The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)

Ranch owner Katie Elder's four sons determine to avenge the murder of their father and the swindling of their mother.

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

William H. Wright (screenplay), Allan Weiss (screenplay),

Stars:

John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	John Elder
Dean Martin	...	Tom Elder
Martha Hyer	...	Mary Gordon
Michael Anderson Jr.	...	Bud Elder
Earl Holliman	...	Matt Elder
Jeremy Slate	...	Ben Latta
James Gregory	...	Morgan Hastings
Paul Fix	...	Sheriff Billy Wilson
George Kennedy	...	Curley
Dennis Hopper	...	Dave Hastings
Sheldon Allman	...	Harry Evers
John Litel	...	Minister
John Doucette	...	Hyselman
James Westerfield	...	Mr. Vennar
Rhys Williams	...	Charlie Striker

Storyline

The Elder boys return to Clearwater, Texas for their Mother's funeral. John the eldest is a well known gunfighter and trouble follows him wherever he goes. The boys try to get back their ranch from the towns gunsmith who won it from their father in a card game with which he was shortly murdered there after but not before getting through the troubles that come with the Elders name.

---

Plot Keywords:

ranch | gunfighter | texas | funeral | murder | 

---

Taglines:

From the four winds they came, the four brothers, their eyes smoking and their fingers itching...

---

Genres:

Western

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 July 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die vier Söhne der Katie Elder

Filming Locations:

Casa Blanca, Durango, Mexico

Box Office

Gross:

$6,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Hal Wallis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film premiered on ABC television the same night as the infamous "Heidi" incident on NBC.

---

Goofs

If you slow motion the sequence where John Elder (Wayne) draws his pistol on the sheriff in the graveyard, you can see that there are two guns, one in his holster, and another in his hand, done (not very well) in an effort to make him look fast on the draw.

---

Quotes

John Elder: All we want to do is make you end up rich and respectable. You fight us every step of the way.
Bud Elder: I don't want to be rich and respectable. I want to be just like the rest of you.

---

Connections

Remade as Four Brothers (2005)

---

Soundtracks

"The Sons Of Katie Elder"
(uncredited)
Performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

User Reviews

Western Drama delivers

Well this film is perhaps not in Waynes top 20 it remains very watchable and can be veiwed on many occassions.Katie Elder had 4 sons it is asking a lot to accept the age range but it works well.Dean Martin gives a good performance as Tom and Duke is John the other brothers play their parts well but are dwarfed by the two stars.Hathways direction is tight and tho a bit on the slow side you can't switch off once watching.Filmed justt after Waynes lung had been removed you can see its importance in his career,the action scenes took a lot out of him but being the man he was he got them done with help from an oxygen mask,and many of the crew were impressed by his professionalism and bravery.A box office succes,it kept Wayne in the publics mind.So not quite a classic but worth watching for the two stars and the bravery of John Wayne no one else has ever filled the screen like the Duke.7/10