Le grand McLintock

I am a John Wayne fan, but have never heard much "buzz" about this movie. Indeed, I hesitated over it a number of times before renting it for my family's weekly movie. I almost introduced it apologetically.

No worries, though! This movie is CLASSIC John Wayne. There are SO many elements to like in it. You get some good and timely philosophical comments about self-reliance versus dependency, some other good points on what goes into a marriage; but then there are truly funny comic moments, scenes, lines. Very un-PC, very memorable.

In fact, this movie has so many great lines it will require more viewings. We re-ran several as it was.

Put that together with a uniformly strong supporting class, and I think you've got vintage Wayne.

Lively star Western vehicle in comedy vein, patterned after NORTH TO ALASKA (1960) and with a "Taming Of The Shrew"-like plot that recalls THE QUIET MAN (1952; with the same leads) – both of which, incidentally, I haven't watched in a long time!

As John Wayne grew older, his films settled into being safe and unassuming family fare – which this one certainly is, making it undeniably the least of the Batjac films released on DVD so far! Through all these films, he managed to surround himself with reliable talent on both sides of the camera – many of whom were already a part of "The John Wayne Stock Company". The script by James Edward Grant, Wayne's favorite writer, provides plenty of amusing situations which are gleefully met by the cast (particularly Chill Wills, Jack Kruschen and Strother Martin) – including a free-for-all in the mud, a fist-fight during a town celebration, a drunken encounter with a flight of stairs and the come-uppance of both female members (Maureen O' Hara and Stefanie Powers) of the McLintock family at the hands of the Waynes (father John and son Patrick respectively) – though the ponderous subplot involving the Comanches' last stand (headed by Michael Pate) feels somewhat incongruous alongside the brawling and the slapstick and should, perhaps, have been dropped altogether.

The supplements are of a similarly high quality as the rest of the Paramount "Batjac" releases: the Audio Commentary here is especially engaging for the way it places the film in the context of both Wayne's career and the revisionist attitude the Western genre would go through immediately afterwards; interestingly, as was the case with HONDO (1953), it's also mentioned that John Ford was asked to direct some sequences when the films' respective director became indisposed! Incidentally, I'll be watching the similarly boisterous DONOVAN'S REEF (1963) soon – a film that has eluded me all these years despite being a perennial on Italian TV! – and which proved to be the last of the innumerable collaborations between Wayne and Ford...

"McClintock" is loosely based on William Skakespesre's "The Taming of the Shrew". It is not your usual John Wayne western (in fact he doesn't draw his six shooter even once), but is more of a broad comedy with a tip of the hat to John Ford.

This film was the first to be produced by Wayne's son Michael who had basically taken over the running of Wayne's production company Batjac. It also was the first major feature to be directed by Andrew V. McLaglen who had learned his trade as an assistant on previous Wayne features and on TV. He is also the son of former Wayne co-star Victor McLaglan.

The story is simple. G.W. McClintock (Wayne) is rough and tumble hard drinking rancher whose estranged wife of two years, Katherine (Maureen O'Hara) has returned to try to gain custody of their daughter Becky (Stephanie Powers). The conflict between the two forms the basis for the rest of the picture. Into the mix comes a widowed settler Mrs. Warren (Yvonne DeCarlo) and her son Devlin (Patrick Wayne) who becomes enamored of Becky. The chemistry between Wayne and O'Hara makes this film go. The big gruff Wayne vs. the fiery Irish redhead provides much of the humor of the piece.

The scene for which this film is probably best remembered is the fight at the top of a mud slide Most of the combatants, including the two stars wind up going down the slide into a pool of mud below. And then there's the climatic chase through the streets.

The film features most of the members of the John Wayne stock company. Chill Wills plays Wayne's foreman Drago, Bruce Cabot as a rival rancher, Hank Worden as "Curley", Ed Faulkner as Cabot's son, Chuck Roberson as the Sheriff and Bob Steele as a train engineer.

Other familiar faces include Jack Kruschen as storekeeper Jake Birnbaum, Jerry Van Dyke as Junior a rival suitor for Becky, Perry Lopez as Davey Elk an educated Indian, Strother Martin as Agard the Indian agent, Gordon Jones as Douglas, McClintock's longtime nemesis, Robert Lowery as the governor, Michael Pate as Puma the Commanche chief, Marie Blanchard as saloon girl Camille and Leo Gordon as the settler who is the first to go down the famous mud slide.

A little devoid of action (there are no gunfights or saloon brawls), McClintock remains one of Wayne's most popular films.

The Paramount DVD release is billed as the "Authentic" Collector's Edition. Some years ago, the film somehow fell into the public domain and an inferior version of the film has been floating about the bargain bins as a result. This release however, restores the film to its widescreen aspect ratio as well as, showing its rich and vibrant colors. There is also interviews with the ageless Maureen O'Hara (still looking as beautiful as ever in her 80s) and Stephanie Powers who looks better now than she did in the film. Leonard Maltin hosts the various segments and provides a feature length commentary along with film historian Frank Thompson, O'Hara, Powers and Michael Pate.

Great fun.

I recently watched McLintock! (1963) on Prime. The storyline follows a lawless Wild West filled with Native Americans, bandits, corrupt officials, and ranchers trying to make a living. McLintock is a rancher who decides enough is enough and sets out to keep the peace among the locals.

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen (The Wild Geese), this film stars John Wayne (True Grit), Maureen O'Hara (Miracle on 34th Street), Patrick Wayne (Big Jake), Stefanie Powers (Herbie Rides Again), and Jack Kruschen (The Apartment).

This is a fairly cliché, straightforward western with a mediocre storyline. However, the characters are fun, and the fistfight scenes are amazing. McLintock's back-and-forth with his wife provides a light-hearted and entertaining subplot. John Wayne delivers his character perfectly; his drunk scenes are hilarious, and his legendary spanking scene adds to the humor. Unfortunately, there aren't any real shootouts or over-the-top action scenes that stand out.

In conclusion, McLintock! Is a straightforward western with enough fun scenes to make it worth watching for fans of the genre. I would score this a 6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

Directed by Andrew MacLaglan, this rip-roaring John Wayne-Maureen O'Hara comedy lets them do what they did best.

Wayne plays George Washington McLintock, a brawler and he-man in typical Western setting. O'Hara plays his feisty wife and Stefanie Powers their bratty daughter, Becky. Patrick Wayne, son of Big John, plays Becky's intended, a young man who looks like he'll wind up just like her pa.

'McLintock' is fast, furious, and funny. About as far from PC as you can get, this Western take on The Taming of the Shrew is bawdy and boisterous, and the casting is perfect. John Wayne was a man's man in the 'gotta do what he has to do' mould and this role was perfect. O'Hara - his best co-star - is also superb.