn't to be for Darby though, Mia Farrow was the preferred choice for Mattie, but Farrow unwisely took advice from a mischievous Robert Mitchum and turned down the part, something she is quoted as saying she regretted for the rest of her career. Faring not so well, though, is Glen Cambell as LaBoeuf, guilty of trying too hard, he just becomes hard to take seriously, and this even in the jovial moments. Robert Duvall lands bad guy duties but doesn't quite get to grips with it, and the rest of the cast are merely making up the numbers. Thankfully director Henry Hathaway shoots it just about right, he, along with his excellent cinematographer Lucien Ballard, are framing Wayne and all his iconic being in one loving movie. So in what could have been a standard hunt the villain picture, actually turns out to be quite a character driven treat. 8/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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John Wayne
Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn
Kim Darby
Mattie Ross
Glen Campbell
"La Boeuf"
Jeremy Slate
Emmett Quincy
Robert Duvall
Ned Pepper
Dennis Hopper
"Moon"
Alfred Ryder
Goudy
Strother Martin
Colonel G. Stonehill
Jeff Corey
Tom Chaney
Ron Soble
Captain Boots Finch
James Westerfield
Judge Parker
John Fiedler
Lawyer Daggett
John Doucette
"Sheriff"
Donald Woods
"Barlow"
Edith Atwater
Mrs. Floyd
Carlos Rivas
"Dirty Bob"
H.W. Gim
Chen Lee
John Pickard
Frank Ross
Elizabeth Harrower
Mrs. Ross
Ken Renard
Yarnell
Kenneth Becker
Farrell Parmalee
Wilford Brimley
Minor Role (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward
Card Player / Raft Man (uncredited)
Gene Coogan
Boarding House Guest (uncredited)
Myron Healey
Deputy at Prisoner Unloading (uncredited)
James McEachin
Judge Parker's Bailiff (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan
Red - Ferryman (uncredited)
Stuart Randall
McAlester (uncredited)
Connie Sawyer
Talkative Woman at Hanging (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Jay Silverheels
Condemned Man at Hanging (uncredited)
Dean Smith
Minor Role (uncredited)
Max Wagner
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson
The Hangman (uncredited)
Hank Worden
R. Ryan - Undertaker (uncredited)
Lucien Ballard
Director of Photography
Dorothy Jeakins
Costume Design
Boyd 'Red' Morgan
Stunts
Chuck Hayward
Stunts
Dean Smith
Stunts
Fred Gerber
Stunts
Gary Combs
Stunts
Neil Summers
Stunts
Polly Burson
Stunts
Henry Hathaway
Director
Hal B. Wallis
Producer
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
Elmer Bernstein
Songs
Don Black
Lyricist
West of Calico
Ain’t Found A Way To Kill Us Yet
The Price
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
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Redeeming Love
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Death Rides a Horse
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Day of the Outlaw
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Man in the Shadow
Ride Lonesome
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No Name on the Bullet
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Decision at Sundown
Death of a Gunfighter
Firecreek
Badland
Doc West
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The Way West
The Proud Rebel
Return of the Gunfighter
American Outlaws
100 Rifles
Barbarosa
Jun 11, 1969
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1987 · 14 wins
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1978 · 13 wins
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1981 · 11 wins
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