Movies - The Shootist

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	Movies - The Shootist

The Shootist is a novel written by Glendon Swarthout, published in 1975.

It was made into a 1976 Western film, with Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout, son of the author, writing the screenplay.

Plot

The Shootist tells the story of John Bernard (J.B.) Books (John Wayne), an aging gunfighter, the most celebrated "shootist" extant, who is struggling with terminal prostate cancer. Arriving in El Paso, Texas (film: Carson City, Nevada) in 1901, Books first seeks the second opinion of an old friend, and doctor, Doc E. W. Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart). Once Hostetler confirms the presence of this disease, Books rents a room from the widow 'Bond' ("thats a crackerjack of a name") Rogers (Lauren Bacall), and her son Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard). Books' presence in town is soon known to most, and the news soon spreads by telegraph throughout the country. This results in the arrival of troublemakers to lure Books back to his past. Not only does he have to deal with his inevitable death, but he has to deal with the vultures who come to profit from both his life and that of his death.

Books has never had trouble facing death in other men, but now struggles with the fact that death is calling on him.

Background

The character of J.B. Books serves to parallel the dying days of John Wayne, who was also suffering from a terminal illness, lung cancer. The film was his last movie, and the knowledge of Wayne's health during the filming leads to a lot of interesting imagery as the film progresses. Lauren Bacall had watched Humphrey Bogart go through the same thing, and because of her scenes with Wayne, she was especially in touch with the parallels. Wayne also could not shoot everyday, so the shooting schedule had to be extended for him.

At the time the movie rights were purchased, John Wayne was one of the few leading men considered for the role. However, questions about his health cast doubt on his ability to complete its filming. Wayne himself made the completion of this filming a personal mission.

The film was filmed on location in Carson City and at studios in Burbank, California. Besides changing the location from El Paso to Carson City, and having Dollor written in, Wayne also changed the ending of the screenplay. Books was supposed to shoot Pulford in the back, and then Gillom shoot Books. Wayne said he never "shot anyone in the back", and didn't want the young Gillom killing him. They changed the film to have him shoot Pulford in the head, the bartender kill Books, and Gillom kill the bartender.

The horse in the final scene of True Grit
would ride with Wayne through several westerns, including this, his final movie. Dollor, or "ole Dollor" would even get in the script, at Wayne's insistance, because of his love of the horse.

Cast

John Wayne
- John Bernard Books
Lauren Bacall
- Bond Rogers
Ron Howard
- Gillom Rogers
Jimmy Stewart - Dr. E.W. Hostetler
Richard Boone
- Mike Sweeney
Hugh O'Brian
- Jack Pulford
Harry Morgan
- Carson City Marshal Walter J. Thibido
Scatman Crothers
- Moses Brown

Although Bacall received higher billing, Howard's character was just as prominent.

Crew

Don Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers
, Dirty Harry
, Escape from Alcatraz
) - director.
M.J. Frankovich and William Self - producers
Elmer Bernstein - music
Bruce Surtees - director of photography
Douglas Stewart - editing.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for The Shootist ]

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