First of all, the 'new' "True Grit" is not a remake. Like the Three Musketeers is a new take on the book not a previous movie. I enjoyed the hell out of both. One because I am a Duke fan and enjoy good movies and two because I love good movies from good books.
Example: I remember telling my sons that although no movie ever got it right, the two Wyatt Earp movies ('Wyatt Earp' and 'Tombstone') made me ponder, why can't Hollywood just tell a good honest non-fiction (history) or fictional (novel) story without mucking around with the facts or actual story in the book. Add to it the actual quality of the film making.
I will always state that 'Lonesome Dove' is not only the finest Western movie/television production but it was pretty darn faithful to the book...I wouldn't change a thing. If the people in Hollywood had taken the script from 'Wyatt Earp' and used the sets, costumes and actors from 'Tombstone' you would have had a great film. Of course 'the fly in the buttermilk' was that you had two great "Doc Holiday"s...Val Kilmer and Dennis Quaid. Right now you are asking yourself..."What in the hell does this have to do with 'True Grit'".
I reread "True Grit" and because I was in a western frame of mind I also reread "Lonesome Dove" and my thoughts turned to 'production values' of the visual incarnations. It came to me that as far as 'True Grit' was concerned, the John Wayne film was more faithful to the novel with the exception of the ending but the new movie had the sets, costumes and actors more in tune with the book. Add to that, both movies had two great "Lucky Ned Pepper"s.
Imagine if Wayne's "True Grit" had tacked on the 'new' "True Grit" ending with the adult Mattie arriving to see Rooster in St Louis right after the ride to McAlisters (Fort Smith in the book)...in other words, lose the "Well, come see a fat old man sometime." line. Of course, like 'Tombstone/Wyatt Earp' conundrum, who would be the best 'Lucky Ned'...Robert Duvall in the 1969 film adaption or Barry Pepper in the the 2010 version...hmmmmmmm. Why didn't either John Wayne or Jeff Bridges wear a big 'handlebar' mustache as Rooster does in the book...also, (and this irritated the crap outa me)...why, in the new version, did they have the hanged man...mountain man...dentist thing or why they had LaBoeuf ride off...show up at the cabin...get roped, shot and bite his tongue...what the devil was all that about?
For those who have never read "True Grit" (or "Lonesome Dove" for that matter)...I suggest that you do so. They rank up there with Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"…Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage"…F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"…Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"… ...Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings "The Yearling" and even Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea".
I've broken down the plot of the book...SPOILER ALERT...so you can see the frames of reference I'm talking about.
True Grit
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
-Mattie Ross begins her story with: Tom Chaney shooting and robbing her father. Her father went to Fort Smith for Texas mustangs for deer hunting ponies Yarnell Poindexter a freedman to look after the place Her father rode on a horse named Judy. Mattie kept books for her Dad. Tom Chaney got drunk, lost money, got rifle to go back and shot Mattie's father when he went to stop him.
Chapter 2
-Mattie and Yarnell went after the body -They arrived on the day of a triple hanging of two white men and an Indian (on the borders of Indian Territory to be Oklahoma) They say their last words. The Indian is too light. Judge Isaac Parker may watch the hangings. -Irish funeral director has the body. The sheriff will not hunt the murderer so Mattie hears about Rooster Cogburn while Yarnell returns with the body. -Mattie stays at Mrs. Floyd's Monarch Boarding House with Grandma Turner for $.75 a night, in a cold room.
Chapter 3
-Mattie goes to Col. Stonehills' stock barn and with tough bargaining and the use of Lawyer J. Noble Daggett's name she sells back the horses at a profit. -She arrives at the courthouse as prisoners and arriving and Rooster Cogburn is testifying at the Odus Wharton trial. Rooster obviously doesn't closely follow the law. -She hires Rooster for $100 and he is going after Tom Chaney and Ned Pepper's gang. -He's drunk and he shoots a rat.
Chapter 4
-Mattie is sick in the boarding house for two days. Mrs. Floyd wrapped a turpentine and lard smeared rag around her neck and gave her Dr. Underwoods' bile activator, containing codeine or laudanum. -Texas Ranger LaBoeuf arrives looking for Tom Chaney alias Theron Chelmsford who killed a state senator in Texas. They argue about who gets Chaney. Mattie tells him about Rooster Cogburn.
Chapter 5
-Mattie gets a letter from Lawyer Daggett commending her deal with Stonehill but admonishing her to come home. -Stonehill regrets coming to Fort Smith. Mattie goes to see Rooster, tells him she wants to come along. -Mattie insults Rooster. As he goes to grab her, she holds his expense sheets over the wood stove flames. They argue on expenses and Mattie's going along. Mattie buys back a horse she sold for $20 for $18 plus shoes. She rides Little Blackie around town. -She goes to Rooster's. LaBoeuf is there trying to "throw in" with Rooster. He offers a $500 share of the rewards in Texas. Mattie doesn't want LaBoeuf along. The men agree. Mattie leaves in anger. Gets supplies an sleeps in Stonehill's barn. -She arrives at the boat before Rooster and LaBoeuf. They turn her over to the boatman, but she escapes and swims her horse across the river. The men try to outrun her, then 'ambush' her but Rooster decides she can come along.
Chapter 6
-They stop at a store where two boys are "torturing" a mule which Rooster cuts loose and then kicks the boys into the mud. Rooster says his name is James (Jesse) and gets the boys to take them across the river. -Rooster learned Ned Pepper was at McAlester's store but not Tom Chaney. -The men argue about Rangers and Marshalls. They find Moon and Quincy in a dugout. The bandits shoot at them. Moon is wounded in return fire. Rooster gets Moon to talk and Quincy kills him and Rooster kills Quincy. Rooster plans to ambush Ned Pepper and his band. Rooster talks about Ned's tactics and sets up an ambush. Rooster talks about his background. He drove freight, rode with Quantrill during Civil War. After they (Rooster/Potter) robbed a government payroll. Rooster bought an "eating place" the Green Frog, and married. he lost it, hunted buffalo, robs a bank, gets in a fight with a trail drive owner, gets arrested. Potter, a Marshall, takes him in custody from the soldiers, and Rooster becomes a U.S. marshall. -Ned Pepper's gang rides up and LaBoeuf fires too soon. Three gang members shot (2 of them killed). Ned escapes with some others. Rooster wants to take the bodies in for a reward. Rooster and LaBoeuf get to arguing over Quantrill's Raiders, Civil War fighting, Texas Rangers, etc. -They get to McAlester's store (later McAlester, Oklahoma). They meet Capt. Boots Finch of the Choctaw Light Horse. They identify the bodies. The railroad man is slow to part with a reward etc. -Rooster tries to leave Mattie, but she comes. Boots tells them Odus Wharton escaped. The three men get into a corn dodger shooting contest. They ride 50 miles form McAlester's and make camp. Rooster is drunk
Chapter 7
-While Mattie is filling canteens in the river she spots Tom Chaney, whom she shoots, much to his surprise. Tom takes her prisoner. Mattie hollers; the bandits and Rooster and LaBoeuf come running. Mattie is taken prisoner. Ned tells Rooster and LaBoeuf to ride off. Mattie is left with lucky Ned Pepper, the original Greaser Bob, Harold and Farrell Permalee and Tom Chaney. Ned leaves Tom with Mattie, telling Tom he will send someone back with a horse. Bob wants his share of the money. Mattie forges checks for Ned. -Mattie is left alone with Tom Chaney. He threatens her with a pit of snakes. She throws hot water on him and runs for the woods. Tom Chaney hits her head with a pistol and LaBoeuf arrives. Rooster faces four bandits, Ned, Bob and two Permalees. Even after he knows Mattie is all right he wants to arrest Ned and Bob. They charge each other. Harold is shot, Farrell next and Bob escapes. Rooster trapped under his horse hears Ned say "Well, Rooster I am shot to pieces!" LaBoeuf hits Ned with shot of 600 yards. -Chaney smashes LaBoeuf with a rock and Mattie shoots Chaney, but the recoil knocks her into a pit of snakes, breaking her arm in the fall. Mattie slips farther down, to a ball of rattlesnakes in a ribcage. Tom Chaney, still alive taunts her until Rooster smashes his head, knocking him into the pit. Rooster climbs down with a rope and gets Mattie out as Little Blackie (and LaBoeuf) pull on the rope. -Rooster and Mattie ride Little Blackie to death. Rooster carries her a long ways and then takes some hunters' wagon. Then an Indian farmer loans them some horses. At Fort Smith Dr. Medill gives morphine to Mattie and removes her left arm above the elbow. -LaBoeuf takes Chaney's body to Texas. Lawyer Daggett apologizes to Rooster, after blaming him. Later, Rooster kills Odus Wharton and shoots two others and has to give up his badge. He ends up in a Wild West show but dies right before Mattie sees him again. She has his body reburied in her family plot. She never married and owns a bank.
As you can see, the John Wayne 'True Grit' has the more faithful storyline, the new version has the...pardon the pun..gritter look and feel. By the way...the Duke could have really looked like Rooster with the proper facial hair....
Sorry to ramble for so long...it's just been bugging me.
