The Charles Portis novel, True Grit, has been made into a movie twice. The 1969 movie was a Oscar winning vehicle for John Wayne who portrayed Rubin (Rooster) Cogburn. The problem with the 1969 movie is that throughout the film, Cogburn is referred to as the one with “true grit” ( firmness of mind or spirit; unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger). But Portis’ book wasn’t about Rooster Cogburn’s courage. It was about 14 year old Mattie Ross (pictured on the cover of the book) and her determination to avenge her father’s death. The problem is, you don’t know that if you didn’t read the book.
Let’s be clear. John Wayne was typical John Wayne in the 1969 movie. But he won the Academy Award, not for his performance in this movie, but because he didn’t win for “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” and wasn’t nominated for “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” or “The Quiet Man.” In short, the 1969 award was recognition for Wayne’s body of work, not just for a good performance in “True Grit.”
That brings me to the 2010 movie version. This movie starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfield is a winner. Hailee Steinfield as Mattie Ross was everything Kim Darby in the 1969 movie couldn’t be because of Wayne’s commanding stage presence. And because of this Steinfield will probably win a Best Supporting Actress award although she really should compete for the Best Actress award because her performance was riveting in every scene she was in and she was in every scene. Matt Damon was every bit the polish actor in the role of Texas Ranger LaBoeuf and he easily made me forget Glenn Campbell’s performance in 1969.
This must-see movie followed the book closely and it is more dark (literally), bloody and more intense than the 1969 film. The bottom line is that John Wayne will always be Rooster Cogburn, but Hailee Steinfield is Mattie Ross – a determined young girl at the cusp of womanhood with a determination that can only be called True Grit.
