John Wayne was 62 years old when he finally won his Oscar for the True Grit 1969 film. By then, many critics thought he was a relic. The Western genre was changing, getting bloodier and more cynical with movies like The Wild Bunch. People didn't expect a traditional star like Wayne to deliver a performance that felt modern, but he did. He played Rooster Cogburn as a messy, drunken, and surprisingly vulnerable lawman. It wasn't just another cowboy role. It was something else entirely.
Honestly, if you watch it today, the movie feels weirdly timeless. It has this strange, elevated dialogue that sounds like Shakespeare if Shakespeare lived in the Ozarks. That’s because the screenwriter, Marguerite Roberts, stuck close to Charles Portis’s original novel. Most Westerns from that era have characters who grunt or speak in clichés. Not this one. Mattie Ross talks like she’s reading a legal contract, and Rooster responds with a mix of grumbles and tall tales. It’s a bickering match that happens to take place during a manhunt.
The Reality of Rooster Cogburn
Most people think of Rooster Cogburn as a hero. He isn't. Not really. In the True Grit 1969 film, he’s a deputy marshal who has killed a lot of people—maybe too many. The movie doesn't shy away from the fact that he's a bit of a "one-eyed fat man" with a questionable moral compass. When Mattie Ross, a fourteen-year-old girl played by Kim Darby, seeks him out, she isn't looking for a saint. She's looking for someone with "true grit" to hunt down Tom Chaney, the man who murdered her father.
Wayne’s performance is actually quite nuanced for a guy known for playing the same character in every movie. You see the age in his eyes. You see the regret. There’s a scene where he talks about his past life, his wife, and his son who didn't like him much. It’s a quiet moment that grounds the whole adventure. Without that vulnerability, the famous climax—where he puts the reins in his teeth and charges four outlaws—would just feel like a cheesy stunt. Instead, it feels like a man trying to prove he’s still got some fire left before the world moves on without him.
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A Production Plagued by Casting Drama
The making of the True Grit 1969 film wasn't exactly smooth. Casting Mattie Ross was a nightmare. Hal Wallis, the producer, wanted a young actress who could carry the weight of the film. Mia Farrow was actually the first choice. Can you imagine that? Farrow had just done Rosemary’s Baby and was a massive star. However, Robert Duvall, who played the villain Ned Pepper, supposedly didn't get along with her, or there were scheduling conflicts—the stories vary depending on who you ask.
Eventually, Kim Darby got the part. She was 21 playing 14. Some people hate her performance because she’s so stiff and formal. But that’s the point. Mattie Ross is a girl who had to grow up too fast in a brutal world. She’s suppose to be annoying. She's supposed to be a "bookish" girl who thinks she can outtalk a gunfighter.
Then you have Glen Campbell.
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He was a massive country music star at the time, but he wasn't an actor. He played La Boeuf, the Texas Ranger. Looking back, his performance is... okay. He’s charming, but he’s clearly outclassed by Wayne and Duvall. Wayne reportedly liked him, though. The Duke was always a fan of people who worked hard and didn't complain on set.
Why the 1969 Version Hits Differently Than the Remake
In 2010, the Coen Brothers made their own version. It was great. Jeff Bridges was a fantastic Rooster. But there is a specific warmth in the True Grit 1969 film that the remake lacks. The 1969 version uses the scenery of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado (even though the story is set in Arkansas and Oklahoma). The visuals are bright, sprawling, and epic. It feels like a classic Hollywood production in the best way possible.
- The Score: Elmer Bernstein’s music is legendary. It’s heroic and sweeping.
- The Villain: Robert Duvall as "Lucky" Ned Pepper is a highlight. He isn't a mustache-twirling bad guy. He’s a professional criminal who has a weird respect for Rooster.
- The Ending: The 1969 ending is much more sentimental than the book or the remake. It gives the audience a sense of closure that feels earned after all the dust and blood.
The Coen Brothers version is "grittier" in terms of dirt and lighting, but the 1969 film is grittier in its soul. It was a transition piece. It bridged the gap between the "Golden Age" of Westerns and the new, cynical cinema of the 1970s.
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The Oscar Controversy
When John Wayne won the Best Actor Oscar for this movie, some people were annoyed. They thought it was a "career achievement" award rather than a win for this specific role. Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight were both nominated for Midnight Cowboy that year. Richard Burton was in the mix for Anne of the Thousand Days.
But here’s the thing: Wayne is the movie. Without his specific brand of weathered charisma, the True Grit 1969 film falls apart. He took all the baggage of being "John Wayne" and used it to play a character who was a parody of himself. That’s hard to do. He even mocked himself during his acceptance speech, saying if he'd known he'd win by putting on an eye patch, he would have put one on years ago.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you’re planning to revisit this classic or watch it for the first time, here is how to get the most out of the experience:
- Read the book first. Charles Portis wrote a masterpiece. Seeing how the 1969 film adapts the specific "High Frontier" dialect is half the fun.
- Look at the background. Notice the locations. They filmed in Ouray and Ridgway, Colorado. The "hanging" scene at the beginning was filmed in the town square of Ouray, which still looks very similar today.
- Watch for Robert Duvall. He was just starting to become a powerhouse. His chemistry with Wayne in the final standoff is a masterclass in tension.
- Ignore the age gap. Don't worry about the fact that Kim Darby doesn't look 14 or that Glen Campbell's hair is perfect 1960s pop-star hair. Just lean into the style of the era.
The True Grit 1969 film isn't just a movie about a girl and a marshal. It's about the end of an era. It was the last time the "Old West" of Hollywood really felt alive before it was deconstructed by the gritty directors of the 70s. It’s a fun, surprisingly funny, and deeply moving story about what it means to actually have "grit" when everything is stacked against you.
Go watch the scene where Rooster Cogburn faces off against Ned Pepper’s gang in the meadow. It’s one of the most iconic moments in cinema history. "Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!" is a line that will live forever for a reason. It captures the defiance of a character—and an actor—who refused to go quietly into the night. Check out the 4K restoration if you can; the Colorado colors really pop and make the whole experience feel like you're right there in the mountains with them.