Chisum (1970)

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writer:

Andrew J. Fenady (written by)

Release Date:

29 July 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

THE HERO - John Wayne is "Chisum"

Plot:

Cattle baron John Chisum joins forces with Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett to fight the Lincoln County land war.

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Billy The Kid | Pat Garrett | Range War | Wilhelm Scream

Awards:

1 win

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 14

8:15 AM

AMC

Cast

John Wayne	...	John Simpson Chisum
Forrest Tucker	...	Lawrence Murphy
Christopher George	...	Dan Nodeen
Ben Johnson	...	James Pepper
Glenn Corbett	...	Pat Garrett
Bruce Cabot	...	Sheriff Brady
Andrew Prine	...	Alex McSween
Patric Knowles	...	J. Henry Tunstall
Richard Jaeckel	...	Jess Evans
Lynda Day George	...	Sue McSween (as Lynda Day)
Geoffrey Deuel	...	Billy 'The Kid' Bonney
Pamela McMyler	...	Sallie Chisum
John Agar	...	Amos Patton
Lloyd Battista	...	Neemo
Robert Donner	...	Bradley Morton - Deputy sheriff

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | Finland:K-11 (new rating: 2001) | Finland:K-12 (original rating) | France:U | Finland:K-12 | Norway:16 (theatrical rating: 1970) | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Company:

Batjac Productions

Trivia:

Both Ralph Volkie and Trinidad Villa are credited as the blacksmith in various reference works.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Billy shoots Jess Evans, he falls on his stomach. In the next shot, he is lying on his back.

Quotes:

Sallie Chisum: I think in some ways, the two of them are a lot alike.
Pat Garrett: Who?
Sallie Chisum: Uncle John, Billy Bonney. Don't you think they are? Don't you?
Pat Garrett: Not in the important things.
Sallie Chisum: Like what?
Pat Garrett: Well, Mr. Chisum's changed with the times. He doesn't like to let on, but he cares... about the people here and in town, about the Indians and the territory. Well, he's independent, and he likes to do things his own way, but he cares.
Sallie Chisum: And Billy doesn't?
Pat Garrett: I guess he can't help it. But you heard him, all he cares about is gettin' those men.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in John Wayne and Chisum (1970)

Soundtrack:

Turn Me Around

Beautiful, Sentimental Western

"Chisum" both begins and ends with "The Duke," John Wayne, high on a hillside, quietly overlooking the valley where the film's action takes place. It as if Wayne is personifying the eternal values with which he was by then inseparably associated, ready to spring into action as necessary, like an American version of England's once and future king. The timeless quality is enhanced by making this scene the subject of a painting that springs to life to begin the film's events, then freezes again at the end, presumably to be re-awakened the next time the need arises.

Sentimentality gushes out of this film. At one point, Wayne's character even pulls out an old wedding photo to show his niece, nicely played by Pamela McMyler, and earnestly affirms his love for the land (Durango, Mexico, a beautiful spot where Wayne filmed several films during the '70s and bought a ranch). Later, he goes out of his way to show respect for an old Indian Chief who clearly is a dear friend. Long-time sidekick Ben Johnson is around so that Wayne has someone with whom to squabble, and Forrest Tucker - fresh off F-Troop - is the villain who Wayne finally overcomes after the usual twists and turns.

Wayne, while overseeing the proceedings (the famous Lincoln County Cattle War) like a grand seigneur, passes the baton to the younger generation, here personified by Glenn Corbett as Pat Garrett and Geoffrey Deuel (Pete's brother) as a morally torn Billy the Kid. A favorite scene is where Billy reads the Bible by a pond while practicing his marksmanship. When Billy's saintly mentor is killed by the Tucker character's minions, all heck breaks loose, with shootouts and legal maneuvers extending up to the territorial Governor and beyond. It's always clear that the range war is a sideshow, though - the real action is watching Wayne expertly take his bows after the previous year's "True Grit."

But there is plenty of action. Wayne gets to punch out Tucker not once, but twice, and there are gunfights every few minutes. The romantic subplots mercifully are kept to a minimum, and there are a fair number of comic and clearly ironic lines (Tucker's character, after he has personally interceded with the Governor to further his agenda, had his stooge appointed Sheriff, and is in the middle of a raging gunfight: "I can't interfere with the law.") The Ben Johnson character in particular has some amusing grumbles that Wayne appears to prefer not to hear.

The film's main weakness for me is the busy direction. Andrew V. McLaglen is competent, with an eye for framing interesting shots, but he falls in love with his zoom lens. He continually reaches for too-clever shots, always trying to have something going in both the fore- and background. These and other early-'70s touches are distracting and unfortunately give the film a dated feel at times, but Wayne and company overcome them. Too bad that John Ford had retired.

When this film was released, it was completely at odds with the social climate of the times. You almost had to be a present or former Boy Scout to be interested in this film. But quality tells in the end, and there is a certain timelessness to this film that you won't find in too many other 1970 releases.

Love the Merle Haggard theme song. "Chisum, John Chisum." If you like Wayne and westerns, you won't go wrong with "Chisum."