Sadly Over-hyped

Just perfect...

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Even on a small television screen John Wayne is a BIG big man. Not only in size, but in his incredible talent. His Rooster Cogburn is not the typical all around good-guy we have come to expect and WOW ... is he good ! Oscar worthy ? Sure .. why in heck not ? The story is well presented. The supporting cast is outstanding. Even non-actor Glen Campbell carried it off. Special mention for Robert Duvall... one of those chameleon actors who can handle the most rural or urban roles without batting an eyelash.The scenery !!! No need to say more ! One small negative... the constant overuse of the theme music. When the music is this noticeable and repetitive ... it's wrong.If you have not seen the original, I suggest that you remedy that situation as soon as possible. Just watch it and don't worry about comparing it to the re-make. That always seems to be to be a pointless activity anyway.

Six people a year are killed by Rooster Cogburn. He tortures his prisoners for information and enjoys it. Nowadays, we see these traits in characters such as Aldo Raine (Inglourious Basterds). Stupid and sadistic he is not move by his heroism but by his own perversion. Interestingly, in accordance with the interests of the State, this places them on the side of the good guys.John Wayne victims are men who have already been judged by facts. There is not any doubt about its guilt. They committed a crime and cease to be human, if they ever were. Wayne expresses this dehumanization of the "other" and his role as executor. In one of the best scenes, he sees a rat in his Chinese friend's pantry: "Mr. Rat, I have a written here that says you are to stop eating Chen Lee's cornmeal forthwith. (to Mattie) See? He doesn't pay any attention to me. (shoots the rat) You can't serve papers on a rat, baby sister. You either kill him or let him be."

No non-sense Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) is determined to find justice against Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey) who killed her father. Tom was their employee brought along to buy Texas ponies at Fort Smith. Tom escaped to the Indian territories with bandits Ned Pepper (Robert Duvall), Moon (Dennis Hopper) and Quincy (Jeremy Slate). It's a federal matter for the Marshals. Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) is drunk, toughest Marshal around. Mattie hires him for $100. Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Glen Campbell) is also after Chaney for a $500 reward for killing a State Senator if he's brought back to Texas alive. The family is also offering $1500 for Chaney dead or alive. It's a reluctant unlikely posse with Mattie determined to have justice there, La Boeuf needing him alive in Texas, and Rooster who tends to kill his targets.John Wayne is perfect for the role of the old drunken tough guy. In fact, it might be too obvious. Kim Darby fits her role very well although she's older than the character. She isn't a leading lady actress and that works in her favor in this role. It's actually fine if John Wayne hated her because it works on screen. On the other hand, Glen Campbell is a poor choice and fails to bring life to La Boeuf.

A young woman (Kim Darby) hires a one-eyed drunken marshal named Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) to track down her father's killer. A cocky Texas ranger (Glen Campbell) tags along to collect a reward. One of John Wayne's signature roles and his only Oscar winner. He's great in this but he certainly had many other performances he deserved an Oscar for more. The rest of the cast is good. Robert Duvall is a fine villain. Kim Darby is an acquired taste and one I was not particularly fond of the first time I watched this. She's grown on me over the years. Glen Campbell is a little wooden. Elvis Presley almost played this part. It would have been interesting to see him and Duke together in a movie. The script is excellent and the direction solid. Followed by sequel "Rooster Cogburn" with Katharine Hepburn. The recent Coen brothers' remake is not bad but doesn't improve on this film in any way. So do yourself a favor and stick with the original.