True Grit ( 1969 film ) - wikipedia True Grit ( 1969 film ) True Grit Theatrical release poster Directed by Henry Hathaway Produced by Hal B. Wallis Written by Marguerite Roberts Based on True Grit 1968 novel by Charles Portis Starring John Wayne Kim Darby Glen Campbell Robert Duvall Jeff Corey Dennis Hopper Strother Martin John Fiedler Music by Elmer Bernstein Cinematography Lucien Ballard Edited by Warren Low Distributed by Paramount Pictures Release date June 11, 1969 ( 1969 - 06 - 11 ) Running time 128 minutes Country United States Language English Box office $48 million True Grit is a 1969 American western film. It is the first film adaptation of Charles Portis ' 1968 novel of the same name. The screenplay was written by Marguerite Roberts. The film was directed by Henry Hathaway and starred Kim Darby as Mattie Ross and John Wayne as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn. Wayne won his only Academy Award for his performance in this film and reprised his role for the 1975 sequel Rooster Cogburn. Historians believe Cogburn was based on Deputy U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas, who brought in some of the toughest outlaws. The cast also features Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Corey and Strother Martin. The title song, sung by Campbell, was also Oscar - nominated. True Grit was adapted again in 2010, starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Hailee Steinfeld. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Reception 4.1 Awards and nominations 5 Differences from the novel 6 Sequels and other film versions 7 See also 8 Notes 9 External links Plot Frank Ross ( John Pickard ) is murdered by his hired hand, Tom Chaney ( Jeff Corey ). Ross 's young daughter, Mattie ( Kim Darby ), travels to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where she hires aging U.S. Marshal Reuben `` Rooster '' J. Cogburn ( John Wayne ) to bring Chaney in, raising his fee by shrewdly horse trading with Colonel Stonehill ( Strother Martin ). Mattie has heard that Cogburn has `` true grit. '' She gives him a payment to track and capture Chaney, who has taken up with outlaw `` Lucky '' Ned Pepper ( Robert Duvall ) in Indian Territory ( modern - day Oklahoma ). A young Texas Ranger, La Boeuf ( Glen Campbell ), is also pursuing Chaney and joins forces with Cogburn, despite Mattie 's protest. The two try to ditch Mattie, but she catches up and is permitted to ride along. After several days, the three discover horse thieves Emmett Quincy ( Jeremy Slate ) and Moon ( Dennis Hopper ), who are waiting for Ned Pepper at a remote dugout cabin. Cogburn captures and interrogates the two men. Moon 's leg is injured and Cogburn uses the injury as leverage to get information about Lucky Ned. In terrible pain and about to talk, Moon is stabbed by Quincy, who is then killed by Cogburn. In the remaining minute before Moon dies, he reveals that Pepper and his gang are due at the cabin that night to get fresh mounts. Rooster and La Boeuf lay a trap. But as soon as Pepper and his men arrive, La Boeuf blows their cover by firing too soon. A firefight ensues, during which Cogburn and La Boeuf kill two of the gang, but Pepper and the rest of his men escape. Cogburn, La Boeuf, and Mattie make their way to McAlester 's store with the dead bodies. Cogburn tries to persuade Mattie to stay at McAlester 's, but she refuses. The three resume their pursuit. Fetching water one morning, Mattie finds herself face - to - face with Chaney in a stream. When he comes toward her menacingly, she shoots Chaney with her father 's Colt Dragoon, injuring him and calling out to her partners. Pepper and his gang get there first, capturing her. Lucky Ned then forces Cogburn and La Boeuf to abandon the girl and ride away. Pepper decides to leave Mattie in the care of Chaney, who has lost his horse. He promises he will send a horse back for Chaney, vowing to kill him if any harm comes to the girl. Cogburn doubles back and attacks Pepper and his gang single - handedly. La Boeuf, meantime, finds Mattie. They watch from a high bluff as a mounted Cogburn confronts Pepper 's gang. Cogburn gives Pepper a choice between being killed right there or surrendering and being hanged in Fort Smith. Calling this `` bold talk for a one - eyed fat man, '' Pepper enrages Cogburn, who charges the four outlaws, guns blazing. He kills two of the gang and mortally wounds Pepper. In the fight, Ned shoots Rooster 's horse, trapping Rooster 's leg under him as he goes down. As a last act, the wounded Pepper prepares to kill Rooster, until La Boeuf makes a long shot with his Sharps Rifle, doing away with Pepper once and for all. As La Boeuf and Mattie return to Pepper 's camp, Chaney comes out from behind a tree and strikes La Boeuf in the head with a rock, fracturing his skull and knocking him unconscious. Mattie is able to shoot Chaney and wound him, but, driven back by the recoil, falls into a snake pit and breaks her arm. Chaney begins to taunt Mattie about the snakes, whereupon Cogburn appears and shoots Chaney. With great difficulty, Cogburn descends into the pit on a rope to retrieve Mattie, who is bitten by a rattlesnake before Cogburn can kill it. The mortally injured La Boeuf helps them out of the pit, saving their lives. La Boeuf dies from the effort. Cogburn is forced to leave La Boeuf 's body behind as they race to get help for Mattie at McAlester 's on Mattie 's pony. After stealing a buckboard, they arrive at their destination. There, an Indian doctor treats Mattie 's snakebite and broken arm. Some time later, Mattie 's attorney, J. Noble Daggett ( John Fiedler ) meets Cogburn in Fort Smith. On Mattie 's behalf Daggett pays Cogburn for Cogburn 's part in Chaney 's capture. Cogburn offers to wager the money on a bet that Mattie will recover just fine, a bet Daggett declines. In the epilogue Mattie, her arm in a sling, is back at home recovering from her injuries. She promises Cogburn he will be buried next to her in the Ross family plot after his death. Cogburn reluctantly accepts her offer and leaves, jumping over a fence on his new horse to disprove her good - natured jab that he was too old and fat to clear a four - rail fence, and rides off into the valley below. Cast Kim Darby as Mattie Ross John Wayne as Reuben J. `` Rooster '' Cogburn Glen Campbell as La Boeuf Jeremy Slate as Emmett Quincy Robert Duvall as Lucky Ned Pepper Dennis Hopper as Moon Strother Martin as Col. G. Stonehill Jeff Corey as Tom Chaney Donald Woods as Barlow John Fiedler as Lawyer Daggett James Westerfield as Judge Parker John Doucette as Sheriff Edith Atwater as Mrs. Floyd Carlos Rivas as Dirty Bob Isabel Boniface as Mrs. Bagby H.W. Gim as Chen Lee Ginger Cat as General Sterling Price ( uncredited ) John Pickard as Frank Ross Elizabeth Harrower as Mrs. Ross Ken Renard as Yarnell Hank Worden as R. Ryan, the undertaker at Fort Smith Ron Soble as Captain Boots Finch Alfred Ryder as Goudy Jay Ripley as Harold Parmalee Kenneth Becker as Farrell Parmalee Wilford Brimley as Minor Role ( uncredited ) Leo Alton as Boarding House Guest ( uncredited ) Forrest Burns as Courtroom Spectator ( uncredited ) Gene Coogan as Boarding House Guest ( uncredited ) Myron Healey as Deputy at Prisoner Unloading ( uncredited ) Boyd `` Red '' Morgan as Red ( Ferryman ) ( uncredited ) James McEachin as Judge Parker 's Bailiff ( uncredited ) Dennis McMullen as Bailiff ( uncredited ) Robin Morse as Bit Part ( uncredited ) Stuart Randall as McAlester ( uncredited ) Connie Sawyer as Talkative Woman at Hanging ( uncredited ) Jeffrey Sayre as Courtroom Spectator ( uncredited ) Jay Silverheels as Condemned Man at Hanging ( uncredited ) Dean Smith as Minor Role ( uncredited ) Vince St. Cyr as Gaspargoo ( uncredited ) Max Wagner as Courtroom Spectator ( uncredited ) Guy Wilkerson as The Hangman ( uncredited ) Chalky Williams as Courtroom Spectator ( uncredited ) Tom Gosnell as John Wayne Stunt Double ( uncredited ) Production Filming took place mainly in Ouray County, Colorado, in the vicinity of Ridgway ( now the home of the True Grit Cafe ), around the town of Montrose ( Montrose County ), and the town of Ouray. ( The script maintains the novel 's references to place names in Arkansas and Oklahoma, in dramatic contrast to the Colorado topography. ) The courtroom scenes were filmed at Ouray County Courthouse in Ouray. Ouray County Courthouse, constructed in 1888. The scenes that take place at the `` dugout '' and along the creek where Quincy and Moon are killed, as well as the scene where Rooster carries Mattie on her horse Little Blackie after the snakebite, were filmed at Hot Creek on the east side of the Sierra Nevada near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. Mount Morrison and Laurel Mountain form the backdrop above the creek. This location was also used in North to Alaska. Filming was done from September to December 1968. Mia Farrow was originally cast as Mattie and was keen on the role. However, prior to filming she made a film in England with Robert Mitchum, who advised her not to work with director Henry Hathaway because he was `` cantankerous. '' Farrow asked producer Hal B. Wallis to replace Hathaway with Roman Polanski, who had directed Farrow in Rosemary 's Baby, but Wallis refused. Farrow quit the film, which was then offered to Sondra Locke and Tuesday Weld, both of whom turned it down. John Wayne met Karen Carpenter at a talent show he was hosting and recommended her for the part, though the producers decided against it because she had no acting experience. Wayne had also lobbied for his daughter Aissa to win the part. After also considering Sally Field, the role went to Kim Darby. Elvis Presley was the original choice for LaBoeuf but the producers turned him down when his agent demanded top - billing over both Wayne and Darby. Glen Campbell was then cast instead. Wayne began lobbying for the part of Rooster Cogburn after reading the novel by Charles Portis. Wayne called Marguerite Roberts ' script `` the best script he had ever read, '' and was instrumental in getting her script approved and credited to her name after Roberts had been blacklisted for alleged leftist affiliations years before. This came in spite of Wayne 's own right - wing ideals. He particularly liked the scene with Darby where Rooster tells Mattie about his life in Illinois ( where he has a restaurant, his wife Nola leaves him because of his degenerate friends, and has a clumsy son named Horace ), calling it `` about the best scene I ever did. '' Garry Wills notes in his book, John Wayne 's America : The Politics of Celebrity, that Wayne 's performance as Rooster Cogburn bears close resemblance to the way Wallace Beery portrayed similar characters in the 1930s and 1940s, an inspired if surprising choice on Wayne 's part. Wills comments that it 's difficult for one actor to imitate another for the entire length of a movie and that the Beery mannerisms temporarily recede during the aforementioned scene in which Cogburn discusses his wife and child. Veteran John Wayne stunt - double Tom Gosnell does the stunt in the meadow, where `` Bo '' goes down, on his longtime horse Twinkle Toes. In the last scene, Mattie gives Rooster her father 's gun. She comments that he 's gotten a tall horse, as she expected he would. He notes that his new horse can jump a four - rail fence. Then she admonishes him, `` You 're too old and fat to be jumping horses. '' Rooster responds with a smile, saying, `` Well, come see a fat old man sometime, '' and jumps his new horse over a fence. Although many of Wayne 's stunts over the years were done by Hayward and Chuck Roberson, it is Wayne on Twinkle Toes going over the fence. Darby 's stunts were done by Polly Burson. The horse shown during the final scene of True Grit ( before he jumps the fence on Twinkle Toes ) was Dollor, a two - year - old ( in 1969 ) chestnut Quarter horse gelding. Dollor ( ' Ole Dollor ) was Wayne 's favorite horse for 10 years. Wayne fell in love with the horse, which would carry him through several more Westerns, including his final movie, The Shootist. Wayne had Dollor written into the script of The Shootist because of his love for the horse ; it was a condition for him working on the project. Wayne would not let anyone else ride the horse, the lone exception being Robert Wagner, who rode the horse in a segment of the Hart to Hart television show, after Wayne 's death. Reception John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn The cast and crew were initially skeptical about the film. John Wayne, in particular, was disappointed with the finished result. He hated Kim Darby 's performance, saying that they hardly spoke off - camera and that she behaved inappropriately on the set. For his part, Henry Hathaway hated the casting and performance of Glen Campbell, who he felt had been pushed on him by the studio to get a hit with the film 's title song. Both Wayne and Hathaway had difficulties with Robert Duvall, with the director having constant shouting matches with his supporting actor and Duvall and Wayne nearly coming to blows. The film earned an estimated $11.5 million in rentals at the North American box office during its first year of release. As of May 2014, the film maintains a rating of 90 % on Rotten Tomatoes based on 48 reviews. Awards and nominations John Wayne won a Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Actor. Upon accepting his Oscar, Wayne said, `` Wow ! If I 'd known that, I 'd have put that patch on 35 years earlier. '' The title song, by composer Elmer Bernstein and lyricist Don Black, and sung by Glen Campbell, who co-starred in the movie, received nominations for both the Academy Award for Best Song and the Golden Globe. Differences from the novel See also : True Grit ( novel ) Unlike the book, the movie does n't introduce Mattie as an old woman telling a story of her childhood, but instead begins and ends in late 1880, when Mattie is 14. In the book, Mattie remains the central character throughout ; in the movie Rooster Cogburn gets an equal share of the limelight. The film also downplays the novel 's biblical tone and adds a hint of romance between Mattie and La Boeuf. La Boeuf also does not die in the novel, but survives his head injury. Another significant difference from Portis ' tale is that Mattie has her arm amputated as a result of the rattlesnake attack, in contrast to the final scene in the film where Mattie is seen with only a sling on her arm -- indicating that she is recovering from the snake bites and intact physically. The novel 's conclusion makes the reader aware that the story has been recounted by Mattie as an elderly, one - armed woman who never married. Also in the book, Mattie shoots Chaney in the head with her Dragoon but he survives until Rooster hits him with the butt of his rifle and he falls into the pit. In the movie, Rooster shoots Chaney. In the book and both this movie and the 2010 film version, Mattie 's Colt Dragoon misfires at a critical moment. The book explains this as, while drunk, Rooster used it to shoot a rat. Mattie insisted he re-load the two chambers fired, which he did, while still drunk, using defective old caps from a box under his bed. In the 1969 film, Rooster shoots the rat with his own Peacemaker, removing the reloading scene. Thus, during the scene where the Dragoon misfires it is unfairly portrayed as an unreliable weapon. However, during the graveyard scene at the end of the movie, when Mattie presents Rooster with the Dragoon as a gift, he states `` It almost got you killed when it misfired once, '' to which she responds `` That is because you loaded it wrong when you were in a state of drunkenness. '' When or why he reloaded it is not explained, but the misfire itself is. In the book, Tom Chaney was a young man ; Mattie guessed his age to be around 25. Jeff Corey, who played Chaney in the movie, was 55 at the time. In the movie, La Boeuf claims to have a girl in Texas who would `` look with favor '' on his capture of Tom Chaney. In the book, La Boeuf made no mention of a girlfriend ; his motive for capturing Chaney was purely financial. In the book, Rooster Cogburn had a mustache and did not wear an eye patch, though he had only one eye. In his fight with Ned Pepper, he wielded two Navy six - shooters. In the movie, Wayne carried a six - shooter in his left hand and his Winchester Model 1892 large - loop rifle in the other ( the rifle is anachronistic, being introduced 12 years after the setting of the movie ). The character of Rooster was supposed to be around 40 in the novel ; in the film, he was played by 61 - year - old Wayne. In the book, Mattie has her arm amputated due to the snakebite and break. Rooster pays her a visit while she is recovering from the procedure, but she is too sedated to remember. She tries to meet him 25 years later while he is traveling in a wild west show, but he passes away a few days before they can meet. She has his remains exhumed and re-interred in her family plot. Also, the film 's Colorado location and mountain scenery are in sharp contrast to the script 's references to place names in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Further, the film is set in autumn, while the book clearly sets the story in winter, with snow on the ground outside the dugout where Quincy and Moon awaited Pepper 's gang. In the book, when Mattie falls into the snake pit her left arm is broken ; in the movie it is her right arm. In the book she faces a ball of snakes which are disturbed in their winter quarters when Chaney falls on them. In the film Mattie faces a single rattlesnake. Sequels and other film versions A film sequel, Rooster Cogburn, was made in 1975, with Wayne reprising his role and Katharine Hepburn as an elderly spinster, Eula Goodnight, who teams up with him. The plot has been described as a rehash of the original True Grit with elements of the Bogart - Hepburn film The African Queen. A further made - for - television sequel titled True Grit : A Further Adventure appeared in 1978, starring Warren Oates as Rooster Cogburn and Lisa Pelikan as Mattie Ross and featuring subsequent adventures of the valiant pair. In 2010, Joel and Ethan Coen directed another adaptation of the novel. Their adaptation focuses more on Mattie 's point of view, as in the novel, and is more faithful to its Oklahoma setting. Hailee Steinfeld portrays Mattie Ross, Jeff Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn, and the cast also includes Matt Damon as La Boeuf and Josh Brolin as Tom Chaney. See also List of American films of 1969 John Wayne filmography Notes Jump up ^ `` Box Office Information for True Grit ''. The Numbers. Retrieved February 26, 2012. Jump up ^ Higgins, Jim & Shirley Rose Higgins ( March 22, 1970 ), `` Movie Fan 's Guide to Travel '', Chicago Tribune, p. H14 ^ Jump up to : Sheperd, Donald ; Robert Slatzer & Dave Grayson ( 2002 ), Duke : The Life and Times of John Wayne, Citadel Press, p. 274, ISBN 978 - 0 - 8065 - 2340 - 8 Jump up ^ John Wayne in True Grit, Then and Now, Extended Video on YouTube Jump up ^ Parry, Will H. ( November 22, 1990 ), `` Born - Again Boom Town '', Moscow - Pullman Daily News, Copley News Service, p. 5D Jump up ^ Gelbert, Doug ( 2002 ), Film and Television Locations, McFarland, p. 44, ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 1293 - 8 Jump up ^ McGhee, Richard D. ( 1990 ), John Wayne : Actor, Artist, Hero, McFarland & Co., p. 361 Jump up ^ Davis, Ronald L. ( 2002 ), Duke : The Life and Image of John Wayne, Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, p. 286, ISBN 978 - 0 - 8061 - 3329 - 4 Jump up ^ Ebert, Roger ( 2011 ), Life Itself : A Memoir, Hachette Digital, ISBN 978 - 0 - 446 - 58498 - 2 Jump up ^ Wills, Gary ( 1997 ), John Wayne 's America : The Politics of Celebrity, Touchstone, p. 286, ISBN 0 - 684 - 80823 - 4 ^ Jump up to : `` Stuntman Recalls Wayne Friendship '', Kingman Daily Miner, Associated Press, p. A5, June 15, 1979 Jump up ^ De Witt, Barbara ( March 11, 1995 ), `` How the West was won : fearless women on horseback '', Los Angeles Daily News Jump up ^ Whiteside, John ( January 19, 1985 ), `` The Duke 's Horse Keeps Special Bond '', Chicago Sun Times Jump up ^ `` Big Rental Films of 1969 '', Variety, 7 January 1970 p 15 Jump up ^ `` John Wayne winning Best Actor for `` True Grit '' ``. YouTube. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 27. Jump up ^ Eyman, Scott ( April 1, 1914 ). John Wayne : The Life and Legend. Simon & Schuster. p. 512. ISBN 978 - 1439199589. Jump up ^ Fleming, Michael ( March 22, 2009 ). - `` Coen brothers to adapt ' True Grit ' ''. - Variety. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : True Grit True Grit on IMDb True Grit at the TCM Movie Database True Grit at AllMovie True Grit at the American Film Institute Catalog True Grit at Box Office Mojo True Grit at Rotten Tomatoes `` The Real Story True Grit ''. Smithsonian Channel.com. True Grit by Charles Portis Film versions True Grit ( 1969 ) Rooster Cogburn ( 1975 ) True Grit : A Further Adventure ( 1978 ) True Grit ( 2010 ) Soundtracks True Grit ( 1969 ) `` True Grit '' ( song ) True Grit ( 2010 ) See also Rooster Cogburn Films directed by Henry Hathaway Heritage of the Desert ( 1932 ) Wild Horse Mesa ( 1932 ) The Thundering Herd ( 1933 ) Under the Tonto Rim ( 1933 ) Sunset Pass ( 1933 ) Man of the Forest ( 1933 ) To the Last Man ( 1933 ) Come On Marines ! ( 1934 ) The Witching Hour ( 1934 ) The Last Round - Up ( 1934 ) Now and Forever ( 1934 ) The Lives of a Bengal Lancer ( 1935 ) Peter Ibbetson ( 1935 ) I Loved a Soldier ( 1936 ) The Trail of the Lonesome Pine ( 1936 ) Go West, Young Man ( 1936 ) Souls at Sea ( 1937 ) Spawn of the North ( 1938 ) The Real Glory ( 1939 ) Johnny Apollo ( 1940 ) Brigham Young ( 1940 ) The Shepherd of the Hills ( 1941 ) Sundown ( 1941 ) Ten Gentlemen from West Point ( 1942 ) China Girl ( 1942 ) Home in Indiana ( 1944 ) Wing and a Prayer ( 1944 ) Nob Hill ( 1945 ) The House on 92nd Street ( 1945 ) The Dark Corner ( 1946 ) 13 Rue Madeleine ( 1947 ) Kiss of Death ( 1947 ) Call Northside 777 ( 1948 ) Down to the Sea in Ships ( 1949 ) The Black Rose ( 1950 ) You 're in the Navy Now ( 1951 ) Fourteen Hours ( 1951 ) Rawhide ( 1951 ) The Desert Fox : The Story of Rommel ( 1951 ) Diplomatic Courier ( 1952 ) Niagara ( 1953 ) White Witch Doctor ( 1953 ) Prince Valiant ( 1954 ) Garden of Evil ( 1954 ) The Racers ( 1955 ) The Bottom of the Bottle ( 1956 ) 23 Paces to Baker Street ( 1956 ) Legend of the Lost ( 1957 ) From Hell to Texas ( 1958 ) Woman Obsessed ( 1959 ) Seven Thieves ( 1960 ) North to Alaska ( 1960 ) How the West Was Won ( 1962 ) Circus World ( 1964 ) The Sons of Katie Elder ( 1965 ) Nevada Smith ( 1966 ) The Last Safari ( 1967 ) 5 Card Stud ( 1968 ) True Grit ( 1969 ) Raid on Rommel ( 1971 ) Shoot Out ( 1971 ) Hangup ( 1974 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=True_Grit_(1969_film)&oldid=801298220 '' Categories : 1969 films English - language films True Grit 1960s Western ( genre ) films American Western ( genre ) films Film scores by Elmer Bernstein Films based on American novels Films based on Western ( genre ) novels Films directed by Henry Hathaway Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award - winning performance Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance Paramount Pictures films Chase films Films about revenge Films set in the 1880s Films set in Arkansas Films set in Oklahoma Films shot in Colorado Films produced by Hal B. Wallis American films Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Català Deutsch Español فارسی Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Lëtzebuergesch Magyar Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 18 September 2017, at 21 : 24. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who played ned pepper in the original true grit
Answer: Robert Duvall