Very true there Nordy. I still cried in both and wished that they didn't have to kill him off. Guess neither would have made such an impact if they didn't, though! KPKEITH
I've done my share of weeping too. But if the deaths are tragedies, they are not tragedies without meaning.
"The Cowboys" and "Sands of Iwo Jima" have little in common on the surface except that Duke's character dies in both. However, Duke has done essentially the same thing in both films: taken young boys and turned them into men. What eases the tragedy is that Duke has completed his central task.
Thanks to him, the men can carry on without him.
The Shootist. The film is both profoundly moving and almost unbearably painful to watch. The smile Duke gives to Ron Howard right before he dies is a both a moment of triumph and a moment of heartbreak.
It did mirror his life, his dignity, and his death. I only wish he'd been able to die as cleanly as he did in the film instead of the agonizing death he suffered.
Goodbye, Duke. I love you.
