Review of The Shootist (1976) by Stuart K — 01 Feb 2011
John Wayne's final film, and a fitting end to his long career too. Directed by the great Don Siegel, who has made great films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Dirty Harry (1971). This is a touching and gentle western without being overly sentimental, but with a good all-star cast.
It begins in Carson City, Nevada on January 22, 1901, where legendary gunfighter John Bernard Books (Wayne) comes into town to see old friend Dr. E.W. Hostetler (James Stewart), with a medical ailment.
Hostetler dianoses Books with cancer, and less than 6 weeks left to live. Books accepts his fate, and checks into a nearby boarding house owned by Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall) and her son Gillom (Ron Howard).
However, Gillom and currier Moses Brown (Scatman Crothers) suss out that the new lodger is Books, and he gets attention from bandits trying to kill him and achieve the fame for it. However, Books wants to go out on a high, like in his glory days, not in pain and under the haze of prescribed medication.
It's a very good character piece, made more poignant that Wayne succumbed to cancer 3 years later. The final showdown makes this the Gran Torino of it's day, but less adult.
This review of The Shootist (1976) was written by Stuart K on 01 Feb 2011.
The Shootist has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
