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True Grit (1969 film)

Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:20:43 PM Wikipedia source

True Grit is a 1969 American Western film directed by Henry Hathaway and produced by Hal B. Wallis. Starring John Wayne as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, with Glen Campbell and Kim Darby, the film is adapted by Marguerite Roberts from Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name. The story follows Marshal Cogburn and Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Campbell) as they are hired by a young girl, Mattie Ross (Darby), to apprehend the outlaw who killed her father. Historians believe Cogburn was based on Deputy U.S. Marshal Henry "Heck" Thomas, who brought in some of the toughest outlaws. The cast also features Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Corey and Strother Martin. The film was released by Paramount Pictures on June 13, 1969. It received positive reviews from critics, who drew particular praise to Wayne's performance, and was a commercial success. Wayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, his only competitive win for either institution. The film also received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, and Darby received a BAFTA Award nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. True Grit's success spawned a 1975 theatrical film sequel with Wayne (Rooster Cogburn), a 1978 made-for-TV sequel starring Warren Oates (True Grit: A Further Adventure), and an acclaimed 2010 remake film of the same name by the Coen brothers.

Infobox

Directed by
Henry Hathaway
Screenplay by
Marguerite Roberts
Based on
True Grit(1968 novel)by Charles Portis
Produced by
Hal B. Wallis
Starring
mw- John Wayne Glen Campbell Kim Darby Jeremy Slate Robert Duvall Strother Martin
Cinematography
Lucien Ballard
Edited by
Warren Low
Music by
Elmer Bernstein
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Release dates
June 12, 1969 (1969-06-12) (Little Rock premiere) June 13, 1969 (1969-06-13) (Los Angeles)
Running time
128 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Box office
$31.1 million

Tables

· Reception › Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Actor
Nominee(s)
John Wayne
Result
Won
Best Song – Original for the Picture
Best Song – Original for the Picture
Award
Best Song – Original for the Picture
Category
"True Grit" Music by Elmer Bernstein; Lyrics by Don Black
Nominee(s)
Nominated
American Cinema Editors Awards
American Cinema Editors Awards
Award
American Cinema Editors Awards
Category
Best Edited Feature Film
Nominee(s)
Warren Low (tied with William H. Reynolds's edited film Hello, Dolly!).
Result
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Nominee(s)
Kim Darby
Result
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
John Wayne
Result
Won
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
Award
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
Category
"True Grit" Music by Elmer Bernstein; Lyrics by Don Black
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Award
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Category
Glen Campbell
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Laurel Awards
Laurel Awards
Award
Laurel Awards
Category
Top General Entertainment
Nominee(s)
Won
Top Action Performance
Top Action Performance
Award
Top Action Performance
Category
John Wayne
Nominee(s)
Won
Top Male New Face
Top Male New Face
Award
Top Male New Face
Category
Glen Campbell
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Top Female New Face
Top Female New Face
Award
Top Female New Face
Category
Kim Darby
Nominee(s)
Nominated
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
9th Place
Western Heritage Awards
Western Heritage Awards
Award
Western Heritage Awards
Category
Theatrical Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Won
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium
Nominee(s)
Marguerite Roberts
Result
Nominated
Award
Category
Nominee(s)
Result
Academy Awards
Best Actor
John Wayne
Won
Best Song – Original for the Picture
"True Grit" Music by Elmer Bernstein; Lyrics by Don Black
Nominated
American Cinema Editors Awards
Best Edited Feature Film
Warren Low (tied with William H. Reynolds's edited film Hello, Dolly!).
Won
British Academy Film Awards
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Kim Darby
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
John Wayne
Won
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
"True Grit" Music by Elmer Bernstein; Lyrics by Don Black
Nominated
Most Promising Newcomer – Male
Glen Campbell
Nominated
Laurel Awards
Top General Entertainment
Won
Top Action Performance
John Wayne
Won
Top Male New Face
Glen Campbell
Nominated
Top Female New Face
Kim Darby
Nominated
National Board of Review Awards
Top Ten Films
9th Place
Western Heritage Awards
Theatrical Motion Picture
Won
Writers Guild of America Awards
Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium
Marguerite Roberts
Nominated

References

  1. Due to confusion over whether or not "M"-rated films were suitable for children, the M rating was renamed to GP in 1970
  2. True Grit at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
    https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/23723
  3. The Numbers
    https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/True-Grit
  4. catalog.afi.com
    https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/23723/
  5. The Girl on the Balcony
  6. Groucho Reviews
    http://production.grouchoreviews.com/interviews/229
  7. Davis 2002, p. 286.
  8. YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Gt_103Y1w
  9. Shepherd, Slatzer & Grayson 2002, p. 274.
  10. Ebert 2011, p. 164.
  11. Wills 1997, p. 286.
  12. Eyman 2014, pp. 442–443.
  13. Eyman 2014, p. 448.
  14. Eyman 2014, p. 445.
  15. Take One
    https://archive.org/details/sim_take-one_september-october-1974_5_1/page/8/mode/1up
  16. Chicago Tribune
  17. John Wayne in True Grit, Then and Now, Extended Video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EUP9rOLf30
  18. Moscow-Pullman Daily News
  19. Gelbert 2002, p. 44.
  20. McGhee 1990, p. 361.
  21. Kingman Daily Miner
  22. Los Angeles Daily News
  23. Chicago Sun Times
  24. Eyman 2014, p. 447.
  25. The New Hollywood: From Bonnie and Clyde to Star Wars
    https://books.google.com/books?id=29Y3BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA49
  26. American Film Institute
    https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/23723
  27. Variety
  28. Variety
    https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_1969-09-03_256_3/page/13
  29. Variety
    https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_1969-09-24_256_6/page/11
  30. Variety
    https://ameblo.jp/ayumi-niwano/entry-12249691199.html
  31. True Grit
    https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/true_grit
  32. Movies into Film Film Criticism 1967-1970
  33. Oscars
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qQhODwivLU
  34. oscars.org
    http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1970
  35. ACE Second Decade Anniversary Book
    https://books.google.com/books?id=NZ8EAQAAIAAJ
  36. The Los Angeles Times
    https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-film-editors-given/143781485/
  37. "BAFTA Awards (1970)"
    http://awards.bafta.org/award/1970/film
  38. HFPA
    https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/true-grit
  39. National Board of Review
    https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1969/
  40. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
    https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/heritage-awards/425no-title/
  41. Writers Guild of America
    https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551
  42. Eyman 2014, p. 512.
  43. Variety
    https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/coen-brothers-to-adapt-true-grit-1118001514/
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