John Wayne Centenary: The '70s - Big Jake, The Cowboys and The Shootist - Page 6

Lauren Bacall as Mrs Rogers more than holds her own with Wayne. The two characters are often at odds with each other yet there is a mutual, if in the case of Mrs Rogers unspoken, admiration between them. One gets the feeling that had they met under different circumstances, a friendship might have blossomed. It’s an understated relationship, as much about what they don’t say as what they do and it’s the kind of thing that rewards repeat viewings.

I’ve never been impressed with Ron Howard as an actor and his performance is the weakest here. As Gillom Rogers he’s required to show a range of emotions that he simply lacks the ability for, and while it would perhaps be unfair to say he’s bad, a better actor could have added greatly to the film as a whole. Watching this, it’s no surprise that Howard decided he was better suited to work behind the camera.

The best of the supporting cast are Harry Morgan, Richard Boone, and James Stewart. Morgan is the town Marshal, a man who can hardly contain his pleasure at the news of Books' impending demise. In the hands of a lesser actor the role would have been mere comic buffoonery but Morgan, while certainly comical, brings much more to the cowardly lawman than that. Marshal  Thibido is almost as much of a vulture as those looking to make money from Brooks’ death.

Richard Boone was a friend of Wayne’s and agreed to do the film purely because of that, as did James Stewart. His performance is little more than a cameo but he manages to imbue Mike Sweeney with more menace in two short scenes than most actors could in a whole film.

Playing the doctor who gives Books the bad news is James Stewart and the screen time they share are some of the most moving moments in the film. Stewart draws on his friendship with Wayne to add to the character and the script references The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, the film the pair made together fifteen years before. As with Bacall there is much unsaid and the scenes work so well because of their simplicity. 

Downplaying the emotion inherent in the story was a conscious decision by director Don Siegel. Realising the risk of the film being overly sentimental, he gets the cast to give more restrained performances than a less seasoned director would have and makes the film a more powerful and moving experience because of it.

Article Author: Ian Woolstencroft

Ian Woolstencroft was brought up on a diet of John Wayne movies and Marvel Comics and still has a passion for both. Now as a blogcritic he finally understands what Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben meant when he said ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ …

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