I watched El Dorado today. I haven't seen it a long time. By the way, I purchased this movie on DVD last night. I have it on VHS, but haven't seen VHS a long time, so I haven't see this movie in a long time. Yes, it has been on TV, but I seem to always get in the middle of the movie, so thats why it reminds me of Rio Bravo.

The beginning of the movie explains where this movie is going with dialogue with some of the characters, and I forgot some of it until I saw it today. The first contact with the sheriff, shooting of Luke McDonald, Thornton & Mattie and Thornton & the elder McDonald after the shooting. I do remember Joey shooting Thornton and the meeting of Mississippi. This movie has a little more meat than I remember, so I enjoyed seeing it again.

What do you think about the beginning of the movie? What did you like or dislike about that part of the movie?

Cheers B)

Mike

Funny you should start this topic as I was thinking of starting it myself.

El Dorado is a staple John Wayne movie with that little bit extra quality added to it. The movie to the average viewer would not grab your attention from the start like Bravo does but it does give the structures to the storyline. There are great characters interwoven within the story such as Harrah, Mississippi, Bull and Joey. There are some great action scenes namely the final shootout, the church shootout and Duke trying to sober up Harrah.

I like the idea of a small group of people standing up for what is right there are a few darkish scenes in the movie like when Duke shoots the kid and secondly when Duke is taken by the bad guys that add realism to the movie.

The dialogue is top notch and well delivered by all the protagonists and while the bad guys are not very threatening they are passable and Christopher George is very good.

Don't think of Rio Bravo when you watch this movie enjoy it for its own merits as this is one movie that stands the test of time.

:agent:

I love El Dorado. The beginning is fine - it's all set up for the payoff in the middle and the end of the movie.

I thought the pairing of Robert Mitchum and John Wayne worked extremely well and it's just a shame that they didn't do more movies together.

This is one of my favorite JW movies.

I agree, its a good film and very watchable. Duke made better films. But, this film is definitely worth owning.

"El Dorado" has grown better the more times I watch it - like wine aging. I like the characterization especially - the interaction between the individuals seems tailor-made. I think a lot of people thought that this was just another John Wayne western (nothing wrong with that anyway) when it first came out, but over the years it has become a classic on its own.

Cheers - Jay :rolleyes:

Robert Mitchum is a fine actor and he plays well with the Duke.

I have always wondered why some actors Duke worked well with on-screen at least he only worked with them once.

Names that come to mind are

1. Robert Mitchum - Don't count the Longest day
2. Stuart Whitman - Dont count the Longest day
3. Jeffrey Hunter - You get the idea regaring the Longest day

:agent:

Hi

Robert mitchum was due to appear in the lead in Blood Alley and actually shot some footage. Early on in the picture he became involved in an arguement with George Coleman the transport manager which resulted in Mitchum throwing him into San Francisco Bay. At director William Wellman's request Mitchum was removed from the picture and replaced reluctantly by John Wayne.

Andrew McLaglen give an account of the incident in an interview for Wildest Westerns. And in his book John Mitchum denies that the incident ever happened saying that it was fabricated by Warner Brothers because Wayne was required for a picture for that studio.

Regards

Arthur

Glad you're coming around on El Dorado. It's the movie that hooked me onto the Duke and it's been at the top of my favorite movies list for years.

IMO, El Dorado buries Rio Bravo, which I think is overrated, and the earlier film is weakened considerably thanks to the wooden--no, make that atrocious- acting of Ricky Nelson and Angie Dickinson that bogs the movie down, IMO. Ugh. I do love Dean Martin and Walter Brennan, but I think Hawks was right to remake it later with improvements James Caan (why he never was huge in show biz is beyond me) Michelle Carey (hot!) and Maudie (Charlene Holt). Robert Mitchum is a hoot as JP Harrah and I became a Arthur Hunnicutt fan after seeing him here, as well. But don't get me wrong, I LIKE Rio Bravo, I just don't think it's as good as everyone maintains.

And yes, the theme song to El Dorado is haunting, wistful and sad. Works with the movie's premise perfectly.

"El Dorado" seems to be one of the Duke's better movies in his last couple of decades. I never tire of watching it - there seems something new to pick up on with each viewing. And you're right about the main title theme, Cole. It adds to the total mix.

Cheers - Jay :D

It seems that most of you liked James Cann better than Ricky Nelson which plays simular parts of the two movies, Rio Bravo & El Dorado. By all means Cann was and is a much better actor that Nelson. However remember that Nelson was a singer and teen idol of the time while Cann was just starting out in show business. The irony I see that the two characters were nicknamed states which had simular story lines.

I do find James Cann a better actor, myself. I wish that he could have been Colorado in Rio Bravo. I don't think that Cann can sing, so that would be hard to sing with Dino. :)

Cheers B)

I heard that the two reasons why Nelson got the role on Bravo were.

He was a teen star and would attract a younger audience.
He could sing and would compliment the famous singing scene in the middle of the movie.

:agent:

Robbie,

You're right on both accounts. He could sing with the likes of Martin, and he was a teen idol a the height of his popuarity at the time. He did go down hill after that until his untimely death in 1985 caused by a plane crash. He didn't have a great career, and drugs and alcohol could have been the cause, but he could sing.

Cheers B)

He was a teen star and would attract a younger audience.

The Duke was a master at this; don't you think it helped him maintain his popularity; using a famous young face to draw in the younger audiences? Fabian and Glen Campbell also spring to mind; any others?

I'm aware of the fact that Duke brought those teen idols in to try and capture the "youth market", but Nelson's acting is so bad that it makes Fabian look like Paul Muni by comparison. I have to wonder if that many teenyboppers ran to see The Alamo because Frankie Avalon was in it. BTW, I actually liked Fabian's roles in North To Alaska and the James Stewart movie, Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation.

Maybe it is a girlie thing -- as a teenagers I saw through plenty of bad movies because of the handsome face on the screen. While I don't think any of these movies are bad; I do agree with your assessment on Nelson' acting ability.

You have to mention Ann Margaret in the Train Robbers. She would attract the men at that time and she was hot. Kinda liked her sleeping on Duke and calling him comfortable. :P I think he appreciated it too.

Cheers B)

Hi Mike

Was it now the awful Jennifer O'neill in Rio Lobo who came out with that line.

:agent:

You got me on that one, Robbie. That's right. I got that mixed up with the movies. The problem with many of Duke's movies you see so much, you get some confused. :blink: Anyway, Jennifer O'Neil was the one and she's totally hot too.

Cheers B)