Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire True Grit 1969

Yep, movies try to entertain with special effects, not acting.

That is likely not to change because of the money made in the international release. Dialog must be dubbed into different languages. Action needs no translation.

New version is much better.

Yep. I have to assume that those who say the opposite are joking.

I always liked the original and was surprised when some time ago this was discussed on the fire and was surprised to see the majority of folks preferred the latest version.

PS. Jim Ed Browns version of "Pop a Top Again" was best also.

Whenever something really pisses me off I say, Fill her hands, you sonofabitch!

The new one was much better and much closer to the book. Lots of little things in the first one that were just stupid. First, it was set in Arkansas and Oklahoma, but filmed in the Rockies? The new one was filmed in New Mexico and those low hills really look a lot like the hills around McAlister, particularly since it was set in the winter. The courtroom scene in the first one. Look at the jury box. It’s empty. The new one had one of the best and most realistic courtroom criminal examinations that you’ll ever see in film. The objections were realistic and consistent with the rules of evidence, the responses were dead on, and the defense attorney really played it up to the jury just like he was in the book.

The little details from the costumes, to the accents, to the dialogue, to the weapons, and the setting were first rate in the remake. The first one was just another John Way e film in which he dressed more or less the same as ever and carried around a 92 Winchester in 1882 while chasing outlaws in Indian Territory magically transported 500 miles west.

That's the difference between then and now. Folks back in 69 weren't hung up on everything being realistic and recreated perfectly as they are now. Back then, it was good enough to be entertained. Everything didn't get rehashed over and over on the internet. Joe Bob, you are correct, I believe, in everything you say. The second movie was much more true to the book and area and there are a ton of "unbelievables" in the first movie. However, I don't think the second one holds a candle to the first one with John Wayne. There is a reason he won his only Oscar for that film (not counting honorary Oscar). Plus, the scenery and photography is spectacular. I just took my boys this spring to see it in the theater on the big screen for the 50th anniversary of the film and it was great. Wish they would do that with more film classics.

Two things I appreciate about the older movies:

The actors were (or at least had the reputations of) decent, America loving folk, and

I could hear and understand the dialog.

It seems that ever since the late 80s, movie soundtracks are made to be "realistic" with tons of background sound (NOISE!) and music that drowns out the speech. Drives me crazy to watch a movie and only catch about half of what is said.

agreed,, I mean come on. John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Duvall.... for Pete's sake!!

Better than the new (nearly always the case) although kudos to Bridges for making Cogburn his own after Wayne made it such an icon.

Come on, now. I’m a Glenn Campbell fan, but I believe one would have to search long and hard for a worse actor who ever had a major part in a big Hollywood production.

Yeah, in my opinion the new version isn't just better than the old, but it's better than John Wayne movies in general. lol

I think you could cut all of John Wayne's movies into 1" strips of tape, shuffle, divide evenly, retape together, and nobody could tell the difference, lol!

I better go now...

i enjoyed all of John Wayne`s cowboy movies. i do feel the best cowboy movie of all time was Lonesome Dove. now this new time type cowboy TV show /movie Yellowstone is good too ! but the best cowboy seen of all time for me is when old Rooster Cogborn in True Grit rides out to face those four bad cowboys with no fear blaze`n guns and shows True Grit.

I was 11 years old when it first came out and never saw it on the big screen until 2 months ago. They re-released it in theaters to commemorate the 50th anniversary. I was real treat to see it in a theater.

The new version is much truer to the book, is better filmed with better music and better acted. Neither Campbell now Wayne were particularly good actors and the girl who played Mattie Ross did a much better job in the 2nd movie. But Wayne didn't have to act, as long as he was cast into a role where he could just be himself the movie was a success. True Grit was one just his iconic role. If you want to watch John Wayne being John Wayne watch the original. Want to watch the better movie the 2010 version is a much better made movie. Love'em both.

John had True Fat. Glen only had True Chubby.

I think Kim Darby was about 28 when she was in True Grit instead of 14 like in the book and apparently, she and John Wayne took an instant and very pronounced dislike for each other.m

Edit, apparently it was Darby and the director who hated each other intensely.

McLintock! never did much for me. The mudslide fight was too cartoonish.



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Yeah, I couldn’t ever like that one either.

My favorites used to be The Cowboys but they show it about five times a weekend now. My favorite these days is Big Jake.

The Quiet Man sucked too.