A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The Duke stars as the patriarch of a ranching family whose grandson is captured by bandits. While he's going to 'pay them' (if pay them means kill them all), he's accompanied by various family members in the meeting with the Richard Boone led bad guys.

John Wayne playing John Wayne. Nobody does it better. Not that impressed with the acting of some minor characters. The film was quite violent, interspersed with some mildly humorous sequences. The late setting (1909) and the appearance of automobiles, etc. were a nice touch, keeping it from being a total repeat of other Wayne movies. This is not really one of Wayne's better Westerns, but worth seeing for any of his fans, like me, who have somehow missed it all these years.

Released in 1971, "Big Jake" is a Western starring John Wayne in the titular role. His grandson is kidnapped by a ruthless band of cutthroats, led by Richard Boone, and taken to Mexico where they await the ransom money. Jake teams up with his estranged sons, whom he hasn't seen for ten years (Patrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum), to rescue the kid (Ethan Wayne). The magnificent Maureen O'Hara plays Jakes long-lost wife, but her role is limited to a glorified cameo in the opening reel.Some of The Duke's best Westerns were in the last decade of his career, like "True Grit" (1969), "Chisum" (1970),"The Cowboys" (1972), "The Train Robbers" (1973), "Rooster Cogburn" (1975), "The Shootist" (1976), and even oaters like "The War Wagon" (1967) and "El Dorado" (1967), but "Big Jake" isn't one of 'em. It's definitely likable, like most of Wayne's Westerns, and it has its highlights, like the almost shocking opening raid (marred by incredibly fake-looking blood). It's also unique in that it takes place in 1909 and there are quite a few sequences with old automobiles and a motorcycle, which isn't typical of Westerns. Unfortunately the mid-section fails to thoroughly captivate, but it is entertaining having John and the underrated Patrick working together; and Mitchum is charismatic as well.The film runs 110 minutes and was shot in the Durango, Mexico area.GRADE: C+

When the grandson of beautiful Maureen O'Hara and her estranged husband John Wayne is kidnapped, Wayne re-appears after being believed by many people other than his wife to be dead. He joins his sons (Bobby Vinton, Patrick Wayne, Christopher Mitchum) to find the nasty gang (lead by Richard Boone) who are holding him hostage out of vengeance. Wayne and sons fight the villains tooth and nail, and Wayne gets to show a sentimental side for both the wife he still loves and the grandson he never knew.The focus may be on the family, but the style is violence. Boone and his men are evil renegades, and Wayne and sons represent old-fashioned goodness. The conflict is there, the heroes all rugged and handsome, and the wasted O'Hara undeniably one of the most beautiful veteran actresses still working in the 1970's. You can't take your eyes off her for her fleeting time on screen, and wish she was there more. The final battle between the two groups goes on far too long, and the situation with Wayne and O'Hara is never resolved, leading the viewer to make their own conclusions. In spite of that, it is hard not to like the film, even if this is one of Wayne's bloodier westerns.