Film Snail

7.0

The Shootist

PG·1976·100m

Western

Summary

Afflicted with a terminal illness John Bernard Books, the last of the legendary gunfighters, quietly returns to Carson City for medical attention from his old friend Dr. Hostetler. Aware that his days are numbered, the troubled man seeks solace and peace in a boarding house run by a widow and her son. However, it is not Books' fate to die in peace, as he becomes embroiled in one last valiant battle.

Cast

John Wayne

J.B. Books

Lauren Bacall

Bond Rogers

Ron Howard

Gillom Rogers

James Stewart

Dr. Hostetler

Richard Boone

Mike Sweeney

Hugh O'Brian

Jack Pulford

Bill McKinney

Jay Cobb

Harry Morgan

Marshall Thibido

John Carradine

Beckum

Sheree North

Serepta

Rick Lenz

Dobkins

Scatman Crothers

Moses

Gregg Palmer

Burly Man

Alfred Dennis

Barber

Dick Winslow

Streetcar Driver

Melody Thomas Scott

Girl on Streetcar

Kathleen O'Malley

School Teacher

Jack Berle

Man Outside Metropole (uncredited)

Johnny Crawford

Books' Victim in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

Chuck Dawson

Extra (uncredited)

George Dunn

Man Delivering Headstone (uncredited)

Duke Fishman

Barfly (uncredited)

Christopher George

Books' Victim in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

Jonathan Goldsmith

Books' Victim (uncredited)

Leo Gordon

Books' Victim in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

Charles G. Martin

Murray the Bartender (uncredited)

Jim Michael

Barfly (uncredited)

Ernesto Molinari

Barfly (uncredited)

Darren Patrick Moloney

Paper Boy (uncredited)

Ricky Nelson

Books' Fellow Lawman in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

James Nolan

Gambler (uncredited)

Nick Raymond

Barfly (uncredited)

Henry Slate

Pulford Confidant (uncredited)

Bob Steele

Books' Victim in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

Ralph Volkie

White-Haired Bartender (uncredited)

John Zimeas

Barfly (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Don Siegel

Novel

Glendon Swarthout

Screenplay

Miles Hood Swarthout

Screenplay

Scott Hale

Reviews

John Chard

May 29, 2019

The big man bows out and leaves an indelible mark.

Legendary gunfighter J.B. Books rides into Carson City, diagnosed with terminal cancer he has a short time to live. After taking a room at the widow Bond Rogers' house, he becomes something of a mentor to Bond's son, Gillom.

Dignified, eloquent, perhaps even incredibly sad, The Shootist mirrors John Wayne's personal situation and closes his career (and life) with a poignant last hurrah. Based around the popular novel from Glendon Swarthout (Where The Boys Are), and directed by the astutely knowing Don Siegel (The Duel at Silver Creek), The Shootist begins with edited scenes from Books' (Wayne's) life, where he literally ages before us during this montage. Cut to his arrival in Carson City in 1901 and we are about to be witness to the end of an era. Wayne is backed up in his swansong by Lauren Bacall (Bond Rogers), James Stewart (Doc Hostelter) and an engagingly important Ron Howard (Gillom Rogers). While a big shout out has to go to Bruce Surtees' cinematography which perfectly captures the elegiac nature of it all.

The message well and truly hits home and hard come the bloody finale, where with one nod of his head big John Wayne, alias J.B. Books, says more than words surely ever could.

RIP - The Duke. 8/10