True Grit

True Grit is a 1968 novel by Charles Portis.

Film

The novel was adapted by Marguerite Roberts into a 1969 Western film, and it is directed by Henry Hathaway. Hal B. Wallis is the producer, Lucien Ballard the director of photography, and Elmer Bernstein provides the musical score.

Related Topics:
Marguerite Roberts - 1969 - Western film - Directed - Henry Hathaway - Hal B. Wallis - Producer - Lucien Ballard - Elmer Bernstein

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Filmed mainly in Ouray County, Colorado, in the vicinity of Ridgway (now the home of the True Grit Cafe), and the town of Ouray. The courtroom scenes were filmed at Ouray County Courthouse in Ouray.

Related Topics:
Ouray County, Colorado - Ridgway - Ouray

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It stars John Wayne (Rooster Cogburn), Glen Campbell (La Boeuf), Kim Darby (Mattie Ross), Jeremy Slate (Emmett Quincy), Robert Duvall (Lucky Ned Pepper), Dennis Hopper (Moon), Strother Martin (Col. G. Stonehill), and Jeff Corey (Tom Chaney).

Related Topics:
John Wayne - Glen Campbell - Kim Darby - Jeremy Slate - Robert Duvall - Dennis Hopper - Strother Martin - Jeff Corey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The movie doesn’t deal with a Mattie of later years, but picks up where she is doing a to the 14-year-old girl. Also in the book, Mattie is the central character; in the movie Rooster becomes the main character. The film also downplays the heavier biblical tone that is seen in the novel.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Wayne called the script written by Roberts ‘the best he’d ever read’. He also considered his scene with Darby where Rooster tells Mattie about his wife in Illinois and the hardware store, the best scene he ever did in his career.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To the discouragement of director Hathaway, Wayne does the stunt in final scene of the movie, jumping the fence on horseback (“Well, come see a fat old man sometime”). Wayne fell in love with the horse he rode at the end of the movie. That horse in the final scene would ride with Wayne through several westerns, including his final movie, The Shootist. Dollor, or “ole Dollor” would even get in the script of that movie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

John Wayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe. The movie was nominated for Best Music, Song (for Elmer Bernstein and Don Black for “True Grit”).

Related Topics:
Academy Award - Best Actor in a Leading Role - Golden Globe - Best Music, Song - Don Black

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

True Grit was followed by a sequel, Rooster Cogburn, in 1975. It was also remade for television in 1978, starring Warren Oates and Lisa Pelikan.

Related Topics:
Rooster Cogburn - 1975 - Television - 1978 - Warren Oates - Lisa Pelikan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~