True Grit

When I learned that the Coen Brothers were remaking True Grit I was so excited. Not only am I a big fan of the book, John Wayne’s True Grit is one of my all time favorite movies. With these directors and this cast I wasn’t afraid of them ruining the story, after all the original will always be with us. What I was looking forward to was a chance to relive a favorite tale and perhaps get a new perspective.
 
First off I must say that I really liked the Coen Brother’s True Grit.  It was a little rougher and more spare than the first one. The acting was excellent; from newcomer Hailee Steinfeld to veteran Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) all the performances were outstanding down to the smallest part. The photography and attention to detail was stellar, yet as much as I liked it, there were many things that I missed about the original film.
 
For one thing, I missed Kim Darby. I was eleven years old when True Grit came out and I identified so strongly with Kim Darby’s Mattie Ross that she has been a part of me all these years. Hailee Steinfeld did a phenomenal job but she wasn’t Kim Darby. Hopefully she’ll inspire a new generation of little girls, but her Mattie Ross comes off a little bitter and sharp, whereas Kim Darby’s Mattie Ross came off as plucky and capable. You could imagine her running the farm, supervising her crew and growing it in to something grand.
 
Another thing that I missed was Elmer Bernstein’s score. The theme song seems a little dated, but the score was rousing and virile. It matched the grandeur of the landscape and underscored the adventure. I really loved the music in the original film. And the setting of John Wayne’s film is breathtaking.
 
Another thing that I missed the most about the original True Grit was John Wayne himself and what he brought to the role with him. There were relationship details that Mr. Wayne conveyed that aren’t as prevalent in the current film. For example, everywhere that Rooster Cogburn went he had a relationship with the people that existed there. He knew the territory like the back of his hand and at every outpost he was widely known. Whether it was the Chinese man that owned the store where he lived or the Native Americans who ran the outpost, Rooster knew them all and they knew him. He even had an understanding with Judge Parker until the lawyers came and messed things up. Even the rats got their due. When the outlaws weren’t running from Rooster they respected his abilities as a marshall. I didn’t get that feeling with Jeff Bridges, especially in the courtroom.
 
Another difference I noticed about Jeff Bridges is that his Rooster Cogburn comes off a little racist. When he arrives at the Indian outpost two Indian boys are tormenting a mule and he kicks them off the porch. This is understandable, they were torturing an animal, but on the way back he kicks them again and this behavior is spiteful. Also, there is a point in the film where Rooster is placing whiskey bottles on tree limbs to find his way back. The original Rooster would never admit if he were lost. He was the master of his environment and he demanded attention. When John Wayne told stories of his past it was in the voice of an elder statesman, but when Jeff Bridges told stories it was like a pissing contest with Matt Damon’s LeBoeff.
 
I was also missing Rooster’s relationship with his horse Beau. His horse was so precious to him that when he is shot it is a tragic loss. Jeff Bridge’s Rooster mentions liking his horse, but John Wayne showed it. Everything from his saddle to his pistol to his rifle was an extension of the man. John Wayne was Rooster Cogburn. Jeff Bridges just played him. I think that Jeff Bridges did an excellent job but John Wayne has some big boots to fill. It’s hard standing up to an icon. Imagine one day if someone tried to recreate The Dude and you’ll see what I mean.
 
Now that the comparisons are over I will have to see the film again. I loved the original so much that it is hard to accept an imitator. But although a lot of the lines were the same, this film has its own voice and I need to go see it again so I can be a better listener. As many movies that I go to, it’s hard to find time to see a movie twice, but with this one I’ll make an exception. Coming from the same generation as the Coen Brothers, we’ve been influenced by many of the same films. I’m glad they remade True Grit and I’m even more glad that it causing people to go back and visit the original. It still holds up and it is still a great film. True Grit is a memorable story and a little part of me will always be Mattie Ross.
 
Rating: First Run A worthy successor