'TRUE GRIT' - archive from 6th February 2011.

I saw the remake of  'TRUE GRIT' in the week - the reworking of the 1969 classic that nabbed John Wayne his only Oscar for his depiction of U.S. Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. That film also starred Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper and was based on the book of the same name released the year before by Charles Portis. That film back in 1969 brought in a global Box Office haul of US$31M and now in 2011 the production budget for this one was US$38M - that's inflation for you!!



Here we have Joel & Ethan Coen Directing Jeff Bridges, taking on the lead role and is convincing as Reuben J. 'Rooster' Cogburn the grizzled, boozing, trigger happy and allegedly meanest, U.S. Marshall. Looking to hire a man with 'true grit' he is engaged by young teenager Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) whose father has been murdered and she is seeking justice for the killer to be hanged back in Arkansas. That killer is Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Meanwhile Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) has ridden into town on the hunt for the same killer who is also wanted for the murder of a Texas State Senator.

After some reluctance the three hook up together on the trail of the Pepper Gang led by 'Lucky' Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper) whom Chaney is travelling with. There are disputes along the way that sees LaBoeuf leave but he remains on the trail wanting his Reward naturally. As the three split and then their paths cross again several times intertwined with Chaney and Ned Pepper incurring various casualties along the way as they navigate through Choctaw country where their quarry is in hiding, and where the story mostly plays out.

Chaney gets his comeuppance at the hands of young Mattie, after which she is bitten on the hand by a rattlesnake. Coming to the rescue Cogburn rides through the day & night to get Mattie to a doctor, but not before her horse carrying them both, collapses from exhaustion. On foot Cogburn then carries Mattie to safety and a doctor.

We then fast track twenty five years to the turn of the 20th Century, and we learn through Mattie's narrative that her arm was amputated years earlier as a result of that snake bite. She had not seen Cogburn since he left her safe to be treated by a doctor all those years ago. She tracks him down to a Wild West Show that Cogburn stars in, and arrives but learns that he passed away only days earlier. She never saw LaBoeuf either, but would have liked to.

'True Grit' was nominated for ten Academy Awards, seven BAFTA Awards winning Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins and all up 49 wins and another 142 nominations. The Coens have done it again, with a Box Office take of US$252M - rent it now on DVD or BluRay or download it and watch this gem of a Western in the comfort of your own home.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-