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Revision as of 14:31, 9 September 2017 by Vampus (talk | contribs) (→Plot: Corrected plot points and tidied up.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) For the character, see Rooster Cogburn (character). 1975 American film| Rooster Cogburn | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Stuart Millar |
| Written by | Martha Hyer |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Harry Stradling, Jr. |
| Edited by | Robert Swink |
| Music by | Laurence Rosenthal |
| Production company | Hal Wallis Productions |
| Distributed by | |
| Release date |
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| Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $30.5 million |
Rooster Cogburn is a 1975 American western adventure film directed by Stuart Millar and starring John Wayne, reprising his role as U.S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, and Katharine Hepburn. Written by Martha Hyer, based on the Rooster Cogburn character created by Charles Portis in the novel True Grit, the film is about an aging lawman whose badge was recently suspended for a string of routine arrests that ended in bloodshed. To earn back his badge, he is tasked with bringing down a ring of bank robbers that has hijacked a wagon shipment of nitroglycerin. He is helped by a spinster searching for her father's killer. Rooster Cogburn is a sequel to the 1969 film True Grit.
Plot
Because of his drunkenness and questionable use of firearms, aging U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) has been stripped of his badge. But he's given a chance to redeem himself after a shipment of nitroglycerine is stolen. Rooster agrees and track the outlaws, led by Hawk (Richard Jordan) and his posse, along with Rooster's former scout Breed (Anthony Zerbe) to a settlement in Indian Territory, Fort Ruby. The village has been overrun by the gang who've killed an elderly preacher, Rev. George Goodnight (Jon Lormer) and a number of the local Indians. The Reverend's spinster daughter, Eula Goodnight (Katharine Hepburn), wants to join Cogburn to track the criminals down, becoming his unwilling partner along with Wolf, the son of one of the deceased Indians.
Meanwhile, in a scuffle between two bandit men, one of them is wounded by a stab wound. The wagon also hit a rock, but the men manage to fix it. Rooster, Wolf, and Eula stake out at a crossing in the woods, barricading the path with logs. The bandits are stopped and Rooster threatens to blow up the wagon unless the men dismount, which they do. A man attempts to shoot Rooster in the back, but Eula makes the perfect shot and kills him. Another man tries the same, but is killed instantly by a bullet to the chest. Rooster cries out "Posse!" and his two partners fire into the air, causing the men to actually think he has a posse, which they flee. Rooster captures the wagon.
The men carry on back to their leader, Hawk. He orders Breed to investigate the tracks, which he finds out there was not a posse, much to Hawk's disdain. Hawk, Breed and the bandit which got stabbed ride on to town, while the other men attempt to fix the axle, which they eventually do. The stabbed man cannot make it, causing Hawk to shoot him, saying "Let the buzzards have him" to Breed. That night the men kidnap Wolf, saying they will let him go if they give him the wagon, but are actually planning to get the wagon back, and to kill the three heroes. Wolf shoots the man who is holding him with the 5-shot Pepperbox handgun Rooster previously gave to him to protect himself and Eula if need be. He gets back to camp safely. Rooster has Eula hitch up the horses, while Wolf scatters their houses. The bandits retreat from Gatling gun fire, allowing the heroes to escape safely. The next day, Rooster "borrows" a raft from an old man, stashing as much nitroglycerine as possible on board. The men attempt to ambush the three, but they fire the gun at them and they manage to escape around the corner. Breed and another bandit set up a trap across the river to capture Rooster and his gang. As the bandit is about the kill Rooster in cold blood, Breed shoots him in the back in return for Rooster saving his life years prior. That night, Breed returns to the outlaws camp informs Hawk that the other bandit died in a shootout with Rooster. Hawk, checking Breed's gun, see only one expended bullet. Hawk knows that Breed killed him and kicking down into a rocky ravine, killing him. The three heroes encounter massive rapids the following morning. They managed to get through safely, though at the cost of losing the Gatling gun. They hear horses up ahead and realize Hawk is planning to encounter them upriver, so they dump the dynamite overboard. They pretend to surrender, saying Rooster is injured. He jumps up and shoots the explosives, blowing up the bandits. A few days later, Judge Parker, at the insistence of Eula, gives Rooster his job back. Eula and Wolf, say goodbye to Rooster as they, along with a number of settlers return to rebuild Fort Ruby.
Cast
- John Wayne as Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn
- Katharine Hepburn as Eula Goodnight
- Anthony Zerbe as Breed
- Richard Jordan as Hawk
- John McIntire as Judge Parker
- Richard Romancito as Wolf
- Paul Koslo as Luke
- Strother Martin as Shanghai McCoy
- Tommy Lee as Chen Lee
- Jack Colvin as Red
- Jon Lormer as Rev. George Goodnight
- Lane Smith as Leroy
- Warren Vanders as Bagby
- Jerry Gatlin as Nose
- Mickey Gilbert as Hambone (uncredited)
- Chuck Hayward as Jerry (uncredited)
- Gary McLarty as Emmett (uncredited)
- Andrew Prine as Fiona's Husband (uncredited)
- John Howard Hamilton as Cavalry Lieutenant (uncredited)
- Unknown as General Sterling Price (Rooster's Pet Cat) (uncredited)
Production
The screenplay was written by actress Martha Hyer, the wife of producer Hal B. Wallis, under the pen name "Martin Julien". Director Stuart Millar, a longtime Hollywood producer, had directed only one film, When Legends Die based on the classic novel by Hal Borland, prior to helming Rooster Cogburn.
Although True Grit was released by Paramount Pictures, Wallis made a deal with Universal Pictures to finance this film.
The film was shot in Oregon, in Deschutes County, west of the city of Bend (for the mountain scenes), on the Deschutes River for the whitewater rapids, and on the Rogue River in the counties of Josephine and Curry, west of Grants Pass (for the river scenes). Smith Rock State Park was a setting as well; the Rockhard/Smith Rock Climbing Guides building at the park entrance was originally built as a set for the movie, where it was portrayed as "Kate's Saloon".
John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn were born a mere ten days apart (Hepburn being the elder), and their careers paralleled each other, yet Rooster Cogburn marked the only time the Hollywood veterans appeared together in a film. It was the final film from producer Hal B. Wallis. Although it was promoted as Rooster Cogburn (...and the Lady), the opening credits of the film give the title as simply Rooster Cogburn.
Strother Martin, who portrays Shanghai McCoy in this film, also appeared in True Grit, playing a different character.
The cinematography was by Harry Stradling Jr.
Reception
Critical response
In his review in The New York Times, Vincent Canby called the film "a high-class example of the low Hollywood art of recycling". He praised the performances by the two leads—Wayne for his continuation of his Oscar-winning role as Cogburn, and Hepburn for a performance that recalls her "marvelous characterization opposite Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen". Canby felt that the film's lighthearted tone and convincing performances allows the viewer to accept the film on its own terms. He concluded that the film is "a cheerful, throwaway Western, featuring two stars of the grand tradition who respond to each other with verve that makes the years disappear".
Box office
The film grossed $17,594,566 at the box office, earning $4.5 million in North American rentals. It was the 25th highest-grossing film of 1975.
See also
References
- ^ "Rooster Cogburn". Worldwide Boxoffice. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- "Rooster Cogburn (1975)". The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- Steinberg, Jay. "Rooster Cogburn (1975)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (October 18, 1975). "A Recycled 'Rooster Cogburn' ..." The New York Times. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, 7 January 1976 p 48
External links
- Rooster Cogburn at IMDb
- Template:Amg movie
- Rooster Cogburn at the TCM Movie Database
- Rooster Cogburn at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Rooster Cogburn at Box Office Mojo
- Rooster Cogburn at Rotten Tomatoes
| True Grit by Charles Portis | |
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