Review of The Shootist (1976) by Bob M — 06 Sep 2010

All good things come to an end and The Shootist was not only the end of John Wayne?s wonderful westerns, but the last film he would ever make. But what a wonderful way to go out. Considered one of the top 3 finest final movies for any star, The Shootist is a great vehicle for Wayne. Add in the surrounding cast of Jimmy Stewart, Lauren Bacall, Richard Boone, Harry Morgan, Scatman Cruthers and the still young Ron Howard and you have a movie quite worth watching.

Endings are what this film is all about. It?s 1901 in Carson City, Nevada and the old Wild West is coming to a close in a world that is changing daily. Queen Victoria has just died ending the Victorian era in Britain. Trolley cars cross the town and some new fangled dry cleaning process replaces a good old brushing for people?s clothes. Enter J.B. Books (Wayne) an old gunfighter from a previous era. He rides into town to visit his old friend Dr. Hostetler (Stewart). The Doc tells him he has an inoperable cancer. Thus begins a series of events that come to provide one last glimpse of what the Wild West had been all about.

Books decides to stay in town for the remainder of his days and rents a room at a boardinghouse from the widow, Bond Rogers (Bacall). Though determined to keep both his identity and medical information private, he fails. Gillom Rogers (Howard), Bond?s son, soon discovers Books? true identity and is mesmerized that such a famous gunslinger is staying at his house. Books quickly takes to Gillom, teaching him about life and being a man. Gillom is enthralled until he learns of the medical secret. Once the information leaks, several of the townsfolk gather like buzzards to try and make a buck off of his death. Meanwhile, the news of Books? arrival in town, spreads through the criminal community as well. Books fends off one attack while the biggest attack that leads to the film?s conclusion is brewing.

This film succeeds because of the wonderful characters. In many ways, you can?t separate the actors from their characters. Wayne is older and a surviving victim of the very disease he battles in the movie. Stewart was coaxed out of retirement for this film by Wayne and the scenes with them together mirror the changes that the country is facing. One lifestyle is being replaced with another in the West; two older actors are getting ready to pass their torch on to newer actors. Bacall must have been challenged in the role as she herself lost the great Bogart to cancer not unlike her new friend J. B. Books. And Harry Morgan was excellent as the sheriff. No more the fast drawing peacekeeper, Morgan?s sheriff roots for Books? death because the town is looking for progress, not trouble. He is becoming sheriff as politician, not gunslinger. And Ron Howard puts all his Opie innocence into his struggle to become a man without the guidance of a father.

I am not certain that Wayne knew this would be his last film. But he sure picked a real good one to ride out to that last big roundup in. This is not a perfect film but one would be hard pressed not to find it enjoyable, like spending time with old friends???