elvircorhodzic EL DORADO is a romantic western comedy about a friendship, love, responsibility and politics. It is the second of three films directed by Hawks about a sheriff defending his office against belligerent outlaw elements in the town, after "Rio Bravo" and before "Rio Lobo". I think there was a perfect chemistry between the actors in the movie "Rio Bravo". Taking into account almost similar plot lines, this is a very reliable remake. Cole Thornton, a gunslinger-for-hire, has found himself in the middle of a conflict between a wealthy rancher, the hardworking McDonald family and law in a fight for water. The local sheriff J. P. Harrah is his friend. Cole, unwilling to fight his friend and to the relief of saloon owner Maudie, has turned down a job with the wealthy and evil rancher. However, Cole accidentally shoot the youngest member of the McDonald family. He, in turn, gets a bullet next to his spine. Several months later, Cole runs into another gunslinger-for-hire named Nelson McLeod and a young greenhorn with a peculiar hat called Mississippi. It seems that his friends and the McDonald family are in great danger. Cole decides to return to El Dorado...Nothing is spectacular in this film, except a very fun relationship between the two big movie stars. The dialogues, that glorifying friendship and responsibility, are comical, gunfight are very exciting and, unfortunately, two romances remain suspended in the air.The scenery is quite cramped. The atmosphere is good. Robert Mitchum as Sheriff J.P. Harrah is very good in the role of a competent sheriff, who became an alcoholic because some women. However, he is ready to pull the trigger on the right time. John Wayne as Cole Thornton is a charming and charismatic drifter who finds himself in the right place at the right time, and even when to get shots.It is a very pleasant, but already seen.

bankofmarquis Director Howard Hawks basically remade his 1959 hit RIO BRAVO with Robert Mitchum in the Dean Martin role and James Caan filling in for Ricky Nelson. Alas...no Angie Dickinson.But, it is still a darn entertaining Western with John Wayne as outlaw Cole Thornton coming to the aide of drunk Sheriff J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum) with the assistance of young greenhorn Mississippi (James Caan).It has good shootouts, strong bad guys (Edward Asner and Christopher George) and comedy banter between two giants of the screen - Wayne and Mitchum.The only thing it is missing is beauty shots of sprawling vistas, but that is more of a John Ford thing more than a Howard Hawks thing.7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (of Marquis)

classicsoncall The comparisons to "Rio Bravo" are unmistakable and if you've seen that picture further words aren't necessary. What I had to constantly keep reminding myself throughout the story was that Robert Mitchum was the drunk sheriff and not Dean Martin. Or as John Wayne's character Cole Thornton would remark - "I'm lookin' at a tin star with a drunk pinned on it".After watching about sixty of John Wayne's films over the years and catching this one earlier today, it struck me that his performance here was about the most natural in any of the ones I've seen. In other words, he didn't even seem to be acting most of the time, just carrying on with buddies Mitchum, James Caan and old-timer Arthur Hunnicutt who probably had the best lines of banter throughout going back and forth with Cole and J.P. Harrah (Mitchum). I know, Wayne detractors will say he wasn't acting in any of his pictures, but I think that would be a disservice to the Duke.So as a big time TV and Western movie fan, I thought it was pretty cool that the film makers had two thirds of the 'Rifleman' regular cast show up here. Paul Fix had the role of old Doc Miller and Johnny Crawford showed up long enough to get shot by Cole Thornton in an early scene. Wouldn't it have been cool if Chuck Connors had a role in this one? Instead, we have almost one-armed John Wayne twirling his rifle like Lucas McCain did on his own show.As for James Caan, I don't know, he seemed to be out of place here a couple of times, especially when he took off the hat. Joey MacDonald (Michele Carey) liked him better with it off, but to me he looked a little goofy with his hair plastered down like that. His Chinese impression was a bit embarrassing too, and I don't mean that in a politically correct way. It was just plain old embarrassing.But overall, a decent Western and if you're a fan of the principles, you'll have to add this one to your watch list. For trivia fans, John Wayne rides an appaloosa in the picture, going by the name of Cochise. I thought that was pretty cool.

utgard14 Aging gunfighter (John Wayne), drunken sheriff (Robert Mitchum), cantankerous old deputy(Arthur Hunnicutt), and a knife-throwing gambler (James Caan) team up to protect a rancher and his family from hired gunmen. Contrary to what some say about this movie, it's not a remake. It borrows a lot from Rio Bravo but there are a lot of differences, too. Wayne and Mitchum are great. Really good cast backing them up. Arthur Hunnicutt is lots of fun. James Caan has a nice rapport with Duke. Charlene Holt and Michele Carey are the sexy and tough Hawksian women. Christopher George and Ed Asner play the heavies. A good western with likable actors, nice direction, and a fun script.