True Grit 1969 Review

 Number 885 on the top 1000 films of all time is Henry Hathaway's 1969 Western 'True Grit.'

Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) is a teenage girl living in Yell County, Arkansas when her father is unjustly killed by outlaw Tom Chaney (Jeff Corey,) she enlists federal marshals Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) and La Boeuf (Glen Campbell) to bring him to justice. Accompanying them on their mission, Mattie soon forms a close relationship with Rooster and La Boeuf.

For a Western film, I quite enjoyed True Grit. This goes for both the original and the 2010 remake. Generally, I find cowboy films tedious and overly-long *cough cough* Sergio Leone, but True Grit was thoroughly watchable.

One reason was because of Mattie Ross. Just like in the remake, she was far from the typical damsel-in-distress cliche that many women of her era were relegated to, so it was very refreshing to have a character with as much agency and pep as Mattie did. She was a feisty female before that was even a thing. I do think it's a shame they gave her a tomboyish appearance though. She's a woman. Let her look like a woman. The Coen Brothers let Hailee Steinfield look feminine. Why not the same for Kim Darby?

True neither John Wayne or Henry Hathaway thought much about Darby's acting abilities, but I think that was more down to her dialogue. Her lines were so verbose and clunky, it was like she was in My Fair lady having elocution lessons with Rex Harrison. Her actions were also rash and impulsive and drove a lot of the film's conflict, but again that's more her writing than Darby's acting.

John Wayne gave a good spin as the irrascible Rooster Cogburn. It was good that he won the Best Actor Oscar. And I did enjoy his performance. He was a very likeable cinnamon swirl. Robert Duvall was also great as minor villain Ned Pepper. If anything he was better than Jeff Corey's rather simplistic performance as Tom Chaney.

Overall, I enjoyed True Grit more than I thought I would. It had John Wayne giving a great lead performance, a fresh spin on the standard female character and had that glorious cinematography that you would expect from a cowboy film.

Glengarry Glen Ross review

 Number 416 on the top 1000 films of all time is the drama 'Glengarry Glen Ross.'

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, Glengarry Glen Ross follows four real estate agents pitted against each other to make the most money. Only the top two agents will be retained and the other two will be fired. There is the office's top-seller Richard  Roma (Al Pacino,) the fallen star Shelly Duverne (Jack Lemmon,) the devious Dave Moss (Ed Harris) and the placid George Aaronow (Alan Arkin.) Rounding up the agents is the office manager John Williamson (Kevin Spacey.)

Upon starring in the film, Jack Lemmon remarked that he had never been surrounded by such acting talent before. And he was right. This film has Al Pacino to Kevin Spacey to even Alec Baldwin in a supporting role. For films adapted from the stage, you need a strong cast. There aren't any fancy set pieces or special effects. All of the audience's attention is on the cast.

I especially enjoyed Jack Lemmon. He might be better known for his screwball comedies of the fifties and the sixties, but he did the drama exceptionally well. Slowly Duverne was one of the best sellers within the office until he falls into a slump. Lemmon played him with just the right amount of vulnerability. He was sympathetic and pitiful, but not in a way that made him pathetic.

Al Pacino was also great as the erratic and the irascible Richard Roma. He spends much of the film, forcing the weak-minded James Lingk (Jonathan Pryce) into a deal that he really doesn't want to do. Just when it looks like everything is kosher, Lingk backs out causing Roma to have a veritable breakdown. Pacino acted with a manic energy that would be difficult for any actor to match.

I was less impressed with Alan Arkin and Ed Harris. They weren't necessarily bad, but their efforts paled in comparison with Lemmon and Pacino. I don't think Moss or Aaronow were particularly memorable characters. The two even seemed to blend into one at times. Surprisingly, Kevin Spacey was nothing special either. True it was a supporting performance, but it wasn't a noteworthy performance either. Alec Baldwin was good in his supporting role.

Glengarry Glenn Ross is a funny, old film. It is certainly low on spectacle, but high on acting talent especially from Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon.