Set against the rustic backdrop of the Wild West in 1880, in Dardanelle, Yell County, this adventure is revenge drama follows the tragic events that unfold as the farmer Frank Ross heads with his employee Tom Chaney to Fort Smith to buy some ponies. However, he is murdered by Chaney that steals his money and flees to the Indian Territory.
Frank's teenager daughter and book keeper of the family business Mattie Ross travels with one employee to bring the body of her father back home. Before meeting the undertaker, they see the hanging of three men sentenced by the tough Judge Parker. The stubborn Mattie seeks out the sheriff that tells her that he does not have authority in the Indian Nation.
She asks who the best Marshall is and the sheriff recommends Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, an old big fellow with eye pad that has grit to bring criminals from the Indian Territory. Mattie hires the drunken Rooster and when they are ready to depart, the Texas Ranger La Boeuf visits Rooster and tells that there is a huge reward for Tom Chaney in Texas for the murder of a senator.
La Boeuf joins Rooster and Mattie and the unlikely trio begins their dangerous journey seeking out Tom Chaney in the Indian Territory...
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon
Crew: Ethan Coen (Director), Joel Coen (Director)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, History
Release Dates: 22 Dec 2010 (India)
Did you know? Marguerite Roberts was a formerly blacklisted writer because of her extremely left-wing politics. John Wayne, who had extremely right-wing politics, knew this before he read the script. He read it and liked it. He ignored people who said he shouldn't work on anything that a "blacklisted" writer wrote. Read More
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Direction
Director
Production
Executive Producer
Film Type:
Feature
Language:
English
Colour Info:
Color
Frame Rate:
24 fps
Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1
Stereoscopy:
No
Goofs:
Continuity
In the snake pit, Rooster ties the rope around his waist, Mattie asks him to get her father's gun and when he turns to grab it, the rope is gone, when he turns back around to pick up Mattie, the rope is back around his waist.
Revealing Mistakes
When Mattie is riding her horse across the river, the water doesn't appear to be flowing, indicating this sequence was shot in a lake or pond.
Revealing Mistakes
When Rooster brings the bodies of the men killed in the shootout at the dugout to Boots Finch, he says that he's looking for Ned Papper. Finch replies, "If you're looking for Little Ned Pepper..." The character's name is "Lucky" Ned Pepper, not "Little".
Revealing Mistakes
When Rooster hits La Boeuf with his rifle right after Mattie is captured, the rifle bends. It is obviously a rubber gun.
Revealing Mistakes
In the shootout between Rooster and Pepper's gang, the film reverses for a few seconds. Rooster's eye patch moves to the right eye, the bandanna switches sides, and his rifle and pistol change hands.
Errors in Geography
When the characters in in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and after they ride into Indian territory, there are many shots of rocky peaks and snow-covered mountains. There are no such mountains within several hours' automobile drive of Fort Smith. Fort Smith is located in the Arkansas River Valley with the Ozark Mountains to the north and the Ouachita Mountains to the south. Both the Ozarks and the Ouachitas extend into eastern Oklahoma. The Boston Mountains north of town, which are part of the Ozarks, are green, tree-covered mountains. The Winding Stair Mountains in Oklahoma, where much of the action takes place, are in the Ouachitas. They are about 70 highway miles from Fort Smith.
Miscellaneous
When Mattie is emerging from her sleeping area when they are close to Lucky Ned Pepper's hideout; it is evident that she is wearing a form of black nylon tights. Not something you would see in the 1870's.
Miscellaneous
When Mattie visits Little Blackie at the corral prior to the purchase, electrical power lines can be clearly seen in the background.
Miscellaneous
Although the date on Frank Ross's grave indicates he died in 1880, the rifle Cogburn carries is a Winchester Model 1892 saddle carbine.
Miscellaneous
At the cabin while waiting for Ned Pepper, Rooster tells Mattie he lost his eye in the battle of Lone Jack, Missouri, just outside of Kansas City. Kansas City was not given its present name until 1889.
Miscellaneous
When Mattie receives the money from Stonehill, the money is clearly 20th century issued US currency, and it is both smaller in size and much less intricate than the currency issued by the federal government in the years following the US Civil War.
Crew/Equipment Visible
Boom mic visible (at around 1 min): The boom mic's shadow is clearly seen on La Boeuf as he sits down by the dinner table after taking off his spurs.
Character Error
Mattie Ross' gun is a Colt Walker, not a Colt Dragoon as stated by Rooster. (The movie's producers wanted to use the larger Walker to enhance the image of a little girl using such a large gun.)
Character Error
Rooster mentions that he lived for some years in Cairo, Illinois, but he mispronounces the name of the town. The local pronunciation is KAY-row.
Continuity
The white markings on Little Blackie's legs and face change throughout the movie.
Continuity
La Boeuf puts the serving spoon back in the bowl and picks up his fork. The next shot shows him putting the serving spoon back in bowl and picking up a piece of chicken.
Continuity
During the hanging scene, the song "Amazing Grace" is being sung. The scene switches to some kids on swings, and the line "How sweet the sound" is sung in the middle of another verse, then the song goes back to the verse that was being sung.
Continuity
After Mattie rides her horse across the river, when Rooster and Le Boeuf won't let her on the ferry, her clothes are perfectly dry.
Continuity
When LaBoeuf and Rooster are discussing the venture at Chen Lee's, Mattie repeatedly changes position between shots.
In the snake pit, Rooster ties the rope around his waist, Mattie asks him to get her father's gun and when he turns to grab it, the rope is gone, when he turns back around to pick up Mattie, the rope is back around his waist.
Revealing Mistakes
When Mattie is riding her horse across the river, the water doesn't appear to be flowing, indicating this sequence was shot in a lake or pond.
Revealing Mistakes
When Rooster brings the bodies of the men killed in the shootout at the dugout to Boots Finch, he says that he's looking for Ned Papper. Finch replies, "If you're looking for Little Ned Pepper..." The character's name is "Lucky" Ned Pepper, not "Little".
Revealing Mistakes
When Rooster hits La Boeuf with his rifle right after Mattie is captured, the rifle bends. It is obviously a rubber gun.
Revealing Mistakes
In the shootout between Rooster and Pepper's gang, the film reverses for a few seconds. Rooster's eye patch moves to the right eye, the bandanna switches sides, and his rifle and pistol change hands.
Errors in Geography
When the characters in in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and after they ride into Indian territory, there are many shots of rocky peaks and snow-covered mountains. There are no such mountains within several hours' automobile drive of Fort Smith. Fort Smith is located in the Arkansas River Valley with the Ozark Mountains to the north and the Ouachita Mountains to the south. Both the Ozarks and the Ouachitas extend into eastern Oklahoma. The Boston Mountains north of town, which are part of the Ozarks, are green, tree-covered mountains. The Winding Stair Mountains in Oklahoma, where much of the action takes place, are in the Ouachitas. They are about 70 highway miles from Fort Smith.
Miscellaneous
When Mattie is emerging from her sleeping area when they are close to Lucky Ned Pepper's hideout; it is evident that she is wearing a form of black nylon tights. Not something you would see in the 1870's.
Miscellaneous
When Mattie visits Little Blackie at the corral prior to the purchase, electrical power lines can be clearly seen in the background.
Miscellaneous
Although the date on Frank Ross's grave indicates he died in 1880, the rifle Cogburn carries is a Winchester Model 1892 saddle carbine.
Miscellaneous
At the cabin while waiting for Ned Pepper, Rooster tells Mattie he lost his eye in the battle of Lone Jack, Missouri, just outside of Kansas City. Kansas City was not given its present name until 1889.
Miscellaneous
When Mattie receives the money from Stonehill, the money is clearly 20th century issued US currency, and it is both smaller in size and much less intricate than the currency issued by the federal government in the years following the US Civil War.
Crew/Equipment Visible
Boom mic visible (at around 1 min): The boom mic's shadow is clearly seen on La Boeuf as he sits down by the dinner table after taking off his spurs.
Character Error
Mattie Ross' gun is a Colt Walker, not a Colt Dragoon as stated by Rooster. (The movie's producers wanted to use the larger Walker to enhance the image of a little girl using such a large gun.)
Character Error
Rooster mentions that he lived for some years in Cairo, Illinois, but he mispronounces the name of the town. The local pronunciation is KAY-row.
Continuity
The white markings on Little Blackie's legs and face change throughout the movie.
Continuity
La Boeuf puts the serving spoon back in the bowl and picks up his fork. The next shot shows him putting the serving spoon back in bowl and picking up a piece of chicken.
Continuity
During the hanging scene, the song "Amazing Grace" is being sung. The scene switches to some kids on swings, and the line "How sweet the sound" is sung in the middle of another verse, then the song goes back to the verse that was being sung.
Continuity
After Mattie rides her horse across the river, when Rooster and Le Boeuf won't let her on the ferry, her clothes are perfectly dry.
Continuity
When LaBoeuf and Rooster are discussing the venture at Chen Lee's, Mattie repeatedly changes position between shots.
Trivia:
The character of Mattie was supposed to be 14. Kim Darby was 21 when this film was made in late 1968 and had already given birth to her first child.
Sally Field was up for the part of Mattie Ross.
The character of Rooster Cogburn was supposed to be around forty. John Wayne was 61 when this film was made.
This movie marks the uncredited debut of Wilford Brimley.
John Wayne had initially promised the role of Mattie Ross to his daughter Aissa Wayne, but director Henry Hathaway refused to cast her.
Cogburn's eye-patch is worn over his left eye, the same eye over which John Wayne's long-time director and great friend, who he referred to publicly as Admiral John Ford, wore his.
While most of the characters in the film are purely fictional, there is one character who is based on a real person. Judge Parker is based on the actual Judge Isaac Parker of the Western District, who held court in Fort Smith, Arkansas during the period of the movie, and was known as a hanging judge.
The gang's cave hideout (beds partially intact), snake pit, and various prop rocks can still be seen on private property outside Ouray, Colorado.
Mia Farrow, among other well-known actresses, was approached to play Mattie, but she turned it down. Robert Mitchum, whom she had just done a film with, had told her that Henry Hathaway was cantankerous and impossible to work with. She lobbied to get Hathaway replaced by Roman Polanski, who had recently worked with successfully in "Rosemary's Baby" to no avail. She later said it was one of the biggest professional mistakes of her career.
This was the only film for which John Wayne ever won an Oscar.
The film's release date of Wednesday, June 11th, 1969 was ten years before John Wayne lost his life, on Monday, June 11th, 1979.
Chimney Peak is visible in the famous shootout scene at the end. It is part of the Cimarron Range outside Ridgway, CO.
The legendary Jay Silverheels of Lone Ranger and Tonto fame has an uncredited cameo as one of the "Condemned Man at Hanging."
Stunt double Jim Burk performed the entire scene where Rooster Cogburn charged Ned Pepper's gang on horseback. John Wayne was only seen briefly in close-up, and he was riding on a trailer, not a horse.
Jim Burk doubled for John Wayne in the final jumping fence stunt at the end.
John Wayne actively campaigned for the role of Rooster Cogburn after reading the novel.
Elvis Presley was considered for the role of La Boeuf, the Texas Ranger. However, "Colonel" Tom Parker, his manager, insisted that Presley should receive top billing. The part was given to Glen Campbell instead.
After judging The Carpenters on a talent show, John Wayne had Karen Carpenter read for the part of Mattie. The producers went with Kim Darby, who had acting experience; however, Wayne did not like working with her, because he felt she was unprofessional on the set.
Rooster Cogburn wields a Winchester 1892 rifle with a looped lever and a Colt 1873 SAA revolver. Le Bouef carries a Sharps single-shot rifle. Mattie uses a Colt-Walker 1847 "Dragoon" revolver. Chaney uses a Henry rifle.
Despite its commercial success, John Wayne was not pleased with the finished film. He greatly disliked Kim Darby's performance, and told interviewers that he had starred in much better films like Stagecoach (1939). At the Oscar ceremony on 9 April 1970 Wayne personally told Richard Burton that he felt he should have won the Oscar instead, for his portrayal of King Henry VIII in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969).
Marguerite Roberts was a formerly blacklisted writer because of her extremely left-wing politics. John Wayne, who had extremely right-wing politics, knew this before he read the script. He read it and liked it. He ignored people who said he shouldn't work on anything that a "blacklisted" writer wrote.
John Wayne did not get along with Robert Duvall during filming, and at one point threatened to punch the young method actor if he argued with the director again.
Sondra Locke was considered for the role of Mattie Ross. She read the script but wanted to avoid being typecast in juvenile roles, so she turned it down.
Henry Hathaway later said he hated Glen Campbell's performance, which he described as wooden, and claimed the singer was only cast so he could have a hit with the theme song which would help promote the film.
John Wayne had two competitors for the Oscar for Best Actor in 1970: Richard Burton, who was nominated for Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) portraying England's King Henry VIII, a role that had already won an Oscar for Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII. (1933); and Peter O'Toole, nominated for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), a role that had already won an Oscar for Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). This year marked the first time in Oscar history that an actor was nominated for a role for which another actor had already won an Oscar. Wayne's successor in the Rooster Cogburn role, Jeff Bridges, would also be nominated for Best Actor for his Cogburn portrayal. Bridges actually won his Oscar for Crazy Heart (2009), the year previously, and which featured Robert Duvall, who also appeared in this film. Duvall would also go on to appear in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974), in which Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro would both win an Oscar for playing Vito Corleone.
John Wayne was disappointed by the casting of Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, and the two hardly spoke at all off camera. He later said, "Christ, talk about having no chemistry with your leading lady! She was the goddamn lousiest actress I ever worked with."
John Wayne's Best Actor Oscar win was widely seen as a sentimental choice, more in recognition of his 40-year career. His performance in this movie was dismissed by many critics as over-the-top and hammy.
Sally Field was up for the part of Mattie Ross.
The character of Rooster Cogburn was supposed to be around forty. John Wayne was 61 when this film was made.
This movie marks the uncredited debut of Wilford Brimley.
John Wayne had initially promised the role of Mattie Ross to his daughter Aissa Wayne, but director Henry Hathaway refused to cast her.
Cogburn's eye-patch is worn over his left eye, the same eye over which John Wayne's long-time director and great friend, who he referred to publicly as Admiral John Ford, wore his.
While most of the characters in the film are purely fictional, there is one character who is based on a real person. Judge Parker is based on the actual Judge Isaac Parker of the Western District, who held court in Fort Smith, Arkansas during the period of the movie, and was known as a hanging judge.
The gang's cave hideout (beds partially intact), snake pit, and various prop rocks can still be seen on private property outside Ouray, Colorado.
Mia Farrow, among other well-known actresses, was approached to play Mattie, but she turned it down. Robert Mitchum, whom she had just done a film with, had told her that Henry Hathaway was cantankerous and impossible to work with. She lobbied to get Hathaway replaced by Roman Polanski, who had recently worked with successfully in "Rosemary's Baby" to no avail. She later said it was one of the biggest professional mistakes of her career.
This was the only film for which John Wayne ever won an Oscar.
The film's release date of Wednesday, June 11th, 1969 was ten years before John Wayne lost his life, on Monday, June 11th, 1979.
Chimney Peak is visible in the famous shootout scene at the end. It is part of the Cimarron Range outside Ridgway, CO.
The legendary Jay Silverheels of Lone Ranger and Tonto fame has an uncredited cameo as one of the "Condemned Man at Hanging."
Stunt double Jim Burk performed the entire scene where Rooster Cogburn charged Ned Pepper's gang on horseback. John Wayne was only seen briefly in close-up, and he was riding on a trailer, not a horse.
Jim Burk doubled for John Wayne in the final jumping fence stunt at the end.
John Wayne actively campaigned for the role of Rooster Cogburn after reading the novel.
Elvis Presley was considered for the role of La Boeuf, the Texas Ranger. However, "Colonel" Tom Parker, his manager, insisted that Presley should receive top billing. The part was given to Glen Campbell instead.
After judging The Carpenters on a talent show, John Wayne had Karen Carpenter read for the part of Mattie. The producers went with Kim Darby, who had acting experience; however, Wayne did not like working with her, because he felt she was unprofessional on the set.
Rooster Cogburn wields a Winchester 1892 rifle with a looped lever and a Colt 1873 SAA revolver. Le Bouef carries a Sharps single-shot rifle. Mattie uses a Colt-Walker 1847 "Dragoon" revolver. Chaney uses a Henry rifle.
Despite its commercial success, John Wayne was not pleased with the finished film. He greatly disliked Kim Darby's performance, and told interviewers that he had starred in much better films like Stagecoach (1939). At the Oscar ceremony on 9 April 1970 Wayne personally told Richard Burton that he felt he should have won the Oscar instead, for his portrayal of King Henry VIII in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969).
Marguerite Roberts was a formerly blacklisted writer because of her extremely left-wing politics. John Wayne, who had extremely right-wing politics, knew this before he read the script. He read it and liked it. He ignored people who said he shouldn't work on anything that a "blacklisted" writer wrote.
John Wayne did not get along with Robert Duvall during filming, and at one point threatened to punch the young method actor if he argued with the director again.
Sondra Locke was considered for the role of Mattie Ross. She read the script but wanted to avoid being typecast in juvenile roles, so she turned it down.
Henry Hathaway later said he hated Glen Campbell's performance, which he described as wooden, and claimed the singer was only cast so he could have a hit with the theme song which would help promote the film.
John Wayne had two competitors for the Oscar for Best Actor in 1970: Richard Burton, who was nominated for Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) portraying England's King Henry VIII, a role that had already won an Oscar for Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII. (1933); and Peter O'Toole, nominated for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), a role that had already won an Oscar for Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). This year marked the first time in Oscar history that an actor was nominated for a role for which another actor had already won an Oscar. Wayne's successor in the Rooster Cogburn role, Jeff Bridges, would also be nominated for Best Actor for his Cogburn portrayal. Bridges actually won his Oscar for Crazy Heart (2009), the year previously, and which featured Robert Duvall, who also appeared in this film. Duvall would also go on to appear in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974), in which Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro would both win an Oscar for playing Vito Corleone.
John Wayne was disappointed by the casting of Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, and the two hardly spoke at all off camera. He later said, "Christ, talk about having no chemistry with your leading lady! She was the goddamn lousiest actress I ever worked with."
John Wayne's Best Actor Oscar win was widely seen as a sentimental choice, more in recognition of his 40-year career. His performance in this movie was dismissed by many critics as over-the-top and hammy.
