'True Grit'
A retrospective movie review by Walter Frith
The life and career of John Wayne (born in Winterset Iowa on May 26, 1907 and given the name Marion Michael Morrison) came to a glorious peak of sorts when he received the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of a crusty, hard drinking and at times, no nonsense federal marshal named Rooster Cogburn in the old American west in 'True Grit'. Having beat out both Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman for that prize for their work in 'Midnight Cowboy', Wayne's deserving win came as a surprise to some and as an expectation by most. Wayne's career began in 1928 in a bit part in a film entitled 'Hangman's House' that was directed by John Ford who would work with Wayne on a much larger scale in some other classic films such as 'Stagecoach' (1939) and 'The Quiet Man' (1952). Ford's talent as a director would earn him a record four Oscars for Best Director and it is a record which holds to this day. Ford died in 1973 and is truly one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Wayne was made a much better actor than he realized he could ever be through the teachings of Ford.
John Wayne's last film was in 1976 entitled 'The Shootist' in which he played a legendary gunfighter dying of cancer. While making that film, Wayne was dying of cancer himself and Wayne sadly passed away in 1979 and he is a monument to film history which generations to come will learn to appreciate. One of Wayne's last public appearances was in 1979 at the 51st Academy Awards in which he presented the Best Picture Oscar to 'The Deer Hunter'.
'True Grit' which also starred Kim Darby, Glen Campbell (yes, that 'Rhinestone Cowboy' Glen Campbell), Strother Martin, Dennis Hopper and Robert Duvall was the story of revenge enacted with the help of the law which further testified to the lawlessness within the law tolerated by men with badges in the old west. Darby starred as a young woman tracking the murderer of her beloved father and her personality was that of a strong willed, hard headed lady with determination and justice on her mind. She enlists the help of Wayne and reluctantly that of a Texas ranger (Campbell).
Hokey at times but pleasantly entertaining for the most part, especially in the last half hour, 'True Grit' featured rousing scenes of frontier excitement in glorious cinematic fashion with elaborate cinematography of western skies, mountains and landscape perfect for a western classic.
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