The Shootist (1976)

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Glendon Swarthout (novel)
Miles Hood Swarthout (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 August 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Tagline:

He's got to face a gunfight once more to live up to his legend once more. To win just one more time.

Plot:

A dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity.

Plot Keywords:

Gunfighter | Marshal | Dignity | Death | Cancer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

John Wayne	...	J.B.Books aka John Bernard Books
Lauren Bacall	...	Bond Rogers
Ron Howard	...	Gillom Rogers
James Stewart	...	Dr. E.W. Hostetler
Richard Boone	...	Mike Sweeney
Hugh O'Brian	...	Jack Pulford (faro dealer at Metropole Saloon)
Bill McKinney	...	Jay Cobb (owner, Cob's Creamery)
Harry Morgan	...	Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido
John Carradine	...	Hezekiah Beckum (undertaker)
Sheree North	...	Serepta (Books' ex-girlfriend)
Rick Lenz	...	Dan Dobkins (reporter, 'Morning Appeal') (as Richard Lenz)
Scatman Crothers	...	Moses Brown (liveryman)
Gregg Palmer	...	Burly man
Alfred Dennis	...	Barber
Dick Winslow	...	Streetcar driver
Melody Thomas Scott	...	Girl on Streetcar (as Melody Thomas)
Kathleen O'Malley	...	School teacher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Johnny Crawford	...	Books' victim in flashback (uncredited)
Christopher George	...	Books' victim in flashback (uncredited)
Leo Gordon	...	Books' victim in flashback (uncredited)
Charles G. Martin	...	Murray (the bartender) (uncredited)
Ricky Nelson	...	Books' fellow lawman in flashback (uncredited)
James Nolan	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Henry Slate	...	Pulford confidante (uncredited)
Ralph Volkie	...	White-haired bartender (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Siegel

Writing credits
Glendon Swarthout		(novel)
Miles Hood Swarthout		(screenplay) and
Scott Hale		(screenplay)

Produced by
M.J. Frankovich	....	producer
William Self	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees

Film Editing by
Douglas Stewart

Production Design by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Set Decoration by
Arthur Jeph Parker		(as Arthur Parker)

Makeup Department
Joe DiBella	....	makeup artist (as Joe Di Bella)
Dave Grayson	....	makeup artist
Vivienne Walker	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Russell Saunders	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph C. Cavalier	....	assistant director (as Joe Cavalier)
Joe Florence	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bill Dietz	....	property master
Richard Lawrence	....	assistant art director
Joseph M. LeBaron	....	construction coordinator
William Cruse	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recordist
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recordist
Al Overton	....	sound mixer (as Alfred J. Overton)
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Augie Lohman	....	special effects
David Domeyer	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Burk	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Jim Burk	....	stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited)
Jim Burk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Wills	....	stunts wrangler (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Adams	....	key grip
Thomas Del Ruth	....	camera operator (as Tom Del Ruth)
Charles Holmes	....	gaffer (as Chuck Holmes)
Richard A. Mention III	....	camera assistant (as Rick Mention)
Timothy E. Wade	....	camera assistant
Dave Sutton	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Luster Bayless	....	costumes: men
Moss Mabry	....	costumes: Miss Bacall
Edna Taylor	....	costumes: women

Editorial Department
Jerrold L. Ludwig	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver

Other crew
Jack Casey	....	publicist
Eudie Charnes	....	production coordinator
Dino De Laurentiis	....	presenter
Al Horwits	....	public relations
Betsy Norton	....	script supervisor
Buzz Barton	....	horse wrangler (uncredited)
Robert S. Birchard	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Dino De Laurentiis Company (uncredited)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (UK) (1976) (UK) (theatrical)
• Tobis (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Filmayer (Spain)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Roadshow Entertainment
• Roadshow Home Video

Special Effects

• Burbank Editorial Service Inc. (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Burbank Editorial Service Inc.  sound effects
• D.K. Harris Music Service  music editing (as D. Harris Music Service)
• Polifroni/Sabba  casting
• Universal Title and Optical  titles and optical effects (as Universal Optical)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | USA:TV-PG (cable rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Carson City, Nevada, USA

Company:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Trivia:

At the beginning of the seventh day, Gillom whistles a Scott Joplin song made famous to audiences three years earlier in The Sting (1973).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the opening scene labeled as being set in 1871, a pair of Colt Peacemaker revolvers with 4 3/4 inch barrels is shown. This model was developed for the US Army in 1873. Civilian sales started in 1875, and the 4 3/4 barrel length wasn't available until 1877.

Quotes:

John Bernard Books: I'm a dying man, scared of the dark.
Mrs. Rogers: Damn you! Damn you for the pain you brought into this house.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-02-18)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Willow, Tit Willow

The Duke says Goodbye.

All of the credit in the world goes to John Wayne for making this film. Here you have the biggest star in Hollywood history, making a film that symbolizes his life. You have an aging actor, whose best days were past him, portraying an aging gunfighter, whose best days were behind him. You have a character trying to fit into a world that had changed too much. Much like Wayne was trying to fit into a changing America. Lastly, you had a character, dying of cancer, trying to accomplish one last thing. Wayne, who was also dying of cancer, like the character, was trying to accomplish one last thing, a great film. To me, this film is special, because you are seeing in real life, a dying icon make his farewell. Like the character JB Books, Wayne was trying to put a brave face on his final days. He was vulnerable and uncertain about what awaited him, but he sought to accomplish one last goal. I don't care if you like Wayne or not, but how someone could not be emotionally effected by seeing this legend on screen for his last time, well, I feel sorry for you. This film is very special to me.