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Written by: Glendon Swarthout (novel), Miles Hood Swarthout and Scott Hale (screenplay)
Directed by: Don Siegel
Starring: John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer
Plot
A dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity.
Verdict
This was John Wayne's last film. He plays a gunfighter past his prime, a parallel to his movie career. The character has to navigate the legend he was and the man he is. With his reputation, he can't take it easy. There's always someone that wants to challenge the legend.
It depends.
Review
This opens with scenes from actual John Wayne movies meant to show the exploits of main character J.B. Books (John Wayne). This was Wayne's final movie, and it's certainly meta. John Wayne is nearing his end and playing a gunfighter nearing the end. It's a fitting final movie for the Western star. By this time Wayne had lost a lung due to cancer. He was able to convince a number of his friends to join the cast.
Books has to deal with his own legend. There's the image people have of him versus his actual state of his declining health. Word soon spreads that Books is in town and everyone wants to profit off of him. I can't help but think that Logan took inspiration from this movie. Both movies are about a man dealing with his own myth. Both men have outlived their legend.
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| Ron Howard and John Wayne play Gillom and J.B. Books |
Books gets to look back at his life and wonder if all the killing he did was worth it. Now in his last days he can't get any peace. Everyone wants to take a shot at the legend, either for revenge or to gain the credit. They think they just might have a shot with the debilitated Books.
Books sets up a shootout at the end. I have to wonder if he did it to see if he still had it or just to go out in a blazer of glory. Going up against a few guys is certainly one way to test your mettle.
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