gkhege I watched the Duke for forty years. This is one of his best performances. He came across, not as an actor but as a crusty Old law man. I never get tired of watching this movie. The supporting cast is excellent. No foul language or degrading of women.

sme_no_densetsu "True Grit" is primarily remembered today as the movie for which John Wayne finally won an Oscar, thirty years after his star-making performance in John Ford's "Stagecoach". Playing U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, Wayne beat out a virtual who's who of fellow leading men: Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, Dustin Hoffman & Jon Voight. While the award may have been more for Wayne's body of work than for this particular role, it shows how much of an icon he was (and still is) in American cinema.The story is surprisingly traditional for a time when western movies had taken a decided turn towards revisionism (case in point, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "The Wild Bunch" & "Once Upon a Time in the West" were all released in 1969 as well). Following her father's murder, young Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) seeks a man of 'true grit' to bring the murderer to justice. She finds her man in the form of 'The Duke', portraying drunken but deadly U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn. These two become a trio when they're joined by Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Glen Campbell). Together they set out on the trail of the killer, each with different motivations that sometimes put them at odds with one another.John Wayne's performance is indeed a good one, though probably not the best of his career. "The Searchers" is a popular critical choice and I consider "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" to be another strong contender. Regardless, Rooster Cogburn is an iconic character that is unlikely to have been nearly as memorable in another actor's hands. Kim Darby also received some attention for her role, in which she held her own with 'The Duke' (and every other male in the picture, for that matter). Glen Campbell was also a surprisingly effective addition to the group, despite his relative inexperience as an actor. Finally, the distinguished supporting cast deserves mention as well, particularly Strother Martin, Robert Duvall & Dennis Hopper.Long-time director Henry Hathaway contributed a workmanlike effort that took full advantage of the picturesque Colorado locations. The Elmer Bernstein score is lively, though not as iconic as his work on "The Magnificent Seven". All in all, the movie has top-notch production values that enforce the feel of classic westerns from Hollywood's golden age.One slight eccentricity of the film is the distinctive language that originated in Charles Portis's well-regarded source novel. While not as overt as in the 2010 Coen brothers' version, the dialogue may seem a little stilted at times. However, I think that the actors generally do a good job of making the material sound natural, unlike in the more recent version.Ultimately, the legacy of "True Grit" goes beyond John Wayne's Oscar win. The movie is a finely tuned western with a well matched trio of leads bolstered by a talented supporting cast and quality production values. Even in 1969, the movie probably seemed to be somewhat of a throwback; now, with the passage of more than 40 years, the movie can be seen for what it really is: timeless.

gonzalezdeleon 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."

SnoopyStyle 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.