Here's a pic of John Wayne with the author, Charles Portis :
Posted on 12/27/2010 11:55:37 AM PST by Cinnamon Girl
For those who feel it's disloyal to the memory of John Wayne to even watch the new version of "True Grit," please hold your horses. To not give this film a chance on that basis is like not giving Elvis Presley's version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" a chance because you think it's disloyal to Art Garfunkel. Even Paul Simon said Elvis nailed it. And Jeff Bridges turns in a stunning performance as Rooster Cogburn. Or should I say, a staggering performance. He plays a gruff, seemingly oblivious, functional alcoholic with paternal undertones of regret which will feel familiar to anyone who knows such characters in real life.
I vaguely remember seeing the original "True Grit" on video not so long ago. I was distracted by Kim Darby's trendy boy haircut, which was quite a stretch for the 1880's. As Mattie Ross in the new film, Hailee Steinfeld looks like a fourteen year old from the Old West and believably speaks her sharp dialogue like a homeschooled teen might today-- uninhibited and with a head full of knowledge beyond her years. She holds her own with the U.S. Marshall and the Texas Ranger, played by Matt Damon, and she says clever and biting things you wish you could think to say. But that's good writing.
And this "True Grit" is a package deal. The acting, the writing, and the cinematography are all beautiful. I have a thing for authentic looking westerns. In recent years I thought "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and "3:10 to Yuma" both were visually alluring and captured the eerie, dusty, coldness of the western frontier. Likewise, "True Grit" seeks authenticity with the earthiness of tired horses and homemade clothing, and a paucity of rations in the snowy wilderness. All the characters reflected a kind of innocence and naivety of a world that existed just moments before the telephone and automobile snowballed into the technologically jaded culture of the late 20th century.
There was not a weak performance from anyone, not even Matt Damon, who carries the baggage of being Matt Damon. His baggage worked for him in this role, actually, as a masculine, blustery Texas ranger who, like Rooster, was ultimately decent and chivalrous.
The greatest scene to me, the one with the most emotional impact, was one that most Americans would agree was morally correct, but which would actually spark debate in some circles. It involved the punishing use of a horse and I wish more would not be said about it for the sake of those who haven't seen the film yet, but it exquisitely defines the heart of Jeff Bridges' character.
If Hollywood cared (which they don't) about rewarding filmmakers who make grand films that appeal to theater going audiences, they would give the Best Picture Oscar to "True Grit." As it is, their tendency these days is to figure out who had the most ignored, left-wing screed of the nominees and shower Academy love upon it.
Well, I guess we'll see.
You’ve got to be kidding me! Black swan was perfectly vile. At first I thought it was just another chick flick my wife dragged me to. But it was far worse. I certainly don’t think such a violent and grotesque film would inspire any would be dancers or ballerinas. I cringed through the entire movie. The lesbian sex scene looked more like pure torture than anything else. I know some guys get off watching two women go at it. But I found the entire movie diffcult to take with all of the f-bombs, mean spiritedness, and the petty jealousies and rivalries between the dancers. It was certainly not the type of movie to inspire anyone into wanting to go into this profession. Between the gratuitous violence, foul language, and nasty sex scenes and masturbating, as well as the self-inflicted damage to the body and gross tatoos, I just wanted to take a shower after watching it. I found myself throughout the movie burying my head into my wife’s shoulder and sinking in my seat. I couldn’t wait for this dreadful thing to end. But, full disclosure, I like movies like Patton and the Godfather much better.
What John Wayne wanted for his daughter... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBQ1T1sQQ_E
AGREED!
I thought Robert Duval was a much better Lucky Ned Pepper than the current, Barry Pepper. But how can you compare anyone to Robert Duval, even the early Robert Duval in a relatively small character role (one of the reasons the follow-ups to Lonesome Dove didn't resonate, IMHO, was that who else could be believed as Augustus McRae?). And yes Dennis Hopper did register much more strongly as the doomed Moon.
I thought Robert Duval was a much better Lucky Ned Pepper than the current, Barry Pepper. But how can you compare anyone to Robert Duval, even the early Robert Duval in a relatively small character role (one of the reasons the follow-ups to Lonesome Dove didn't resonate, IMHO, was that who else could be believed as Augustus McRae?). And yes Dennis Hopper did register much more strongly as the doomed Moon.
I remember one critic of the original said that Glen Campbell came to that role with no acting experience, and after doing True Grit still had none!
I remember one critic of the original said that Glen Campbell came to that role with no acting experience, and after doing True Grit still had none!
That may be the most cruel thing anyone's ever said about Matt Damon.
LOL! How true!
That may be the most cruel thing anyone's ever said about Matt Damon.
LOL! How true!
Hailee Steinfeld (born December 11, 1996 in Thousand Oaks, California) is an American actress who played the role of Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers' 2010 adaptation of True Grit.[1] She had a number of small parts in teen-oriented films and television and appeared in a K-Mart commercial for "blingatude".
Steinfeld attended Conejo Elementary and Colina Middle School. She left Colina toward the end of her first year to be homeschooled in sixth grade. Steinfeld's father is Jewish and her mother is of Filipino, African-American and European-American descent.[2][3] Her uncle is fitness trainer Jake Steinfeld.[4]
Spielberg loves his Italian Perazzi shotguns, but is a straight-down-the-line Hollywood lib when it comes to gun control.
Spielberg loves his Italian Perazzi shotguns, but is a straight-down-the-line Hollywood lib when it comes to gun control.
I thought Matt Damon did a fine job.
“Spielberg loves his Italian Perazzi shotguns, but is a straight-down-the-line Hollywood lib when it comes to gun control.”
Spielberg falsified the ending of his masterpiece “Schindler’s List” to avoid showing that Oskar Schindler gave each of his Jewish families a gun and ammunition for self defense at the end of the war.
Then he's no Glen Campbell.
Actually, Glen Campbell's performance in the 1969 'True Grit' is on the second-worst acting job in film history.
After True Grit, Glen Campbell was the leading man and principal character in "Norwood," which also featured Kim Darby (from True Grit) and Joe Namath.
Yeah, Namath out-acted Glen Gampbell.
A review of the movie from Life, or Look, or somewhere was so scathing, I cut it out and stuck it on my bulletin board. I remember part of the view almost verbatim:
On the bus, he [Campbell] meets Kim Darby, whom he met earlier in True Grit. She's on her way to get married, so they curl up and neck. Pausing for breath, she spots his guitar. "Let's have a song" she says. Norwood has eight songs. She can have them all.
I just came from TRUE GRIT. Great movie! Beats the 1969 version by a country mile!
Glad to hear you liked 'The Tourist' because I'm taking my mother to see it.
Here's a pic of John Wayne with the author, Charles Portis :
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