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THE FILM

FILM DIRECTOR: Stuart Millar

SCREENWRITER: Martin Julien (Martha Hyer)

FILM STARS: John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Zerbe, Richard Jordan, John McIntire, Richard Romancito, Paul Koslo, Strother Martin, Tommy Lee, Jack Colvin, Jon Lormer, Lane Smith, Jerry Gatlin, Chuck Hayward, Andrew Prine.

COUNTRY: USA

THIS BOOK

AUTHOR: Martin Julien

TYPE: Screenplay

PUBLISHER: Signet

THIS EDITION

PUBLISHED: 1975

COUNTRY: USA

COVER: Paperback

THE ORIGINAL BOOK

ORIGINAL AUTHOR: As Above

YEAR FIRST PUBLISHED: 1975

ORIGINAL BOOK TITLE: Rooster Cogburn (… and the Lady)

NOTES

GENRE: Western

WORDS: The screenplay of the film (with photos!). The sequel to True Grit of sorts, with John Wayne reviving the lead character, Rooster Cogburn. The author of True Grit, Charles Portis, had nothing to do with this. The screenplay was written by (the great) actress Martha Hyer, the wife of producer Hal B. Wallis, under the pen name Martin Julien. It was decided to pair two icons of film who had never worked together before, John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn. Wayne plays the role that won him an Oscar and Kate plays a variation of her character in the The African Queen with scenes and set ups reminiscent of that and of True Grit. The film was promoted  as an “African Queen goes west” sequel to True Grit. Slickly produced by Hal Wallis (who also produced True Grit) the film is directed loosely but the two leads are great as is the supporting cast. As long as you know their film histories, there is a joy in watching their effortless acting and bouncing around off each other. Despite the films title this is a two starring role film. The original title of the film was to have been “Rooster Cogburn (…and the Lady)”, which it was called for some time and in some markets. And, despite different outlooks to all sorts of things by all accounts (reports at the time, Wayne’s comments, Kate autobiography) they got on fabulously … and it shows. Their different positions in Hollywood and philosophical outlooks were used to promote the film. There are many times, in the film, where the movie dialog crosses into the real word, or at least the movie personas they have created: Rooster Cogburn’s (John Wayne) line to Eula Goodnight (Hepburn) towards the end, “Ma’am, I don’t know much about thoroughbreds, horses or women.  Ones I did know, I never liked. They are nervous and spooky – and they scare me. But you are one high-bred filly that don’t. Course I don’t know what you are talking about half the time – but it don’t matter. Being around you pleases me.” Eula Goodnight’s (Katharine Hepburn) last lines in the film, “Reuben, I have to say it. Livin’ with you has been an adventure any woman would relish for the rest of time. I look at cha, with your burnt-out face, and your big belly, and your bear-like paws and your shining eye, and I have to say you’re a credit to the whole male sex, and I’m proud to have ya for my friend”.

LINKS

PHOTOS

Katherine Hepburn on working with John Wayne in Rooster Cogburn (unsourced though she says something similar in her biography): “He has confidence in himself, which gives him enormous charisma. He’s quick, he’s sensitive. He knows all the techniques. I think he’s an awfully good actor—and a terribly funny man. We laugh all day. What a goddamn fascinating personality!”

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