Review: Big Jake


Set in the last moments of the Old West, young Jacob McCandles (played by John Ethan Wayne, The Duke’s 8 year-old kid) is kidnapped by Richard Boone’s gang, who demand a hefty $1 million for the boy’s safe return. Grandma Maureen O’Hara reluctantly enlists the help of the boy’s estranged grandfather, the title character played by The Duke himself. Along with two other estranged sons (Christopher Mitchum and Patrick Wayne, the former employs newfangled motor vehicles and an automatic pistol, whilst the latter just hangs shit on the old man whenever he can) and the ransom money, Jake sets off to meet with the captors and get the kid back. But is that really all he has planned? Bruce Cabot is solid as Wayne’s Indian scout buddy who helps out, and John Doucette is similarly fine as the sheriff who, on orders by O’Hara, travels by automobile with his separate posse to try and get to the kidnappers first. Did I mention The Duke comes armed with a vicious (but loyal) Collie? Well, there you go. Just don’t call him Lassie! (No really, don’t. It’s name is ‘Dog’).

 

One of The Duke’s better latter day films (along with “The Shootist”), this 1971 George Sherman (a B-western veteran who also produced “The Comancheros”, an OK Duke film. This was to be his last film) western is tough, violent (that opening shootout is terrific stuff), occasionally amusing, and action-packed stuff. It’s almost never dull, barely stopping to take a breath.

 

Duke is as he always is, if perhaps a bit better, Boone is brilliant as the heavy (When wasn’t he? Easily one of the screen’s most underappreciated talents), and the always taciturn O’Hara is...thankfully not on screen much. Harry Carey Jr, with what looks like shit-stained teeth, steals several scenes as one of Boone’s scummy crew.

 

Definitely a Wayne flick that more modern audiences should get some rowdy entertainment from, even if it isn’t as grand, brilliantly made, or insightful as some of his other, earlier films (“The Searchers”, “Rio Bravo”, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, and “Stagecoach” probably being the best of them). Nice to see The Duke’s son Patrick playing one of his on-screen sons, though Mitchum is pretty awful as another on-screen son (and never looks like anything other than Bob Mitchum’s kid).

 

Very underrated, with Wayne and Boone’s eventual showdown a particular highlight. This one’s worth rediscovering, even if you’re not a Wayne fan (I’m certainly not). The screenplay is by Rita M. Fink and Harry Fink, of the first three “Dirty Harry” flicks.

 

Rating: B-

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Hellraiser (2022)

Recovering junkie Odessa A’zion accompanies scuzzy boyfriend Drew Starkey on a break-in where all they find is a weird puzzle box. A’zion later opens the box and after some weird shit happens, A’zion and Starkey figure it might be a good idea to learn more about this messed up trinket. Goran Visnjic plays a millionaire who possessed the box before our protagonist nicked it.   Is there any point in remaking/rebooting “Hellraiser” when the 1987 adaptation of Clive Barker’s original text was written and directed by Barker himself? And is considered a horror classic? On evidence here, absolutely not. Directed by David Bruckner ( “The Signal” ) and scripted by Ben Collins ( “The Night House” ) and Luke Piotrowski (ditto) this is an entirely tedious affair. I took a long time to get on board with the 1987 “Hellraiser” , I have to admit. It was wildly imaginative and original, like a nightmare transplanted on to film. However, the characters were stone cold and left me similarly chilly t
Read more

Review: Cinderella (1950)

The story of poor young Cinderella (voiced by Ilene Woods), treated as a servant by her nasty stepmother (voiced by Eleanor Audley), and dismissed by her thoroughly rotten, ugly stepsisters. Her only friends are a group of mice, who are forever being menaced by a cat named Lucifer (or as I call him, Grumpy Cheshire Cat). The King (hoping to find a wife for his charming son) is throwing a ball and every available young woman is invited to attend, and Cinderella is most excited to go. However, her stepmother and stepsisters do all they can to prevent this from happening. But with help from the mice and one fairy godmother (voiced by Verna Felton) later, and Cinderella looks set to attend the ball. You know the rest, folks.   Lovely 1950 Disney animated movie from directors Clyde Geronimi ( “Peter Pan” , “Lady and the Tramp” ), Wilfred Jackson ( “Fantasia” , “Alice in Wonderland” , “Peter Pan” ) & Hamilton Luske ( “Pinocchio” , “Fantasia” , “Peter Pan” ), that is a bit too s
Read more

Review: Eugenie de Sade

Eugenie (Soledad Miranda) makes a deathbed confession to author/biographer (Jesus ‘Jess’ Franco himself), recounting the tale of how her depraved stepfather (Paul Muller) groomed her into a life of depravity, debauchery, and murder.   Not to be confused with the similarly titled “Eugenie…The Story of Her Journey into Perversion” (by the same director) or “Justine de Sade” (which is not to be confused with Franco’s own “Justine” for that matter), this 1973 Marquis de Sade adaptation from writer-director Jesus Franco ( “99 Women” , “A Virgin Among the Living Dead” ) is perhaps the perfect marriage of Franco, sleazy material, and actors. Basically this is what Franco’s “She Killed in Ecstasy” might’ve been like if it were based on a Marquis de Sade work. There’s a few slow spots here and there, but overall I actually think this is Franco’s best film. Yes, even better than my previous choice “Vampyros Lesbos” , and better than his more ‘respectable’ films like “Count Dracula” (a
Read more