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Cats: Western|
“Well, wait a minute, wait, wait for me! ” says the sheriff. “Why?” replies the gunfighter not really as a question but as more of a statement. The exchange happens as a severly hungover Robert Mitchum tries to strap on his gun belt but has some difficulty not dropping the gun. The two old friends have been at odds over many things over many years but the gunfighter, Cole Thornton (John Wayne) is getting tired of Sheriff J.P. Harrah’s problem with alcohol.
The story is familiar stuff; two rival ranchers, one a landgrabber and the other not, both wanting water rights. The only problem is that thelandgrabber, Bart Jason (Ed Asner), has put out a want ad for gunfighters to force the situation in his favor. John Wayne has answered that ad but ultimatley turns down Jason as gunfighter sees Bart Jason for who he is. And siding with Jason would have put him at odds with the Sheriff.
This picture, without those two stars, screenwriter and director would have been a run of the mill ordinary western. I am convinced that in anyone else’s hands this story would have just familiar and dull. Mitchum and Wayne seem to bounce off each other effortlessly. Howard Hawks had directed John Wayne in the 1948 piece of genius Red River. Screenwriter Leigh Brackett & director Howard Hawks had worked together on and off since 1946 when Mr. Brackett wrote The Big Sleep. Mr. Brackett wrote Rio Bravo and Rio Lobo with Mr. Hawks as Director and starring John Wayne. Mr. Brackett also wrote Hatari which starred John Wayne. Mr. Brackett’s last script would be Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back. Some say that this was the best of the whole Star Wars franchise. What is very much present in all of these scripts is a sense of humor.
John Wayne: Tell him your name Mississippi.
James Caan: Alan Bourdillion Traherne.
Mitchum: Well no wonder he carries a knife
There are far more exchanges than I would list here but I think that one gets the idea.
I put this movie on constantly in the store. It is a fun to watch, especially when Mitchum and Wayne are together on screen. This one, safe for kids will be shown on Saturday March 24th at 3:00PM on Turner Classic Movies.
