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![The Shootist [DVD] - Picture 1 of 1](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jAIAAOxy~dNQ9pv4/s-l500.jpg)
John Wayne's last film appearance, stars as famed gunfighter J.J. Brooks. After learning that he's dying of stomach cancer and has less than two months to live,Wayne moves into a boarding house in Carson City run by Bond Rogers, and her son, Gillom, to die quietly. But when word gets around that the old gunslinger is in town, curiosity seekers come out of the woodwork to get a look, and the ridiculous marshal who contemplates a showdown with the shootist. Annoyed by the attention and realizing that if he waits long enough, he'll die in great pain, Brooks decides to seek out his enemies and go down with guns blazing. Yet he works to persuade the hero-worshiping Gillom to for go a life of violence. Credits Producer: M.J. Frankovich, William Self Cast: John Wayne,James Stewart, Bill McKinney, Henry Morgan, Hugh O'Brian, John Carradine, Lauren Bacall, Richard Boone, Richard Lenz, Ron Howard, Scatman Crothers, Sheree North Widescreen Shooting location: Carson City, Nevada.Read full review
I must still be a kid at heart. I still watch these old shows. This one is from 1976 when I was a junior in high school. This is the "final ride" of the character JB Books. His last shootout was finished off by his friend Gillom Rogers played by Ron Howard (Richie Cunningham). Gillom tries to save Books by shooting his attackers but its too late. After Books sees that Gillom avenges the shootings against Books, Gillom gets a nod of approval from Books. It's too bad that Books dies but Gillom is the real hero when he comes to the aide of Books. Really a good show.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The Shootist was Duke Wayne's last screen film credit, though he did make many more television appearances and even commercials between early 1976, when this film was shot, and his death in mid-1979. Other reviews here have stated what a good film this really is. Wayne was very proud of it, although he was frustrated by its summer 1976 release date and publicity. He felt a fall release would have been more appropriate for this type of film, and he was probably right. To clarify several repeating errors in other reviews, Wayne was NOT dying of cancer at the time of this film, and had no intentions of this being his last screen credit, and at no time until his death did he ever have plans to retire from acting. (If nothing else, he needed money coming in to service the overhead on a lot of his assets, such as his large boat and Arizona ranch.) Wayne did not feel nearly as well during the January-to-April 1976 filming of this movie on location in Nevada and on the California lot as he had while filming his prior movie Rooster Cogburn in late 1974, but his main health problem at the time was a then un-diagnosed defective Mitral Valve in his heart. This problem had probably been with him since a trip to London in early 1974. Wayne did not have any symptoms of cancer during the filming of The Shootist. He eventually was correctly diagnosed and underwent heart-valve replacement surgery (with a pig's heart valve) in 1978, which was a success. By October of 1978, Wayne was experiencing stomach pains, which he refused to have looked at for way too long, which was the stomach cancer that would eventually claim his life in June of 1979. Though Wayne had undergone a 9-hour surgery to remove his entire stomach in January of that year, discovered during a planned surgery to examine his gall bladder, his cancer had spread to other organs. This was not lung cancer, as other reviewers have written. By the 1976 release date here, Wayne was off his peak at the box office, as Brannigan and Rooster Cogburn had not drawn particularly well. He was very excited about the role of J.B. Books in The Shootist, both for being a good role, and for being his first screen work in over one year. Wayne and his production company continued to look at screenplays after filming of The Shootist concluded, and tried to get good screenplays going for a third installment of the Rooster Cogburn character. One screenplay rejected by Wayne was written with he and Clint Eastwood in mind. Wayne signed a deal with ABC Television for some specials, and made two different series of commercials, working into late 1978. He made public appearances, too, into late 1978, although he was suffering weight loss from his stomach pain. His last television appearance was the 1979 Oscars, and he was hospitalized almost continously after Easter of 1979 until his death. What impresses me most about all of Wayne's films in the 1970's was his work ethic, and how he really pushed to remain the lead in movies, often developing the projects with his own production company. He did not want to fade into supporting actor roles. He even bucked his Western sensibilities by making two "modern" films, McQ and Brannigan. But if you think Wayne could not act, just make sure to watch The Shootist and The Cowboys, which really show that the man knew his profession and could really pull it off, despite his helmut toupee, until the end of his career.Read full review
It is 1901 and the Queen of England has just died. J.B. Book (Wayne) has just ridden into Carson City. He is here to see Doc Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart). He needs another opinion from somebody he trusts. Doc confirms the Colorado doctor's diagnosis and it isn't good. He has cancer and is dying, soon! Hostetler suggests a rooming house owned by a widow woman, Bond Rogers (Lauren Cacall), and her son Gillom (Ron Howard). Soon after arriving, the local sheriff, Walter Thibido (Harry Morgan) shows up to try to get Book to leave their peaceful town. Book tells him that he is dying and won't be trouble. Thibido isn't sympathetic and wishes him to die fast. Before long the whole town is buzzing about the old gunfighter being in town. Gillom works for the local milk man J. Cobb. He is also friends with the local livery owner, Moses (Scatman Carothers). Here he finds out that the old man staying at his mother's house is J.B. Book, the most famous living shootist. Book lied about his name to Mrs. Rogers, afraid she would not let him stay. He didn't have many options. When she finds out from Gillom, she is furious and demands he leave. He refuses and tells her why. She is a Christian woman and lets him stay. That night, glory seekers try to kill Book in his sleep, but he kills them both. Now the other borders leave and all he was doing was defending his life. Book has to take a medication called Laudinum (opium) for the pain. A local newspaper man does an article on Book and the wierdos start coming from everywhere. One is Mike Sweeney (Richard Boone), who wants to kill Book because Book killed his brother years earlier when he was a Marshall. Another person is Jack Pulford (Hugh O'Brien). He is a faro dealer at the Metropole Casino and Saloon. He too is a sharpshooter and has a reputation with a gun. He has publicly stated that he would welcome Mr. Book at his faro table. As the days pass, Book and Mrs. Rogers become civil with one another and become friends. He has lived a life in the wild for many years, and much of his reputation was the results of just successfully protecting himself. He lived by a simple creed, he didn't allow anyone to wrong him. One day an old flame Serepta, came to visit, but it turned out that all she wanted was an opportunity to use his name for profit. Book makes friends with Gillom and finds that he is a good kid. Book gives Gillom his horse, Dollar. He knows that the time is near and that the pain is only getting worse. He now decides that he will end it all on his birthday which is in two days. He asks Gillom to go see Mike Sweeney, Jay Cobb, and Jack Pulford, and invite each of them to come see him on Monday morning at the Metropole - but not to tell them about the others. He arranges his funeral and tombstone too. He has his suit dry cleaned and tells Mrs. Rogers good-bye. He left everything for her for all of the inconvenience he had caused. He then goes off to meet his fate. It is a beautiful Autumn/Spring morning, and when he arrives at the Metropole, his "Guests" are there. While having a drink, Cobb takes a shot, but Book kills him. Sweeney then fires and hit Book. Book shoots back and kills Sweeney, but is hit again by Pulford. Book shoots again and kills Pulford too. He is wounded and doesn't see the bartender with a shotgun sneaking up behind, and is shot twice in the back. Gillom heard it all, but was too late. With Book's gun he shot the barman three times, and threw away the gun. J.B. Book was dead.Read full review
One of my favorite John Wayne movies, in part, because he was facing the same health issues in real life as his character in this film. I first saw this movie years ago; since then, I 'googled' John Wayne's bio and read up on him a little before watching this movie again. It really seemed as though this was a metaphor for his screen career...an aging 'gunfighter' coming to the end of the trail and having to face his mortality and how he would be remembered. I really enjoyed Jimmy Stewart's (as always) and Lauren Bacall's (didn't know she could do this type role) work as well as Henry Morgan and Hugh O'Rrian's beefed up cameo's. Opie Taylor (whoops, sorry Richie Cunningham, I mean Ron Howard) is a fine director but its clear to see why he stopped acting...still enjoyed him in this film. Its nice to se a movie these days that doesn't rely on just visual effects (don't get me wrong, I enjoy those too) to keep your eyes on the screen. Great story, well directed, superb cinemetography...one of my favorites.Read full review
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