← Back to Reviews
in
The Shootist
Never been much of a John Wayne fan but was impressed by the final film of his amazing career, a lovely and moving film from 1976 called The Shootist that seemed to be a wonderful swan song to the legend's career.
Wayne plays JB Bookes, a famous gunfighter who arrives in 1901 Carson City to get a second opinion from his friend Doc Hostetler (James Stewart) about a diagnosis he received from another doctor that he is dying of cancer. When Doc confirms the diagnosis and suggests that JB stop travelling and find a place to rest, JB finds lodgings at the boarding house of the handsome Mrs. Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her teenage son Gillom (Oscar winner Ron Howard). Mrs. Rogers and Gillom seem willing to let JB live out whatever time he has left in peace, but there are a few townfolk who don't feel the same way.
Still a little in shock about how much I enjoyed this movie. The screenplay is constructed in a series of vignettes that allow some backstory for Bookes to be revealed while simultaneously showing Bookes trying to adjust to his uncertain future. Loved the first scenes with Bookes and his doctor where Bookes wants to know exactly what he's in for and the doc can't or won't give him any definite answers. We love Gillom's wide-eyed hero worship of the man affect his mother's fear of him. We are even privy to watching people who want to profit from the man's death, including the cynical Carson City Sheriff (Harry Morgan).
I loved that no matter what kind of conflict Mrs. Rogers or Gillom were having with JB it would disappear anytime he would wince in pain. The nastiness of the sheriff near the beginning was really hard to take and we understood when JB pulled a gun on him to get him to leave. Was also impressed that Mrs. Rogers didn't kick JB out after the gunshots that riddled her house and caused her to lose other boarders.
This film features quietly focused direction by veteran Don Seigel (Dirty Harry, Two Mules for Sister Sara) and is beautifully photographed, featuring outstanding set design and music. Lauren Bacall brings the quietly conflicted emotions of Mrs. Rogers to the surface and Ron Howard has never been better as young Gillom, but believe it or not, it is the 100-megawatt movie star performance by Wayne in his final performance, that makes this movie so special. Wayne passed away three years after the release of this film, RIP.
Never been much of a John Wayne fan but was impressed by the final film of his amazing career, a lovely and moving film from 1976 called The Shootist that seemed to be a wonderful swan song to the legend's career.
Wayne plays JB Bookes, a famous gunfighter who arrives in 1901 Carson City to get a second opinion from his friend Doc Hostetler (James Stewart) about a diagnosis he received from another doctor that he is dying of cancer. When Doc confirms the diagnosis and suggests that JB stop travelling and find a place to rest, JB finds lodgings at the boarding house of the handsome Mrs. Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her teenage son Gillom (Oscar winner Ron Howard). Mrs. Rogers and Gillom seem willing to let JB live out whatever time he has left in peace, but there are a few townfolk who don't feel the same way.
Still a little in shock about how much I enjoyed this movie. The screenplay is constructed in a series of vignettes that allow some backstory for Bookes to be revealed while simultaneously showing Bookes trying to adjust to his uncertain future. Loved the first scenes with Bookes and his doctor where Bookes wants to know exactly what he's in for and the doc can't or won't give him any definite answers. We love Gillom's wide-eyed hero worship of the man affect his mother's fear of him. We are even privy to watching people who want to profit from the man's death, including the cynical Carson City Sheriff (Harry Morgan).
I loved that no matter what kind of conflict Mrs. Rogers or Gillom were having with JB it would disappear anytime he would wince in pain. The nastiness of the sheriff near the beginning was really hard to take and we understood when JB pulled a gun on him to get him to leave. Was also impressed that Mrs. Rogers didn't kick JB out after the gunshots that riddled her house and caused her to lose other boarders.
This film features quietly focused direction by veteran Don Seigel (Dirty Harry, Two Mules for Sister Sara) and is beautifully photographed, featuring outstanding set design and music. Lauren Bacall brings the quietly conflicted emotions of Mrs. Rogers to the surface and Ron Howard has never been better as young Gillom, but believe it or not, it is the 100-megawatt movie star performance by Wayne in his final performance, that makes this movie so special. Wayne passed away three years after the release of this film, RIP.