Review of The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) by Chris W — 28 Oct 2013

40 years before John SIngleton loosely adapted it to a modern urban setting, Henry Hathaway delivered a story about 4 estranged brothers who reunite after a long period of absence to attend the funeral of their beloved mother.

While in town, they learn of shady business considering their late mother's ranch, as well as the murder of their father a few years prior. Unwilling to live and let live, the four set out to make things right, the only way they know how: forcefully.

Even though I did find things to like about this movie, in the end, I feel like it's really not all that special, and basically just a routine John Wayne movie. There's nothing really wrong with that, but he did so many films like this that it basically just ends up as something rather unremarkable.

It's a bit shaky and uneven, a tad overlong, and even a touch boring at times, and, Elmer Bernstein's score sounds too similar to his work for The Magnificent Seven for my liking, but, John Wayne and Dean Martin do serviceable work as the two oldest Elder brothers, and they have good chemistry with one another, so that helps. A young Dennis Hopper also appears, which is cool, too.

The film is decently well shot, and does have it's occasional rousing moments, but in the end, I personally prefer John Singleton's Four Brothers. It's glossier, more entertaining, and more compelling.