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poster of True Grit
Rating: 7.363/10 by 768 users

True Grit (1969)

The murder of her father sends a teenage tomboy on a mission of 'justice', which involves avenging her father's death. She recruits a tough old marshal, 'Rooster' Cogburn because he has 'true grit', and a reputation of getting the job done.

Directing:
  • Henry Hathaway
  • William W. Gray
Writing:
  • Marguerite Roberts
  • Charles Portis
  • Don Black
Stars:
Release Date: Wed, Jun 11, 1969

Rating: 7.363/10 by 768 users

Alternative Title:
Il Grinta (1969) - IT
Bravura Indômita - PT
Valor de Ley - ES
Bravura Indômita - BR
100 dollars pour un shérif - FR
진정한 용기 - KR
De Eenogige Sheriff - NL
Jente med mannsmot - NO

Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 02 hour 08 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $31,132,592

Plot Keyword: bounty hunter, man hunt

Kim Darby
Mattie Ross
John Wayne
Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn
Jeremy Slate
Emmett Quincy
Strother Martin
Colonel G. Stonehill
Jeff Corey
Tom Chaney
Ron Soble
Captain Boots Finch
John Fiedler
Lawyer Daggett
Carlos Rivas
"Dirty Bob"
H.W. Gim
Chen Lee
John Pickard
Frank Ross
Jay Ripley
Harold Parmalee
Kenneth Becker
Farrell Parmalee
Wilford Brimley
Minor Role (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward
Card Player / Raft Man (uncredited)
Leon Alton
Boarding House Guest (uncredited)
Forrest Burns
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Albert Cavens
Boarding House Guest (uncredited)
Gene Coogan
Boarding House Guest (uncredited)
Myron Healey
Deputy at Prisoner Unloading (uncredited)
James McEachin
Judge Parker's Bailiff (uncredited)
Dennis McMullen
Bailiff (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan
Red - Ferryman (uncredited)
Robin Morse
Bit Part (uncredited)
Edna O'Dell
Boarding House Guest (uncredited)
John Pedrini
Boarding House Guest (uncredited)
General Sterling Price
Ginger Cat (uncredited)
Stuart Randall
McAlester (uncredited)
Clark Ross
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Connie Sawyer
Talkative Woman at Hanging (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Jay Silverheels
Condemned Man at Hanging (uncredited)
Dean Smith
Minor Role (uncredited)
Vincent St. Cyr
Gaspargoo (uncredited)
Max Wagner
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson
The Hangman (uncredited)
Chalky Williams
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Hank Worden
R. Ryan - Undertaker (uncredited)

John Chard

It's about the Duke's image really you know. When her father is shot and killed, Mattie Ross is outraged and thirsting for revenge. Seeking out Rooster Cogburn based on his gritty reputation, and aided by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, they head off to find the killer. It's not bold or foolish to say that John Wayne has not only been in better films, he's also given better performances than his Oscar winning turn here in True Grit. However, few of his fans, or anyone who had watched his career closely, were complaining that the big man collected the pinnacle of acting awards. True Grit is a highly entertaining picture that when all is said and done, is as much about Wayne's image as it is a revenge character driven piece. Suffering with ill health in the twilight of his career, Wayne delivers a warm and humble performance as Cogburn. Eye patch over one eye, Rooster Cogburn is a rapscallion who is impossible to dislike, and that comes down to Wayne and his mannered performance. True Grit is boosted by the sparky performance of Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, with the chemistry between herself and Wayne warm and honest, and this gives the film its emotional core, with both characters needing each other without even knowing it. It almost wasn't to be for Darby though, Mia Farrow was the preferred choice for Mattie, but Farrow unwisely took advice from a mischievous Robert Mitchum and turned down the part, something she is quoted as saying she regretted for the rest of her career. Faring not so well, though, is Glen Cambell as LaBoeuf, guilty of trying too hard, he just becomes hard to take seriously, and this even in the jovial moments. Robert Duvall lands bad guy duties but doesn't quite get to grips with it, and the rest of the cast are merely making up the numbers. Thankfully director Henry Hathaway shoots it just about right, he, along with his excellent cinematographer Lucien Ballard, are framing Wayne and all his iconic being in one loving movie. So in what could have been a standard hunt the villain picture, actually turns out to be quite a character driven treat. 8/10

CinemaSerf

This has got to be one of the finest of this genre ever made. Wayne is superb as a tough, uncompromising US marshal engaged by a naive, but headstrong Kim Darby to avenge the murder of her father. The vain, self-assured Texas Ranger "La Beouf" (Glen Campbell) is also on the hunt and the three of them set off to track down "Lucky Ned Pepper" and his gang. The photography is stunning and we do get quite a sense of the sheer scale of the territory as they close in on their prey. This is a well written, tensely, even - on occasion - quite humorously directed movie with some great music and indubitably a legend out in front who isn't afraid to look old and out of condition. Robert Duvall plays a mean "Ned Pepper" and Strother Martin has some fun as the horse-broker. This is super cinema.


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