True Grit (1969)

True Grit
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Written by Marguerite Roberts from a novel by Charles Portis
1969/US
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime

Rooster Cogburn: You can’t serve papers on a rat, baby sister. You gotta kill him or let him be.

John Wayne certainly did have true grit until the end.  Just what we all need during Lockdown.

The story takes place in the 19th Century Old West.  Mattie Ross’s father goes to town and is killed by Tom Chaney, who he was trying to help. Mattie (Kim Darby) is determined to track Chaney down and bring him to justice.  She has a small selection of U.S. Marshalls to help her and picks Rooster Cogburn who has a nasty reputation as a drunkard but is also known for his grit.  She makes a down payment payment.  Soon enough Rooster is also visited by La Beouf (Glenn Campbell), a Texas Ranger who is tracking Chaney for another crime.  Rooster and Le Beouf have no intention of taking Maddie along on their quest.

Maddie has no intention of being left behind and catches up with them.  The trio learns that Chaney will likely be found in the company of outlaw Ned Pepper (Robert Duvall) and eventually they catch up to him and his gang.  There is a fair amount of gunplay along the way.

I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable blend of action and adventure.  I have always wondered where people talked like the literary dialogue in this story but it is amusing enough.  I last saw this on original release when I disliked Wayne for his politics.  I seem to have forgiven him because I found him wonderful in this.  (And in so many previous movies).  Very fun film.  Recommended.

John Wayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor.  The title tune was nominated for Best Music, Original Song.