Monday, December 20, 2004
A signed us up for Netfilx, and asked what I wanted for our first three movies. Out of nowhere I said, "True Grit", a movie I haven't seen, or probably even thought of since before I was old enough to grow cool sideburns like Glen Campbell. It was flat out terrific. Robert Duvall plays one of the bad guys, Dennis Hooper has a nice turn, and the principals are brilliant. What struck me most was the writing-- just about everything the characters say is cleverly said, with no wasted talk at all.
"Rooster Cogburn: I aim to kill you in one minute, Ned. Or see you hanged in Fort Smith at Judge Parker's convenience. What'll it be?
Ned Pepper: I call that bold talk for a one eyed fat man.
Rooster Cogburn: Fill your hands, you son of a bitch."
It also was beautifully filmed-- in Technicolor, I might add, so that the whole thing just looks great. The Duke won the Best Actor Oscar, which, as I recall, was viewed as being something of a valedictory award, but, with the benefit of hindsight it can be asserted that he earned it on the merits. (The other nominees were Richard Burton, for "Anne of the Thousand Days", Dustin Hoffman, for "Midnight Cowboy", Peter O'Toole,for "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", and Jon Voight, for "Midnight Cowboy".)
"Rooster Cogburn: I aim to kill you in one minute, Ned. Or see you hanged in Fort Smith at Judge Parker's convenience. What'll it be?
Ned Pepper: I call that bold talk for a one eyed fat man.
Rooster Cogburn: Fill your hands, you son of a bitch."
It also was beautifully filmed-- in Technicolor, I might add, so that the whole thing just looks great. The Duke won the Best Actor Oscar, which, as I recall, was viewed as being something of a valedictory award, but, with the benefit of hindsight it can be asserted that he earned it on the merits. (The other nominees were Richard Burton, for "Anne of the Thousand Days", Dustin Hoffman, for "Midnight Cowboy", Peter O'Toole,for "Goodbye, Mr. Chips", and Jon Voight, for "Midnight Cowboy".)
// posted by Bill @ 2:30 PM 
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