Rooster Cogburn (1975)

[titoli]

Any movie with Katharine Hepburn in it is bound to be a no go with me. Still I made an exception for this because of the Wayne character that I like so much from the earlier movie and I gave it a second view after a remote one a pair of decades ago. Well, this flick has also an indian boy playing the to-be-educated savage (like the viet boy in the Green Berets); and the patronizing way both Wayne and Hepburn deal with him trying to convince the audience that he is a human being like us is irritating in the utmost. But still the movie has two aces, apart from Wayne: Jordan and Zerbe. Especially the first one lets us not regret the demise of Duvall in the earlier movie. Hepburn and Wayne are made to play, in their duets, the all too expectable american comedy "sophisticated" (actually rather trivial) pair who strive not to get along because deep inside they care for each other which keeps on pestering the screens to these days. Time wasted, though I like Wayne anyway. But , as said, the movie has good moments when the, alas, late Jordan  comes into play. And the scene of the shooting on the raft crossing the river is very good, in spite of a mediocre direction (I can't rememeber a close up in the whole movie).

[mike siegel]

The amount of views of this thread equals the films quality . So I'll join you.

I just bought the DVD weeks ago and thought while paying 'Why do you spend out money on bad films again, Mike?'.
Well, because I do collect Wayne and for 4,99 it's justifiable. Nevertheless his worst film of the 70's and another example of the downfall of the western genre around that time. As you said, badly directed, wasted cast etc. etc.
But I love Strother Martin, as always.
And these thoughts were based on my memories viewing the film in 1986.
I'll watch the DVD sometime the next weeks and i am anxious to know my thoughts about it now.

[titoli]

I didn't say it was a wasted cast. Actually I said that the actors like Jordan and Zerbe are surely a reason to watch the movie. McIntire, on the contrary, is wasted in a role which doesn't suit him. But in Wayne's more recent movies you have this new breed of actors who were really injecting some life playing the antagonists of Wayne, who had to update his character to remain credible when confronting with them. This is no masterpiece, but still, compared to complete crap like

Mclintock

, it is watchable.

[titoli]

BTW, we spent the same amount of money for the dvd: strange.

[mike siegel]

'wasted cast': I meant they should have been appeared together in a better film...

You didn't enjoy McLintock! ? I liked it. Especially now that its available in such a good quality. I never liked American western comedies that much (Enzo Barboni & Colizzi made a far better job there), but I think next to CAT BALLOU it is among the better one of that subgenre. Loud and fast and silly and enjoyable (better watch it with two beers). At least better than HALLELUJA TRAIL or FOUR FOR TEXAS.

[titoli]

Sorry, but couldn't make it beyond the first 20 minutes.

[mike siegel]

I watched COGBURN yesterday. Same film as back in the 80's . Some films get better, some worse. This not, non e bene, non a male. Mediocre direction, veery talky. Nice to see Oregon for a change though. Great gatling gun.

[titoli]

Yeah. the scene on the river ist sehr gut. Einverstanden?

[titoli]

I read the screenplay, followed very closely (thought without any touch of originality) by the director.



(the only difference I remarked was the mode of Breed's demise).

But I appreciated more the movie this time, as I watched it on a big screen. The dialogues between Wayne and Hepburn are enjoyable (Portis had a hand in them) though marred by the whining voice of the actress. This gets a solid 7/10.