Posts from Peridot in thread „The Shootist (1976)“

  • The Shootist (1976)

    Quote from alamo221

    I thought Boone's character should have gone out with a lot more fight. Considering his feelings toward Books, they should have given him a better death scene in my opinion. Maybe due to Duke being sick, they decided not to do anything more physical between the two (Duke stopped production for a bit due to being ill, and originally, Duke's double Jim Burk was going to do the entire shootout. Their was doubt Duke would be able to finish the film, but as we know, he did).



    I agree, that would have been great. Still Sweeney was hit at least twice through the table by Books and possibly three times. I'm currently screening a horror film with my son so I can't check.


    Little help here, friends?

  • The Shootist (1976)

    Quote from Hawkswill

    Don't know if this counts,but Wagon Train....The Andrew Hale Story. Excellent episode with John McIntyre long before he took over the actual Wagon Master's job after Ward's death. Super Story and showcases not only Ward but Charlie,(Frank McGrath), and Bill,(Terry Wilson), also. Keith



    Whyever not?


    Yesterday I screened The Shootist for the umpteenth time, planning to look only at the saloon decor...from the beginning I was once again drawn into the story and found myself watching every single second. Decor? What decor?


    JB Books was a wonderful character, full of dignity and grace. He was a man determined to live and die on his own terms. As he went out he took with him some men who needed killing. I like that about him.


    From my bias I must say that I believe Richard Boone (Mike Sweeney) was the best villain of the three. He projected extreme ill-will and menace for the brief time he was on screen. Lauren Bacall (Bond Rogers) seemed to shudder internally after meeting his character. The two other men were coral snakes, deadly when picked up, but Boone was a 4 meter rattlesnake, coiled and ready to strike with venom dripping from both fangs. We knew that Mike Sweeney had an agenda. Remember that Boone's line about retribution was improvised on the spot.


    Oh, that John Wayne and Richard Boone had made more films together. Three wasn't enough for me. Then again, they did excel...


    John Carradine's another favourite as the undertaker, Hezekiah Beckum. In his cameo he fleshes out an entire character of a sleazy man who will wrest every penny of profit he can from a man's corpse. Carradine went on to make 30 more appearances in film and television but this character stands out. It was perfect casting.

  • The Shootist (1976)

    Ouch, Chester. That stings. As a card-carrying member of the Liberal party I'm proud to be a fan of John Wayne. I make no secret of it and I'm certainly not ashamed of it. There's plenty of room in the world for all of us to respect one another.


    While I'd never read that particular review before I knew that there were many undeserved slings and arrows aimed at The Shootist when it premiered. At this point one must wonder whether the Western genre was being punished for its demise rather than the film itself at that moment. Family Westerns were dead and buried by 1976. Unless a Western showed blood and brains squirting from bullet wounds, few would attend the film.


    In my humble opinion, few critics understood The Shootist when it premiered. Pat Berman missed it by a mile. She evidently confused it with a sequel to everything else Mr Wayne made.


    John Wayne himself had intended to go on filming more movies. From what I have read, Mr Wayne had great difficulty in making that film. I believe it was Maureen O'Hara (please, do correct me if I'm wrong) who wrote Lauren Bacall said that Mr Wayne was coughing up blood during filming and was on O2 at all times when he wasn't on camera. Still, it was never meant to be his swan song.


    My uncle lost a lung to lung cancer and he lived a very long 20 years on a single lung, suffering all that time. It was not pleasant nor was it a happy life for him. He had to retire immediately and he never worked on anything again. I can only imagine how it was for Mr Wayne. I have the greatest respect for him that he not only completed the film after being hospitalised but that he intended to go on making more films. John Wayne was truly an inspiration to us all.


    Now I've battled cancer myself I understand what a real hero John Wayne truly was to us all. I wouldn't usually write about my personal life when I've been a member such a short time on a board, but I feel this is relevant.


    Name-calling is never helpful, Chester. During the time this film premiered, remember that violence in America was increasing and people were wondering if it was connected to violence on television and in films. The Vietnam War was fresh in memory. My brother, a Marine Ranger, was still MIA.


    I came here to talk about The Shootist with friends. If Liberals aren't welcome here then never mind.