McLintock!

Plot synopsis:
Cattle, timber and mining baron George Washington "G.W." McLintock (John Wayne) is living the single life on his ranch. He is estranged from wife Katherine (Maureen O'Hara), who left him two years before, suspecting him of adultery. She has been living the society life back in the East while their daughter Becky (Stefanie Powers) is completing her college degree.
Following a meeting with a group of homesteaders whom he cautions against trying to farm on the Mesa Verde:
"God made that land for the buffalo. it serves pretty well for cattle. But it hates the plow! And even the government should know you can't farm six thousand feet above sea level!"
He hires one of them, attractive widow Louise Warren (Yvonne De Carlo), as his cook and housekeeper. G.W. welcomes both her and her two children into his home, including grown son Dev (Patrick Wayne), who is handy with his fists, good with cattle, and is an excellent chess player, who had had to leave Purdue University on the death of his father.
Katherine (a.k.a. Katie), returns to the town of McLintock, seeking a divorce from G.W. He declines to give her one, and has no idea why she has been so angry with him for two years that she moved out.
Following a misunderstanding which leads to a Comanche subchief nearly being lynched by a hotheaded settler father who believes his daughter has been kidnapped, there is a gigantic brawl at the mud slide by one of McLintock's mines. Significantly, Katherine is in there swinging on her estranged husband's side as the local Indians watch the white folks make fools of themselves.
Rebecca "Becky" McLintock returns to town, along with her banjo-playing love interest, "Junior" Douglas (Jerry Van Dyke). Junior is approved of by Katherine but not G.W. However, she soon falls for Dev (of whom G.W. approves wholeheartedly), and they become engaged after he takes her across his knee and spanks her with a coal shovel following a sharp exchange between them. When they announce the engagement, G.W. and Mrs. Warren both give their blessings.
The same train that brought Becky home from college also brought back Chief Puma of the Comanche tribe, an honored enemy and blood brother of G.W., who has been released from prison by the federal government. The territorial governor is out to force the local Comanche tribe off their lands and onto a reservation near Fort Sill.
At the request of Chief Puma, McLintock acts as the spokesman for the Comanche, translating Puma's speech into English at the kangaroo court hearing organized by Governor Humphrey. The governor announces that the Indians will be moved to Oklahoma, and Chief Puma and his subchiefs are imprisoned again. With the illicit help of G.W., a breakout is arranged and an Army train is looted of a cargo of Krag-Jorgenson rifles and ammunition. The Comanche head out on what Puma had called "the last fight of the Comanche," hotly pursued by the local troop of U.S. Cavalry. This has the effect of bringing what Humphrey and the local Indian agent have been doing to the attention of Washington. It is implied that both will shortly be removed from office.
At the Fourth of July celebration during which the Comanche breakout takes place, McLintock finally has enough of Katherine's behavior. Following one insult too many, G.W. pursues Katherine through the streets and shops of the town like Nemesis, Katherine losing her clothing one piece at a time until she is down to her corset and bloomers. After an epic chase, he finally catches her, spanks her bottom with a coal shovel, and tells her that now she can have her divorce. She decides she does not want a divorce after all, and G.W. and Katherine happily reconcile.

Tags: cult, comic

Review:
This is the Duke at his two-fisted, brawling best, along with Maureen O'Hara, who lights up the screen, in `McLintock!' a rousing western/comedy directed by Andrew W.
There's a touch of `Taming of the Shrew,' in this story, and near the end Wayne and O'Hara virtually reenact one of their own scenes from `The Quiet Man,' all of which adds up to a couple of hours worth of good, old fashioned fun.
Adding to the merriment is an all-star supporting cast that includes Jerry Van Dyke (Matt, Jr.), Hank Worden (Curly), Bruce Cabot (Ben), Jack Kruschen (Jake), Edgar Buchanan (Bunny), Perry Lopez (Davey Elk), Michael Pate (Puma), Strother Martin (Agard), Gordon Jones (Douglas), Robert Lowery (Governor Humphrey), H.W. Gim (Ching), Edward Faulkner (Young Ben), Chuck Roberson (Sheriff), Mari Blanchard (Camille), Leo Gordon (Jones), Bob Steele (Train Engineer) and Big John Hamilton (Fauntleroy).
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.
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.
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).
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.
In fact, it's easy to see why this is one of Wayne's most popular efforts.Everyone puts in a good performance (even a young Powers as McLintock's daughter) and is willing to give their all in the name of the classic Western (and classic comedy).
There are a few Mexican, Indian and Chinese stereotypes that could have been left out but there are so many good spirits herein, it's hard to notice them.Just look at the chemistry between Wayne and O'Hara as the long-suffering Mrs. McLintock.
Superbly cast and acted, John Wayne stars with Maureen O'Hara, Patrick Wayne, Chill Wills and Strother Martin in a western with a twist of humor.
But it is far more than that, it is the closest thing we have to a film manifesto of the world as John Wayne saw it.As G.W. McLintock, the Duke is the American dream personified.
As he says to son Patrick Wayne in my favorite line in all John Wayne movies, "I don't give jobs, I hire men." That's a creed he followed in real life as well.Sad to say though the world isn't as simple as McLintock would have us believe.
The comedy is as broad and unsophisticated as you would find in any John Ford film and with good reason as Wayne and Director Andrew McLaglen learned the movie trade from him.
Paired with long-time screen leading lady Maureen O'Hara, the two manage to play their roles to the hilt, and the viewer can simply enjoy.John Wayne is G.
So we even have Western Farce, a subject well represented by today's 'victim', the John Wayne starring vehicle, McLINTOCK (Batjac Productions/United Artists, 1963).Being an original screenplay, the story is a custom fit for the Duke, whose Batjac Productions made the picture and released it through United Artists.
He gives a Stan Laurelesque interpretation to his character.* The biggest development in the whole chain of happenings is the return of G.W.'s estranged firebrand of a wife, Katherine Gilhooley McLintock (Maureen O'Hara), who has a real love-hate relationship with G.W. The climax of the film has an open air domestic "quarrel" that takes Mrs. Mc down the streets of the town, clad in (strictly non-revealing) foundation under-garments, with G.W. in pursuit, ah, it's true love!
Many who have viewed both films agree that this was a sort of obvious attempt to recreate the high spot in John Ford's THE QUIET MAN (Argosy Pictures/Republic Pictures Corporation, 1952), in which both the Duke and Maureen O'Hara also coincidentally were the belligerents.In the viewing of McLINTOCK!, we witness a real hybrid of a production.
McLaglen (Victor's son) and a host of actors such as: Patrick Wayne, Stephanie Powers, Jack Kruschen, Chill Wills, Yvonne De Carlo, Jerry Van Dyke, Edgar Buchanan, Bruce Cabot, Perry Lopez, Strother Martin, Gordon Jones, Robert Lowery, Hank Worden, Michael Pate, Leo Gordon, Bob Steele and many others.Whatever the classification, McLINTOCK!
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!
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!
In some ways it is similar to another John Wayne film, "The Quiet Man" also starring with Maureen O'Hara.
This is the cowboy movie where John Wayne speaks forcefully on behalf of the Comanches, and tells his daughter he'd rather give his land to the government "so no one will kill the beaver for hats or murder the buffalo for rope." He also gets plenty of mud on that most American of icons, himself.All he needs is a McGovern button and he's be Billy Jack, right?
McLaglen and Maureen O'Hara playing his wife, Wayne gives his comedic side a thorough airing as G.W. McLintock, rancher and head citizen of the town of McLintock, Arizona, circa the 1870s, who must deal with changing times and a wife who doesn't understand him."What's 'reactionary' mean?" asks McLintock's right-hand man, Drago (Chill Wills)."Me, I guess," McLintock replies."McLintock!" is knocked by some for its sexual politics, a variation on Shakespeare's "Taming Of The Shrew" where McLintock must take a hand to his wife Katherine (don't call her Kate) in order to win her back.
With the best prints of this film, you can see John Wayne actually looks sun tanned.Chill Wills, Strother Martin, Edgar Buchanan, & a lot of veteran western support actors are much in evidence in the cast, & all welcome.
A loose reworking of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, plot finds Duke Wayne as cattle baron George Washington McLintock, whose estranged wife Katherine (O'Hara) returns with daughter Becky (Powers) to the family town after a two year absence.
A wonderful supporting cast in Yvonne De Carlo,Maureen O'Sullivan,Chill Wills,and a special appearance by Jerry Van Dyke make this a wonderful time filler.The serious side still comes through in Waynes' speech on behalf of the Indians,but the remainder of the film concentrates on the lighter side and is a real treat.It is easy to see why John Wayne was loved by the film going public.
Agreeable film in which director Andrew McLagen introduces a battle royal between the two-fisted John Wayne and feisty Maureen O'Hara.
Starring John Wayne as George Washington whose refined wife (Maureen O'Hara) returns from the east after a two-year separation .
McLintock then battles his spouse , his daughter, and land-grabbers , finally "taming" them all .This Western/comedy contains a love story , wonderful friendship , thrills , emotion and loads of fist-play .
He employs a young chap Devlin Warren (Patrick Wayne) and his mother Louise (Yvonne De Carlo) after they rode in with a group of settlers who had hopes of farming the Mesa Verde.The plot thickens when McLintock's estranged wife Katherine (Maureen O'Hara) rushes into town demanding a divorce.
A deep cast and well-received reviews inspired me to watch this back in the mid 1990s, but it wasn't what I had come to expect from a John Wayne movie.Bickering spouses - Wayne and Maureen O'Hara playing those roles as "George and Katharine McClintock" - is not my idea of entertainment.
To those who enjoy a "Taming Of The Shrew" movie, they'll love this.As far as the comedy goes, if I want good slapstick, I'll watch a good silent comedy, or The Three Stooges or Steve Martin.....comedies, not this western-comedies or at least Wayne in something where the comedy is more subtle, such as in "True Grit."This film, as one IMDb reviewer puts it, is just "loud and dopey.".
I loved Wayne and O'Hara in The Quiet Man, but here they are working with a script that more closely resembles a Road Runner cartoon (mug for the camera, hit someone over the head with the nearest object, then fall hilariously over your own feet!).Saying that the concept is based upon The Taming of the Shrew does not make it better.Everything that happens in the film is broadcast in advance.
So McLintock is a good boss who is fair to his employees and apparently just doesn't turn them out in the street in their old age.Maybe Wayne could see that people might have a problem with the spanking and the pheasants and the mocking of the effeminate boyfriend, and so he put in a few scenes about the bad treatment of the Indians at the time to even things out.I'm no raging feminist, so for me to get offended there must be something offensive there.
It has John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Stefanie Powers, a couple of good fight scene, a public spanking and lots of humor.
The story also has several layers - estranged wife, daughter coming home from school, indian troubles, wife troubles, shady governor, annoying land baron - all tied together in one film.I recommend this movie to everyone, I don't care if they aren't a fan of westerns or John Wayne..
(7.5/10) I generally don't like John Wayne comedy westerns, but McLintock is a big exception.
I could go on and on about the parallels between "Hamlet" and "The Lion King," but the film I want to talk to you about today is "McLintock!" a solid, wonderfully-directed, and delightfully funny Western satire that is credited as a loose adaptation of "The Taming of the Shrew." The fortune-seeker Petruchio has become G.W. McLintock, a tough-as-nails cattle baron played by, who else, John Wayne.
This familiar (due to Shakespeare's influence) story is infused into a new plot, during an uprising revolt by the Native American people against being transported to a reservation, and while the quarreling parents are trying to welcome home their daughter (Stephanie Powers) and decide who she is going to live with, and adopt whose lifestyle.John Wayne will always be remembered for his one-note tough guy roles in films such as "The Comancheros" and "Chisum" both of which I really like.
Some parts like when Wayne gives a speech for the Native American people are genuinely powerful and authoritative and strike a new air of respect in the audience, even after having seen "Dances With Wolves" and "Broken Arrow" (not the John Travolta movie): two Westerns which deal with more pressure on this subject.But the charm of the movie lies in its humor, which is constantly funny.
What resulted is a fine family fun film starring John Wayne at his most charismatic and supported by often leading lady beautiful Maureen O Hara, Stefanie Powers, Yvonne DeCarlo and a ruggedly handsome son Patrick Wayne.
if John Wayne AND Maureen O'Hara are in a movie, watch it.The DVD presentation is acceptable for a move of this age.
While the town is preparing for the homecoming of McLintock's daughter, Becky, he is informed that his wife, Katherine (Maureen O'Hara) has returned to town.John Wayne has tremendous presence.
And of course for movies from the 60's, a happy ending.If you like a good western mixed with comedy, then don't miss this movie.John Wayne was at his best as an extremely masculine man of the wild west and Maureen O'Hara was sexy without attempting to be sexy.It was also nice to see John Wayne's son Patrick, who did an outstanding job wooing the heart of the young Stephanie Powers in one of her early roles.Drago, played by the great Chill Wills, was outstanding as usual.Yvonne DeCarlo was her classy self, and Jerry Van Dyke also starred as a comic dude..
Fun, brawling Western Comedy with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.
McLaglen, "McLintock" stars John Wayne as as the eponymous big rancher in Arizona who tries to keep the peace with his estranged wife (O'Hara), new settlers, fork-tongued government agents and uprising Natives.
When it comes to Western comedies I'm more into films like 1976's "The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox," but I have to admit that I watched "McLintock!" with a bemused grin for its entire 2 hour and 7 minute runtime.The movie was shot entirely in Arizona, including Old Tucson.GRADE: B-.
Amusing John Wayne/Maureen O'Hara western casts the Duke as a tough cattle baron battling with his hot-tempered spouse over their estranged union and their teenage daughter (Stefanie Powers).
It's probably because Wayne's very best films all co-starred Maureen O'Hara (such as The Quiet Man and his cavalry trilogy).
The two hours just fly by, and they can be watched more than once.John Wayne proves he had a funny-bone, and Maureen O'Hara matches him word for word and blow for blow; and they're ably supported by a fine cast, the standout of which is Chill Wills as the bewildered sidekick and family retainer.The only real inequality about this movie is that it isn't remembered as 'hers' just as much as 'his'.And in the midst of all this rip-roarin', stereotyped fun, they even had time to portray the Indians as a proud people, shabbily treated by a triumphalist government.
Most of the time ,"McLintock!" (with an exclamation mark) is a comedy ,nay a farce .But souvenirs of the old western world(you can call it a neo western) are not that nice and Katy who acts like she has become a Grande Dame -cause she was invited in the governor's mansion- got a raw deal when she was younger.The key to the movie is the scene when Becky meets her father who 's gone hunting :he talks about his past and tells her she will inherit only a small part of his huge fortune .Dad has got what we 've got to call "ecological" concerns ,which in 1963 was not so common.As always the Wayne /O'Hara chemistry effortlessly works;he always said she was his favorite actress and co-star .Wayne's son is cast as an educated farm hand in love with his boss's daughter (a young Stephanie Powers ,well before Jennifer time) who is as snub as her mom.Yvonne De Carlo is the improbable cook of the Lintock house and a mother of two (she looks a bit too young to be Dev's mom although she's 17 years older than Wayne jr).Maybe the movie is a bit too long ,and some of the scenes sometimes drag on .But it's full of good humor and it features two spankings,a lot of fight -in mud,molasses ,feathers,with fists or a hat pin- ,rodeo,Indian "attacks" , a "crime " ,a barbecue and a long chase between the husband and wife ..
This retelling of "The Taming of the Shrew" set in the old west serves mostly as a star vehicle for one of the great screen pairings of all time, John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara.
Never before and probably never again - one of the best Western movie brawls ever features John Wayne, Chill Wills, Edgar Buchanan, Gordon Jones, Leo Gordon, Patrick Wayne, Strother Martin and even Maureen O'Hara soaked in a mud-hole and enjoying every minute of it.
Well,kiss me Kate,you don't see that very often,a political comedy western...................The great Mr John Wayne states very clearly his objections to Big Government that wouldn't seem too out of place in "One flew over the cuckoo's nest".As the Mclintock of Mclintock,as it were,the Duke is at his absolute best,like Ethan Edwards,tough and vulnerable,stubborn,wrong-headed but good-hearted.Aided no end by such stalwarts as Hank Worden,Chill Wills and Edgar Buchanan,Andrew V.
If John Ford had ever directed a Disney film, it might have looked something like MCLINTOCK!, an amiable comic romp starring John Wayne in the title role & the striking Maureen O'Hara as his wildly unpleasant wife.
And what makes it so very good is its comic elements and the woman that was probably John Wayne's best leading lady -- Maureen O'Hara.
Yvonne de Carlo has a couple of good scenes as a widow McLintock hires as a cook, along with her son, Dev, who is played by Wayne's son Patrick.Nice little movie, a fun way to spend a couple of hours.