The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

John Wayne, a star of many fine movies, including the Oscar winning True Grit, collaborated with director Henry Hathaway (The Desert Fox: Rommel, Kiss of Death, Lives of a Bengal Lancer) to make The Sons of Katie Elder, a typically well done western and one well worth seeking out.

Wayne stars as the eldest of four brothers, reunited on the occasion of their mother’s funeral - the Katie Elder of the title.

John Elder (Wayne) is an outlaw and has to view the proceedings from the surrounding hills. He meets his brothers, including a reunion with Rio Bravo alumnus Dean Martin after the funeral breaks up. Earl Holliman and Michael Anderson, Jr. play the other two brothers.

It turns out that Katie had lost the vast Elder spread following the recent violent death of her husband and had been reduced to taking in laundry, sewing, and other odd jobs, living in donated quarters. From the references to the absent Katie -as symbolized by her rocking chair - you are pretty well convinced she must have been a saint by the end. Katie forms the moral center of the film and causes her otherwise not very responsible sons to act better than they otherwise would.

The story is fairly common, with a man who is buying up the town, in other words progress is coming and the old west is dying. James Gregory (The Manchurian Candidate, PT 109) represents that progress and like most of his ilk is not above using brutal methods if they will further his cause. We’ve seen it all before but the unique angle of presenting the sons’ actions as a tribute to the deceased mother gives a fresh angle on the story.

Gregory, a gunsmith, has a son (Dennis Hopper - Gunfight at the OK Corral) whom he abuses and a black clad gunfighter (George Kennedy - Lonely are the Brave, Cool Hand Luke) as muscle to enforce his will. One of the memorable scenes that everybody talks about involves Curley (Kennedy) dunking a blacksmith’s head in a water barrel. John Wayne comes upon this, picks up a pick handle, and whacks Curley full in the face. He made a similar move in Rio Bravo with the barrel of his Winchester and these scenes always evoke gasps and cheers from audiences.

Of course, everything comes out all right in the end. The screenplay, adapted from a Talbot Jennings story by a team of screenwriters, has a good mix of action, gun battles, tragedy, comedy, and reflection.

Acting by the principal stars (John Wayne and Dean Martin) is great and the chemistry between them is wonderful, as it was in Rio Bravo. The supporting cast is super, befitting a high quality western of the era, including favorites like Strother Martin, John Doucette, Paul Fix, and Martha Hyer. Cinematography is by the ever reliable Lucien Ballard (The Wild Bunch, Ride the High Country) and a superior music score by prolific composer Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven, The Shootist), simply the best in the business.

The Paramount DVD is presented in 2.35:1 theatrical ratio, in color, and runs two hours, two minutes. Subtitles and a choice between English and French are the sole extras.

The Sons of Katie Elder shows how effortlessly these big budget John Wayne westerns used to dominate the box office and what a loss it is for us today that they are no longer made.

Well worth watching!


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening