hi,
The greatest things in John Wayne movies are the lines and the shootingscene's

I think that the shootouts in: True Grit, El Dorado and Chisum are the best.
And ofcourse some more

please add a reply


Jwfan

One of my favorite scenes is the one at the end of Stagecoach when the Duke has a shoot out with the Plummer brothers. It has a great lead up to the scene when he is walking with Dallas, then the scene where Doc Boone takes Luke's gun, only to have one returned to him by his showgirl girlfriend. Then you see the shootout, but you don't know if Ringo survives. You get to see Dallas's reaction and then you see Ringo. It's a great scene. :)

Hi,
I agree there are a lot of good shot out scences. I also like the one in Rio Lobo, and Big Jake! They are both pretty good, and you can't forget the shootout in Rio Bravo, Walter Brennan cracks me up in some of those scenes.

Stacy

Stacy,

You took my favorite shootout in Rio Bravo. How dare you take my choice. :D

So, I will pick the one in Sons of Katie Elder. This is the shootout that started out as an ambush at the creek, and the Elder brothers are under the bridge trying to take cover and protect themselves. After one of the brothers get killed and John (Duke) Elder goes out shooting and literally killing off the ambushers, including the hitman. That was a classic.

Later
Cheers
Hondo B)

Hi another great topic,some time ago i saw a progame on tv all about "what's it like to ...and the name of the topic.. ie be a racing car driver ..or HAVE A GUN FIGHT WITH THE DUKE well the fortunate fellow was George Plimpton who did the show,well he was cast into Rio Lobo as one of the deputy's sent to get the girl who came to town on the stagecoach,they then showed several senes as part of the show as to how they make movies, with george walking around the set learning his lines "iv'e got a warrent right here" and having a havard accent was told to try and speak like a southerner,well when it came to the sene jw said "no i think you should change it to "this here's you warrent mister" poor ol george he'd been practicing for hours then jw changes it on him, well the sene went well and is a curucial part of the movie the whole sene took about 2 to 3 minutes but took half a day to shoot every time i see the sene i think of poor ol george and the things he had to go through to making his programe and still be partof one of the best gun fights in a John Wayne Movie.

I have to give the nod to Big Jake...the music, the lightning, the stealth, strategy, the psychology the Duke used to weaken the position of his opponent before the shooting started..."he (the donkey) doesn't like people behind him, neither do I"...."fatty, come out into the light"..."You must think I'm real dangerous man"...to which Richard Boone replies, "Will, Come on down". And then the shootout is probably the most suspensful you will see. Throw in a 10 year old boy, and its quite touching.

Of course the shootout in The Shootest is great...except that we can't stand that bartender who shot the Duke in the back...grrr.

GSP

Yes General you are right but you forget the three slugs he got from richie er i mean Gillam Rogers.

Yes General you are right but you forget the three slugs he got from richie er i mean Gillam Rogers.(Sorry Guys for repeating this message my computer decided to go funny on me)

There are some terrific shootouts in Dukes movies, I also like the final in Big Jake, the fast paced chase/shootout in Stagecoach, the final shootout in El Dorado, Sons on Katie Elder the bridge scene, the ending in the Shootist and Rio Bravo. Two new one to date on this topic would be the scene where Ricky Nelson throws Duke his rifle in Rio Bravo and the absolutely brillaintly even matched shootout at the end of Hondo this is gripping and really watchable.

B)

Guys, in Rio Bravo when Ricky Nelson tosses the rifle to Duke and they both take out all three bad guys, but the most spectacular, in my mind is when Stuart Whitman come racing back on his horse, jumps to the ground and then he, The Duke, and Pat Wayne all fire at once--bababam
Doug

hi

i would have to say the one that is mostly remembered is when he puts the reins of his horse in his mouth and rides across the paddock (field) shoting up the baddies. well that's my pick anyway


cheers smokey

Sorry Hondo,

For taking your favorite shootout in Rio Bravo. I guess great minds think alike!

The Sons of Katie Elder scene is sad when his brother dies, but it is good!

Cheers
Stacy B)

The orignal ending to El Dorado, the one you only hear about.

Duke shoots Chris George in the back, hence the line...
" you never gave me a chance...........
You were to good to give a chance too"

Duke argued he never shoot any one in the back and WASN"T about to start. ;)

Rick

BIG JAKE When he see's his grandson for the first time. that special look he has in his eyes.

Rick

You are correct when you say that Duke quoted he never shot anyone in the back but I am very confused by his comments as he shot the following people in the back in his movies.

1. Futterman and his two henchmen in the Searchers.
2. Paddy Samuels the hitman in Mcq
3. An indian in Stagecoach
4. A couple of comacheroes in the comancheroes
5. An unknow man in the bridge gunfight in the sons of Katie Elder
6. The simple minded boy in True Grit

Surely all this must smash the myth that he never shot anyone in the back although all these people whom he shot in the back defiently deserved it. ;)

B)

One of my favorite shoot outs is from the movie Red River when the 2 Mexicans ride up after Dunson picks the place for his ranch. Another great one was in Chisum when his horse herd is stolen and he confronts the man who offers to sell back the horses. When asked if he brought any gold or silver, Duke replies "Nope...Just lead!" Great line and a great shoot out. dukefan1

Hi Guys i don,t know the exact statement but did Duke say he never shot a man in the back those mentioned ie..indians henchmen ect i dont think they count,anyway i think the best one he ever shot was his last ,old Wyatt Earp himself Hugh O'Brien.

yeah Robbie but he was aiming for there front. They happened to turn at the wrong time.

But serious the ones you mention were in a running gunfight.
The sceen called for, if I remember right.
George in hiding looking out a window...
Duke coming up behind.......BANG
Then the line.

Some feel Liberty Valance is a BORDER LINE shoot out.
A shoots from ambush B two on one C uses a rifle
( James Coburn in Waterhole # 3...... unfair???? )

I'm just one of the ones that feels Ford was trying to destroy his creation ( like Dr Frankenstein ), as it originally called for Duke to step out behind Stewart, in full sight of Liberty and beat him to the draw. Then slip away.
Ford changed that....... to much like Tv.


Rick

Yo Rick

Thats pretty good background information regarding El Dorado, I always wondered why Christopher George claimed that Duke didnt give him a fair chance.

Tom Donophin claimed that his killing of Valance was cold blooded murder but he could live with it.

I still think that Duke never shot a man that didnt deserve it.

B)

Also guys every one he killed back or front i think the answer is in the shootist "I WAS DEFENDING

MYSELF" which follows another great gun fight (i recon those guys were realy pepin toms) lookin

through the dukes window while hes asleep and totin irons (shocking)

Best shootout when they blow the heck out of the town in the Train Robbers

Brian
Tulalip Wa
:unsure:

yes doug when ricky nelson throws his winchester thats a good gun fight, every time i see that i takes me back to the first time i saw it it slowly creeps up on you then bam boom boom boom it all over.

I still say the Train Robbers, Ben Johnson and Robert Taylor work well with the Duke

Brian
Tulalip Wa

watched train rodders on telly today sorry yesterday yes the last gun fight was good with them blasting the town to bits but the other shoot out was when they had just gotten hold of the gold.

did you see that patric wayne produced that movie

cheers smokey

Smokey do you live in aust as the train robbers was on ch 9 here in adelaide sat 5 jul

hi chris maude,

yes i do live in aust in brizzy well close to brizzy we had it on nine as well.

cheers smokey

True Grit, that would be the best shootout scene

Brian
Tulalip Wa

after some thought The man Who Shot Liberty Vallance one of the meanest murderers and thugs (which lee marvin played well)ever to face JW on screen... bulletts going every where but the final one straight through the heart I can watch it over and over again.

Don't think I could just pick one. Probably if I had to pick one western shootout it would be the Shootist. It all came together well and the end with Gillam was tight with him throwing the gun away. But there are some close seconds. Angel and the Badman (yes I am aware he didn't shoot anyone in the end, but it still ranks as one of my favorites) , Big Jake, the one in McQ with the UZI type gun was cool too, the Duke with an automatic was inspirational.

Big Jim,
I just wanted to say welcome to the Best John Wayne website :rolleyes:

Monique ;)

With a bit more thought theres a lot of good shoot outs, i mean its JW were talking about here and would beat gunfight at the ok coral, allan ladd in shane, gary coopers high noon ,yep hes faced the best beaten the best , fast on the draw and a deadley shot to go with it and we have it all on vhs & dvd. so i think one of my favourite shootouts is a the begining of the shootist were he hands the guy his wallet and some lead to go with it,true grit is good, definateley rio bravo,comancheros,sons of katie elder,and the searchers.

Hello all
I have to go with Smokey on this one, when Duke charges at Robert Duvall and his 3 henchmen in True Grit and say's fill your hands that was the quintessential moment for me as far as shootouts go. murray
:uhuh2: :angry: :agent: :( :dead:

I have a few favorite Duke shoot-out scenes and is difficult to pick which is best. For instance, the ones he had in:

1) The Comancheros....
2) Big Jake..................
3) Sons of Katie Elder...
4) Hondo.....................
5) Stagecoach.............
6) The Undefeated....... Etc etc etc...

Now the above are not listed in any particular order of which is favorite.

Shoot-out scenes I liked in: The Comancheros are: When the Comancheros attacked that ranch that the Duke and his prisoner had just stopped at in order to have ameal, rest the horses and his lady friend was having a baby. I thought the ranch fight scenes were great. The fight scenes at the Comancheros hideout were great ones as well.

Shoot-out scenes I liked in: Big Jake are: When the kidnappers ambush the Texas Rangers. The Gunfight scenes before they arrived in Escondera. The fighting in Escondera as well as the ending fight scenes.

Shoot-out scenes I liked in: The Sons of Katie Elder are: The River Ambush and the ending shoot-outs.

Shoot-out scenes I liked in: Hondo are: When the boys father tries to ambush Hondo at his campsite. Next great fight scenes was when the Apache's chase and finally capture Hondo. Finally, the ending fight scenes were excellent as well.

Shoot-out scenes I liked in: Stagecoach are: When the Indians chased the stagecoach. The next one I liked was when Luke Plummer and his two comrades were going after the Ringo Kid. It was short but sweet.

Shoot-out scenes I liked in: The Undefeated are: The first scenes where the Duke's men made a cavalry charge against some entrenched Confederate Soldiers who refused to surrender. The next great scene was when some Mexican Banditos surrounded the Confederate Wagon train and made their attack on it but being surpriseed by Col. Thomas's men as well as Blue Boy and his Indians. After that I liked when they made a mad charge at the French Soldiers in order to get those horses to Durango so the Confederates could be released from captivity.

Too tough for me to pick out.

Definately an honorable mention is Allegheny uprising.

My favorite shootout, besides True Grit is definately The Cowboys. Even though
Duke is dead, the boys sure serve up some justice. When Cimarron fires the last shot and the drags Bruce Dern away, it sort of gives you chills. The character of Hardy Fibbs is a classic. The smallest boy on the drive with the biggest pistol. ^_^

To me the Best and most Real where; :D

"The Shootist" Duke going up against the Odds Alone and get's them all before the Bartender Shoots Him in the Back with a Greener Shotgun! What a way to go in His Last Film!!! :fear2:

"The Angel and the Badman" Because in the last Scene even tho He did not Shoot the Bad Guys and Harry Carey Did it for Him, He was still going up against the odds and got The Girl to Boot! And besides I was in that last Scene for about 20 Seconds. :rolleyes:

"True Grit" Of course because He again He went against The Odds and came out on top, even if He did lose "Old Bo" He got the Bad Guys. :dead:

Robbie; :)

My Grandfather that was a Law Man in the old Southwest here in Arizona in the early part of the 1900s said that the Term "Never shot a man in the Back" meant that You never Shot a Man in the Back from Ambush, not if you were being attacked and had to Fight Back to Defend Yourself! And that was used if you when to Trial for Killing a man!!! :fear:

Bill :cowboy:

Hi Bill

Thanks for that information which makes good sense. How would Dukes ambush have been defended in True Grit, I suppose the fact he was a lawman and the men he was shooting at were outlaws must go in his favour.

I personally have no criticism of Duke shooting men in the back, nobody could criticise him for that brilliant shot in the sons of Katie Elder when he guns down a deputy and send him 6 feet in the air (always gets a cheer in my house).

:agent:

My favorite would have to be in 'The Sons Of Katie Elder', where, after Earl Holliman dies, he picks up 2 six-shooters, grits his teeth...an unloads all 12 shots towards George Kennedy.

Just a great, great scene...