John Wayne Movie Review: Rio Bravo (1959)

 Sheriff Chance (John Wayne) arrests a man Joe Burdette for murder, and his brother Nathan Burdette (John Russell) doesn't like it.  John is a big land owner and is complicit in a murder himself, paying people to do his evil work.  Chance has two deputies, Stumpy (Walter Brennan) who is crippled and Dude (Dean Martin) who has been on a two year bender after things went sour with a girl.  But they do have the fortress of the jail.  There is a woman (Angie Dickinson) new in town, who befriends Chance.  Also a young gun man, Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson) whose boss is murdered by Burdette's men, and becomes a third deputy.  Finally the dye is cast, when Burdette's men kidnap Dude, and arrange an exchange for Joe Burdette.  This sets up the final gun battle.  With the help of some dynamite things do not go well for the crooks.

I enjoyed this movie.  The action was very nice, as was the romance.  The nicest part was a couple of songs the deputies sang while they holed up in the jail where they thought they could defend against the criminals.  One of the songs the Tabernacle Choir has also sung, "Cindy." 

Movie Review: ***^Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

The Sons of Katie Elder is an old John Wayne, who is always good.  There is a scene where John Wayne is shooting his two six shooters much like Rooster Cogburn in True Grit.  I guess this was a rehearsal.  This movie is about three sons who return home after their mother has passed away; a bit too late for her.  It talks about how, in their business and travels, they have neglected her.  It goes from there to the sons deciding to figure out who killed their father, and how their mother was swindled of her property.  This movie is much like "The Mailbox."
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 It reminds one of the importance of family, and not forgetting those who are older, even when we are moved out and doing our own thing. This movie has a cute bit with Dean Martin raffling off his glass eye, and then buying it back. 

Movie Reviews: ****Bandolero

Bandolero is an old Jimmy Stewart and Dean Martin Movie.  I love the role Jimmy Stewart takes of pretending to the the hangman, while all the time plotting the escape of his brother.  He covers it so well he earns a punch from one of the outlaws, which he returns later.  I had forgotten that this story was a true tragedy.  Dean Martin had just earned the love of Raquel Welch, no small feet considering they had murdered her husband and then kidnapped her.  However it ended in a true tragedy after an encounter with the bandoleros.  Both of the brothers end up dead, and Raquel cries over their graves.  Only a few of those who headed into the mountains are able to return, including the Sheriff who has a crush on Raquel.  I highly recommend this movie.