Today has turned into a day about movies - so today will be called Movie Thursday (just for this one time).
I love John Wayne - deeply. I wish he were still alive and that he was my neighbor. I own most of his movies (don't have all of the early B & W's) and cherish them all. One of my absolute favorites is True Grit and I love the movie so much, I bought the book. It exemplified John's ability to be flexible in his roles- it's hard to turn a drunken, mean U.S. Marshal into a hero but John Wayne did it. How many actors do you know who could continue their career after having a whole lung removed? John Wayne did. My favorite line from the movie is "Fill your hands you... (I probably shouldn't write out the rest, you'll have to look it up but it correlates to the picture below).
Imagine my surprise when I found out that True Grit was being remade. You can't remake a perfect classic - it's not going to be improved but instead will tarnish the original. Directors Joel and Ethan Coen will be basing their remake off the book and not so much off the original but regardless, they're remaking a classic that yielded The Duke's only Oscar. They have cast Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon to star as Rooster Cogburn and the Texas Ranger LaBeouf, respectively. I really like Matt Damon but I doubt that he, the Coen brothers and Jeff Bridges will be able to create a real Western aura. The last great western movie since Lonesome Dove was Open Range and that had Robert Duvall in it (also in Lonesome Dove and also one of my favorites), and it's doubtful that Jason Bourne and The Big Lebowski will create such equal cinema.
In short, I highly doubt I'll be watching the new version - True Grit will forever be a John Wayne movie and that is the one I will continue to watch, quote and cherish.
Until next time,
~Buzzard~Labels: John Wayne
