Best movie of this year hands down!

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Blistering performances.

Just after watching this movie I run onto the newest list of Top 50 Movies of All Times. This one takes 7th place and Wild Bunch is not on the list at all. Screw that list. The movie is not bad, but it has a tendency to bore a bit. Nice story, solidly made and that's it.6/10

I enjoyed this movie, being a John Wayne fan for years, and felt it was one of his best. In short, a big distraction for me was seeing Natalie Wood playing an indian squaw wearing lipstick and mascara. Not a good call. Plus, her acting was below par.

What a tedious title. Honestly. This couldn't feel any more stale if you attached mould to it.The story is straight forward at first, but soon becomes a wild goose hunt over many years, in which time we go through all the clichés of tradition that stifles this film to death. We have the "You're not going" argument, the "You're too young to drink", the kid who can't read very well lark, even the "Careful it's loaded" gun throw. Just terrible. It's little wonder why kids of today are getting their own back on their seniors after years of ridicule & obsessive discipline. This film reveals that back in these times, adults were taking their frustrations out on their youth. And being spiteful about it. It fills them with hatred.There are several loose ends that never end up being addressed. Like the marriage, whether scar was killed, why Wayne wanted to kill the girl in a fit of pique, why he bothered scalping 1 person whom we presume was scar (No dialogue or close up for identity) or who survived & who was killed etc. His royal highness carries the dame all the way to the porch in typical 'traditional' fashion. So many eye rolls. And no one ever reloads their guns either. Not cool enough for Wayne's image I guess! The film is so dragged out & tends to just meander most of the time. It should have been cut down by half, & they shouldn't have let John Wayne act like a gansta wannabe throughout. He is truly difficult to tolerate in this film because he clearly finds acting in this pugnacious way easier, & more satiating for his ego.Seriously, Avoid. If you want a classic Western, watch The Professionals (1966).

The sun is quickly setting in the wilderness as the members of a pioneer family, who appear to be living literally in the middle of nowhere, desperately try to go about their business, pretending that they don't suspect an attack from the local, hostile Comanches. The mother, looking terror stricken, futilely attempts to hide an extreme sense of fear from her children. Then, their worst dread suddenly becomes reality. This is an intensely riveting opening.One of the problems for me is that the film does not successfully sustain this high level of tension. Not only that, but it often unravels into a series of boring conversations with no action and into attempts at very inconsistent, awkward comedy which borders on silliness. I realize that settling in a remote area that is constantly plagued by violent attacks from a hostile tribe of Indians can't be easy, but does that justify John Qualen as Lars Jorgensen to over-react in the face of every little situation as if he is about to suffer a nervous breakdown at any moment? And what about Vera Miles, playing his frustrated daughter, Laurie, as she barks monotonously at everyone around her from beginning to end. After such an intense opening scene, these two are only part of the disappointment that ensues. In roles such as the deeply disturbed wife in "The Wrong Man", Miles has done much, much better than portraying the windup doll that was unfortunately written for her here.Some will dismiss my next criticism, but I have visited Monument Valley which is located on the Navajo Reservation in the northeast corner of Arizona. When I observe it in all of its majesty at the opening of a film and then see "Texas, 1868" at the next moment, am I supposed to believe the action that follows, or does that matter in this instance? I think that establishing credibility is relevant in this case because the conflict between white Europeans and Native Americans in our nation's history is a very serious one to me, and a basis of authenticity from the very beginning of this movie is very important.My final issue is with little Debbie, played by Natalie Wood when she wasn't quite so little anymore. I realize that the search took a great effort over a long period of time on the part of the dedicated participants, but why wasn't Debbie given more of an opportunity to decide whether she should remain with the Comanches, especially when she faced the dubious prospect of living the rest of her days with white folks as wacky as the Jorgensens? After both Lars and Laurie had nearly driven me crazy for two hours, was I supposed to believe that Debbie would be better off with the likes of this nutty family? To me, she looked well nourished and well adjusted to her adopted home. Since I wrote this review, I learned that Cynthia Anne Parker, the real person upon whose true kidnapping by Comanches this story is based, regretted being "rescued" for the rest of her life. Anyway, the beautiful cinematography, the very effective musical score by Max Steiner, the enigmatic but not always sympathetic character of Ethan as played so well by John Wayne, and the exceptional, engrossing opening scene surely deserve praise, but I have seen much better westerns in my day.