The Sons of Katie Elder
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Movie Reviews of The Sons of Katie Elder
Movie Review: Great Western
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Sons of Katie Elder" is a great film. Maybe not at the same exhalted level as "The Searchers" or "The Man Who Killed Liberty Valance", but clearly far superior to most westerns. The 1965 film stars John Wayne and Dean Martin, with Earl Holliman, James Gregory, Paul Fix, George Kennedy, Dennis Hopper, and Martha Hyer. The film was directed by Henry Hathaway, a director who specialized in westerns from his earliest films - "Heritage of the Desert" (1932), "Wild Horse Mesa" (1932) - to his later films - "Shootout" (1971), "5 Card Stud" (1968), yet curiously enough his only nomination for an Oscar was for "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935), and his best known films are non-Westerns (e.g., "Of Human Bondage", "Call Northside 777", "The Desert Fox"). He once said "To be a good director you've got to be a bastard. I'm a bastard and I know it."
John Wayne was a bankable box office draw at the time, having appeared in such western hits as "Stagecoach" (1939), "Dark Command" (1940), "3 Godfathers" (1948), "Fort Apache" (1948), "Red River" (1948), "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949, "Rio Bravo" (1959), and "The Alamo" (1960) . Wayne was nominated for Best Actor for "Sands of Iwo Jima" (1949) and when he worked with director Henry Hathaway again, he would finally earn an Oscar for "True Grit" (1969). This is the first film made by Wayne after he recovered from lung surgery to remove cancer. He shows little wear as a result of the experience.
Viewers may notice that Wayne appears a little too old for this part. In fact he was 57 when it was filmed, and according to Katie Elder's tombstone, she was 64 when she died. Hence, Wayne was born when she was 7 year old. Also, the difference in age between Wayne and the youngest son is 36 years.
Dean Martin and Wayne worked together in "Rio Bravo" in 1959. In 1960 he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work in "Who Was That Lady" and also made "Ocean's Eleven" which he followed with "Sergeants 3" (1962) and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964). So by the time "Sons of Katie Elder" was made, Martin was a formidable star, and in fact, 1965 was the year he started "The Dean Martin Show" (1965-74) that went on to earn 13 Emmy nominations and 4 Golden Globe nominations along with a win in 1967 for Dean.
Earl Holliman won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in 1957 ("The Rainmaker") and was nominated in 1992 for the TV series "Delta". He started in 1953 with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in "Scared Stiff" but he is probably best known for his co-starring role with Angie Dickinson in TVs "Police Woman" (1974-8). He specialized in westerns and appeared in "Gunfight at OK Corral" (1957), "Last Train from Gun Hill" (1959), "Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge" (1987) and had a recurring role in the TV series "The Wide Country" (1962-3). Holliman plays one of the sons.
James Gregory appeared in nearly 100 films and as many TV programs. He's best remembered for his role as the Senator in "Manchurian Candidate" (1962) and Commander Ritchie in "PT 109" (1963) and recurring roles as Ulysses S. Grant in the TV series "Wild Wild West" (1965-9) and Inspector Frank Luger in "Barney Miller" (1975-82). Gregory plays the man who killed Bass Elder and stole his farm from Katie.
Dennis Hopper plays Gregory's milk toast son. Hopper is an American icon. Twice nominated for an Oscar ("Hoosiers" and "Easy Rider"), he is as well known for his excellent acting (e.g., "Apocalypse Now", "Out of the Blue", "Blue Velvet") as for his bombs (e.g., "Waterworld", "Speed"). My favorite Dennis Hopper role was as Clifford Worley in "True Romance" (1993) opposite Christopher Walken.
Paul Fix plays the Marshall. Fix played in more than 200 films, many of them westerns, starting in the silent film era. He gave us such memorable roles as old man Maxwell in "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973), and Joan Crawford's confidant Eddie in "Johnny Guitar" (1954). He played with Wayne in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949), "The Fighting Kentuckian" (1949), "Big Jim McLain" (1952), "Hondo" (1953)" and El Dorado" (1967). He's best remembered for his role as the Marshall in Sam Peckinpah's TV series "The Rifleman" (1958-65).
George Kennedy plays the evil gunfighter hired by Gregory to kill Wayne. Kennedy is best remembered for his role as the convict who beats up Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) for which he won the Oscar. He could play a good guy (e.g., Major Armbuster in "Dirty Dozen", Chris in "Guns of the Magnificent Seven", Patton in "Brass Target") and a villain (e.g., Red in "Thunbderbolt and Lightfoot", Ben Bowman in "The Eiger Sanction") and was also adept at comedy (e.g., "Airport 1975", "The Naked Gun").
Martha Hyer was nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Some Came Running" (1958) in which she appeared with Dean Martin. She appeared with Jerry without Dean in "The Delicate Delinquent" (1956). She has more than 100 films to her credit. She plays a friend of the late Katie Elder, and has the type of loveless relationship that Wayne had in many of his films (e.g., "The Horse Soldiers" with Constance Bennett, "The Alamo" with Linda Darnell).
In addition to this powerful cast, Wayne used several actors who had worked with him in the past, including John Qualen, Strother Martin, tough guy John Doucette, and Rhys Williams.
- John Doucette's chubby face and heavy set frame are familiar to everyone from his 200+ films, usually as a heavy. He was distinguished by his husky voice and being the fastest draw in Hollywood. He was equally at home in film and on TV and was comfortable in Westerns as well as biblical epics. He plays the blacksmith, but uncharacteristically he isn't one of the bad guys in this film.
- Rhys Williams plump body and high pitched voice contributed to over 100 films from "How Green was My Valley" (1941) to "Skullduggery" (1970). He often appeared in westerns (e.g., "Johhny Guitar", "The Fastest Gun Alive", "The Kentuckian") and had a recurring role in Sam Peckinpah's "The Rifleman" as Doc Burrage.
- Strother Martin was a terrific character actor, known for his physicality and strange mannerisms. John Ford used him in "Two Rode Together", "The Deadly Companions" (1961), and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962). Wayne used him in "Rooster Cogburn" (1975), "True Grit" (1969), "McLintock" (1963), and "The Horse Soldiers" (1959). He's best remembered as the Captain in "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) but I remember him best for his role as one of the bounty hunters in Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch" (1969).
- John Qualen was part of the Wayne/Ford stock company. He made nearly 200 films, 9 of them directed by John Ford and 3 with Wayne but not Ford - "The High and the Mighty" (1954), and "North to Alaska (1960) directed by Hathaway, "Donovan's Reef" (1963). My favorite John Qualen role was as Lars in "The Searchers" (1956).
Lucien Ballard does the camera work and Elmer Bernstein does the music. Ballard was one of the greatest cinematographers. He was nominated for an Oscar for "The Caretakers" (1963) and won a NSFC Award for "The Wild Bunch" (1969). He lensed more than 100 films, including such notables as "The Desert Rats" (1953) with Hathaway directing, and "True Grit" with Wayne and Hathaway, He was a favorite of Sam Peckinpah who used him in several of his films - "Ride the High Country" (1962), "Junior Bonner" (1972), "The Getaway" (1972), "The Ballad of Cable Hogue"(1970), and "The Wild Bunch" (1969). Ballard's work in this film is truly exceptional. It rivals some of the best work of John Ford.
Elmer Bernstein was nominated for an Oscar 14 times and won once ("Thoroughly Modern Millie" in 1967). He was nominated twice for an Emmy and won once ("The Making of the President" in 1963), and was nominated 7 times for a Golden Globe and won twice ("To Kill a Mockingbird" in 1962 and "Hawaii" in 1967. To top it off he was twice nominated for a Grammy (but never won). Bernstein's score is terrific.
The film has many memorable scenes - John Wayne's first appearance against the rock monuments, Wayne's clubbing Kennedy in the face, Dean Martin auctioning off his fake eye, the scene under the bridge when one of the brothers is killed, and Katie's rocking chair seeming to have a life of its own. If there is any weakness, it is the ultimate faceoff between Wayne and Kennedy.
Movie Review: feel the impact of an empty rocking chair
Summary: 4 Stars
THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER have returned to Clearwater, Texas to pay last respects to their sainted mother at her funeral. The four estranged brothers are devastated to learn that, in their years of absence, their alcoholic father died under mysterious circumstances, their mother rendered destitute, and the family ranch ceded over to a heartless aspiring land baron. Katie's boys, sniffing something rotten, decide to tarry in Clearwater and ask certain uncomfortable questions.
The late Katie Elder was beloved by everyone and her presence lingers palpably throughout the picture, and so John, Tom, Matt, and Bud come to face the rancor and scorn of the townspeople. Everyone condemns them for having abandoned their mother in her direst time of need. It's a poor homecoming. Further obstacles surface in the shape of the menacing gunslinger (George Kennedy) privately contracted by the Elder ranch's concerned new owner, and there's also the ongoing harassment by the very pushy sheriff's deputy. When things go sideways, the blame readily shifts to the Elder brothers. And, wait, is that a lynch mob over there?
Seasoned director Henry Hathaway helms an old school western that has its share of rousing moments but also dabbles in introspection. This is the second time John Wayne and Dean Martin would work together (after their glorious RIO BRAVO), and they're still sympatico, Deano roguishly taking on his trademark gambler/hustler character and the Duke playing the surly eldest brother and infamous gunfighter. Wayne, then 58-years-old, returned to the silver screen after his cancer operation, not that you'd know it. John Wayne looms tall and rugged and resolute as ever. Earl Holliman and Michael Anderson, Jr. round out the remaining Elder brothers, and it ain't their fault their light don't glow near as bright as Wayne and Deano's.
The key performers get a lot of elbow room to play in, what with the Elder brothers being such a boisterous, bickering, brawling bunch, and much of the brawny humor comes from their interactions amongst each other. It's almost like SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, except that people pump lead into each other and there's no barn-raising dance-off. A young Dennis Hopper chews up the scenery some. Martha Hyer serves as the chaste eye candy. And main villain James Gregory does well with his three-dimensional role. His larcenous land grabber starts out even-keeled but progressively takes more and more of a heel turn as the story progresses.
There's a contemplative, bittersweet tone in this film. You can sense the Elder boys' regret in their neglect of their mother. And how damning to learn that during their absent years, Katie Elder had lied for them, had told the world how regularly her sons sent her money, even though the two eldest sons (Wayne and Martin's characters) were roaming the West wanted by the law. The pace could have picked up some. There could have been more action, instead of most of it being relegated to the final act. But John Wayne is still John Wayne, indomitable. Dean Martin demonstrates skills that went beyond his singing and drunken act. THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER, no classic, nevertheless falls in that category of reliable westerns that endure the test of time. I like this movie.
Movie Review: One of the Duke's best
Summary: 4 Stars
In the 1960s, John Wayne went through his first fight with cancer and won, and coming back to the big screen the Duke didn't disappoint with The Sons of Katie Elder his first movie back. Following their mother's death, the four Elder boys, John, the gunslinger, Tom, the gambler, Matt, the businessman, and Bud, the youngest, return home to Clearwater, Texas for her funeral. In hopes of setting things right, the Elders try to leave a memorial for their mother by clearing their name, but right away things go awry. Their father Bass was killed under suspicious circumstances and lost the family ranch in a card game so can the Elders figure out what happened all while leaving something to make their deceased mother proud? When it comes to John Wayne westerns, this one is a notch above the others. It's a good old-fashioned western with the good guys vs. the bad guys. There's some great locations in Durango, including the Mexican village from Major Dundee, and Elmer Bernstein turns in a lively western score that you'll be humming for days afterward. John Wayne fans and western fans alike will not be disappointed with this one.
Playing the oldest of the Elder brothers, John Wayne stars as John Elder, the gunslinger who sees his brothers for the first time in years at his mother's funeral. It's John who leads the effort to make a name for the family in honor of their much-beloved mother. Dean Martin plays Tom, the second oldest brother who's quick with cards and a gun. Wayne and Martin are great here together, just like in Rio Bravo. Earl Holliman and Michael Anderson JR are the other two brothers, Matt and Bud, who doesn't want to go back to college even at his brothers' encouragement. The chemistry among the four brothers is very believable and makes the movie more fun to watch because of their interactions. Paul Fix and Jermey Slate are very good as Sheriff Billy Wilson, the experienced and somewhat world weary peace officer, and Ben Latta, his trigger happy deputy. James Gregory is solid as slimy Morgan Hastings, a local rancher/businessman trying to make something of Clearwater. Martha Hyer is good as Mary Gordon, a woman who was a close friend of Katie. The more than solid supporting cast also includes George Kennedy as Curley, a gunslinger hired by Hastings, Dennis Hopper, John Doucette, John Qualen, and Strother Martin.
The DVD is a really good purchase with the widescreen presentation included here. You'd never know the movie is over 45 years old. The only special feature here is a theatrical trailer. The Sons of Katie Elder is an above average Duke western with a good blend of action, humor, and drama. Don't miss it!
Movie Review: John Wayne in his typical role
Summary: 4 Stars
In this movie, John Wayne plays a character most of us who are familiar with his movies have seen before--a tough never-do-well man, too stubborn to stay out of trouble and too tender at heart to avoid ultimately doing the right thing. Wayne plays John Elder, the eldest son of the deceased Katie Elder, for whose funeral John returns home. Also returning are his three younger brothers: Tom (Dean Martin), Matt (Earl Holliman) , and Bud (Michael Anderson Jr.). The brothers are prevented from mourning their mother adequately by a scheming entrepreneur named Hastings, who swindled the Elders' parents out of their ranch. It falls on the shoulders of the Elders to redress their mother's loss of the ranch, and try to earn enough money to force Bud to go back to college (that is what Katie wanted).
The plot of this movie is interesting enough--it is distinctly typical of John Wayne and yet innovative enough to not be a cookie-cutter type story. Most of the acting in the movie is poor, especially that of Hastings and his accomplice, Curly. The bad acting (Wayne's is not the best of his career, but not bad, either) is offset, however, by the great performance of Dean Martin, who never fails to impress me in Western roles. All in all, this is probably not a timeless Western classic, but it is good. Anyone who enjoys Westerns should be satisfied with The Sons of Katie Elder.
Movie Review: Terrific cast in stereotypical John Wayne western
Summary: 4 Stars
John Wayne fans will once again enjoy The Duke in a role that he patented in the 1960's and 1970's in movies like "Rio Bravo", "Chisum", "El Dorado" and "Big Jake". There's just enough difference in this role, though, to make to it memorable for the viewer. A tremendous cast, consisting of Dean Martin, Earl Holliman, Michael Anderson, Jr. (as the brothers Elder) and George Kennedy, James Gregory, Jermey Slate and Paul Fix as supporting good and bad guys really make this a solid western. Dennis Hopper in an early role shows the promise that would make him a Hollywood fixture over the next 40 years.
The plot revolves around the reunion of the four Elder boys at their mother's funeral. Not a close family, they decide to band together to find out the real answer to the mysterious death of their father and subsequent loss of the family ranch. Along the way there's plenty of fight scenes and gun battles that one would associate with a John Wayne western.
The acting is more than a little stilted at times, but the ending (while not unexpected), is a satisfying conclusion to the plot.
Fans of The Duke will want to add this film to their collection!