True Grit

[dotty.]

Went to see True Grit last night and I was quite pleased with the remake, the dialogue and screenplay was almost identical to the 1969 version, I knew the dialogue almost word for word, which even I found weird! Before Mattie Ross even spoke I knew what she was going to say. Le Boeuf's dialogue was far more complex than the lines they had given Glen Campbell though I must say. The scenes were almost identical which was quite heartwarming, but I am a die hard John Wayne fan and so that's jusy me. Someone on AB commented that the mention of Cole Younger and Jesse James seemed odd but infact it was Cole Younger and Frank James in the end scenes at their Wild West Show in 1905, (Frank lived until 1912 and never actually worked in a Wild West Show.) which was the ending in the Charles Portis novel and the only real digression from the 'Tall white horse with 4 white socks' and the 'Old Fat Man' ending of the original,
What the earlier poster also failed to notice was that Frank James was played by James Brolin ! (His son Josh played Tom Chaney) He of Capricorn One incase you don't recognise the name .

In all I enjoyed the experience of seeing it done again, Jeff Bridges was asequate as Rooster Cogburn, but not quite tough enough I thought.

[Bbbananas]

I'm going to see that this weekend dotty - nice to get a review of it.

I read one review where it said that Jeff Bridges' accent was so authentic, that it was very hard to distinguish what he was saying. I find that really annoying in a film if I can't hear what they are saying. Did you find this?

[dotty.]

Yes I did it was very very drawled but you need to tune in quite quickly as his he his quite humourous and though it sounds like he is just muttering nonesense alot of the detail of the story is in there, plus the camera angles sometimes mean he is talking with his back to the screen or whilst doing something distracting and so it;'s not easy. But all in all, if you know the first movie you do follow it better, if you are unfamniliar with it, it might be a problem if you missed what he says
Ned Pepper is played by Barry Pepper the actor from Lonesome Dove and Saving Private Ryan which also starred Matt Damon,

[Davethedog]

Dotty it was a word for word - scene for scene remake?

[Bbbananas]

I only vaguely remember watching it with my dad. I'd watch westerns with him, he'd sit and watch Hammer House of Horror with me.

Of course, I am far too young to remember any details or dialogue.... ;-)

[bednobs]

i saw it a week ago and had the benefit of seeing the original a few days before. n the whole i preferred this one but some scenes were different (though not many) I thought the girl in this one was better than the last one

[dotty.]

Not word for word and scene for scene but very very close Like I said, The Meadow scene especially was pretty similar but Jeff Bridges apparently did the charge himself on horseback, though I didn't really see the difference as it was still a long shot. Definately would seem very familiar if you know the original. Down to the fingers on the table to the encounter scene by the river.
They even used the 'I always go backwards when I;m backing up' dialogue, one of my fave lines,