John Wayne's "True Grit" or Jeff Bridges' Version, Which Do You Like Better?

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John Wayne's "True Grit" or Jeff Bridges' Version, Which Do You Like Better?

I liked them both. The only criticism I have with the John Wayne version is that the Rocky Mountains of which I believe were filmed outside of Calgary are portrayed when the book and movie were set in the Arkansas Territory? Liberties of the day I suppose. What version do you like and why?

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true-grit-best-sound-jeff-bridges.jpg
 
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The Wayne version. Not a Jeff Bridges fan but then I am an old fart!

The Wayne film was filmed mostly in SW Colorado, in the Gunnison and Durango area, not Canada as you stated, some in Mexico, and the rest in California.

Have you seen "North to Alaska"? The cabin on the creek where John Wayne/Sam McCord and Fabian/Billy Pratt and Stewart Granger/George Pratt live? If you see it, and then the Wayne "True Grit", the outlaw cabin and the one from "North to Alaska" are sited at the same location on Hot Creek, Mammoth Lakes, CA. Not just the same creek, the precise same spot on the bend of the creek! Some scenes from both are shot at the same angle.

The majority of "True Grit" was portrayed in "The Indian Nations", now Oklahoma, not Arkansas. At the time of the movie Arkansas was a state, having been admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836. There are mountains in some parts of both Arkansas and Oklahoma, although nothing like the mountains of SW Colorado! Judge Isaac Parker presided over the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, which included Indian Territory, from 1875 to 1896. The time portrayed in True Grit was toward the end of this period.



You need to study US History, and Geography, you certainly don't seem to have a grasp of either.
 
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Alk8944 said:
The Wayne version. Not a Jeff Bridges fan but then I am an old fart!

The Wayne film was filmed mostly in SW Colorado, in the Gunnison and Durango area, not Canada as you stated, some in Mexico, and the rest in California.

Have you seen "North to Alaska"? The cabin on the creek where John Wayne/Sam McCord and Fabian/Billy Pratt and Stewart Granger/George Pratt live? If you see it, and then the Wayne "True Grit", the outlaw cabin and the one from "North to Alaska" are sited at the same location on Hot Creek, Mammoth Lakes, CA. Not just the same creek, the precise same spot on the bend of the creek! Some scenes from both are shot at the same angle.

The majority of "True Grit" was portrayed in "The Indian Nations", now Oklahoma, not Arkansas. At the time of the movie Arkansas was a state, having been admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836. There are mountains in some parts of both Arkansas and Oklahoma, although nothing like the mountains of SW Colorado! Judge Isaac Parker presided over the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, which included Indian Territory, from 1875 to 1896. The time portrayed in True Grit was toward the end of this period.



You need to study US History, and Geography, you certainly don't seem to have a grasp of either.
Click to expand...

This was an innocent thread to create conversation. You just interrupted it with your lack of grace. A little advise in the future, teach, don't condemn.
 
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I'm a lifelong John Wayne fan, so of course I'll give the nod to the JW version. I did like Matt Damon's acting much better than Glen Campbell's. Glen Campbell said his acting was so bad that he made John Wayne look good enough to win an Oscar.

I also liked Hailee Steinfeld much better than Kim Darby. Reportedly, Kim Darby (who was a liberal) and John Wayne couldn't stand each other, but in current interviews she does recall Mr. Wayne fondly.
 
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GKC said:
I'm a lifelong John Wayne fan, so of course I'll give the nod to the JW version. I did like Matt Damon's acting much better than Glen Campbell's. Glen Campbell said his acting was so bad that he made John Wayne look good enough to win an Oscar.

I also liked Hailee Steinfeld much better than Kim Darby. Reportedly, Kim Darby (who was a liberal) and John Wayne couldn't stand each other, but in current interviews she does recall Mr. Wayne fondly.
Click to expand...

I'm glad JW won an Oscar for his performance as well!
 
GKC said:
I wish he had won one for The Shootist. That would have been a great cap to a remarkable career.
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My favorite movies for which he should have also won recognition where "The Shootist" and "The Cowboys" Don't know if Bruce Dern won anything but when I saw the movie at 11 years old, he scared the heck out of me!
 
I rathered the original John Wayne version of it myself. The new version wasn't bad, but I'm not a big fan of remaking a classic movie as most basically stink. The Jeff Bridges movie didn't stink at least though.

As for Bruce Dern in "The Cowboys" I read he got death threats from "Duke" fans for killing him. :eek:

I also think he should have won an Oscar for "The Shootist" too. It would have been a heck of a way to cap off a heck of a career.
 
It would be interesting to find some folks who hadn't seen either and show them both films in different order. That is show some the Wayne version first, then the Bridges version, while reversing it for the others and see what they say. Often, I think we are prejudiced by what we see first, unless it's a real stinker.

I like both films for different reasons. Wayne's portrayal of an old semi-washed up law officer was better IMHO than Jeff's, but the filming details and some of the supporting roles were better in the remake.
 
I'm a pretty big John Wayne fan, but I have to say after watching both versions back to back more than once that I like the Jeff Bridge's version better.

John Wayne is tough to beat, but Jeff Bridges came pretty darn close and the acting of the supporting cast in the new version was much better than the original. Overall, with the depth of talent and more modern production, I have to go with the new version. It wasn't really even a close contest for me.

"Big Jake" is my favorite film.
 
The dude all the way.

Not a big Wayne fan. Every movie he was the same. I remember seeing a part of the original True Grit years ago when I was just flipping through the channels. Didn't know what it was. Watched for maybe 10 min and had to change the channel.

Saw the second one in theaters and loved it. Some time later I see the original playing on TV so I quickly changed to that channel to see the original. I quit at the part where Wayne and some old lady are arguing near some old house/building.. . I just couldn't. I know Wayne is considered an icon. But I honestly don't know what people saw in his acting. To me his modern version would be Arnold, Stallone, Van Dam, ...etc... Same characters over an over. No depth or dimension to their characters. They can play the same role very good

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
No contest for me: the Duke. The original sets the standard. The remake, tries to improve it. That's easier than trying to create a stand alone film. To my mind, the remakes seldom, if ever, stand up to this comparison. John Wayne, the very embodiment of "America", in cinema.
 
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