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

[jack the toad]

JW version... IMO, the "true" True Grit.
Even though it seems like somewhere I had heard the 2nd movie was scripted closer to the book???
I don't know as I haven't watched them close enough to compare the details.

 

[steamloco76]

I've watch both versions several times. John Wayne plays Cogburn with a glint in his eye and high spirit, Jeff Bridges take is grim and foreboding. Each actor really owned the part in his own way. Glen Campbell vs. Matt Damon is no contest, Damon is an actor by trade and was much better.
I though that both Robert Duvall and Barry Pepper did equally good jobs playing Lucky Ned Pepper.

The ending of the Duke's version in happy and the ending of the Bridge's version, which follows the Portis novel is more realistic, though much more somber.

Conclusion- the John Wayne movie is more fun to watch and therefore my favorite.

P.S. John Way deserved an Oscar for The Searcher's, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon and The Shootist. True Grit, well Hollywood owed him one for hosing him for Ethan in the Searchers.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Jeff was good.....But......Remakes are never as good as the originals.......

 

[senecaap]

Both are good, but the Wayne version is tops for me. And as for the supporting cast, its 2/3; no one beats Robert Duvall, I still prefer Glen Campbell bad acting and all, watching Kim Darby's acting is about like watching Angie Dickinson's......which is like being skinned alive very slowly.

The new one seemed more caricaturish to me, but Bridges is always fun to watch.

 

[Delta Expatriate]

I am also a big John Wayne fan - grew up watching his films. I can remember seeing "True Grit" in the theater (1969) when it was released. I enjoyed it and glad he got the Oscar for best actor. Having said that, I also enjoyed the Jeff Bridges version and thought it was a little more "grittier" and did a better job of following the book. It seemed to me to be a little more realistic in keeping with the time period.

I believe John Wayne was also nominated for best actor for "The Sands of Iwo Jima" (1948?) and "Red River" (1952 or 1953?) but obviously did not win. I thought he did a great job in both. I really enjoyed his acting in "The Searchers".

Out of all the movies I have mentioned, the only one I saw on big screen was the original "True Grit".

 

[bgrafsr]

John Wayne. Haven't seen the remake and never will. Don't like Jeff Bridges or Matt Damon. I think Kim Darby did a decent job acting out her part too.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Bridges all the way. As for a whole career, John Wayne doesn't have anything that comes close to Rancho Deluxe, but that has more to do with Slim Pickens.

 

[Absalom]

Nobody has mentioned the snake yet! The CGI snake in the new one was ridiculous! The old one at least used edited-in shots of a real rattlesnake .

 

[GKC]

I thought Jeff was more into the character of "Rooster", and John's character was just "John Wayne"

John Wayne once said that his "acting" consisted of him getting up and just being himself.

 

[sophie]

I like the original True Grit with John Wayne the best.

 

[walkin jack]

If I hadn't seen the Duke's version I'd have enjoyed Bridges' version just fine. It was well filmed and well acted. But the Duke's version had a few advantages.

First and foremost it had the Duke in it. And I liked the supporting cast much better; Kim Darby, Robert Duvall, Strother Martin and Pat Hingle as Judge Parker. And I must mention General Lee, Chin's cat. Even Glenn Campbell's amateurish performance some how seemed to fit in nicely.

I was uncomfortable with the way Bridges ripped off the Dukes lines verbatim. Not bad but he just never did match or even equal the Dukes Deliver and timing. If you are going to flagrantly copy a great actor word for word you better bring a lot of skill with you.

All in all I'm just way more comfortable and way more entertained by the original version.

 

[the ringo kid]

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?

Duke's version only. No I have and will not watch the Bridges version.

 

[the ringo kid]

I'm glad JW won an Oscar for his performance as well!

He also SHOULD have won also for: Stagecoach, Three Godfathers, Fort Apache, Hondo, THE SEARCHERS and The Shootist--or at least been nominated for them. Also--Red River.

 

[ky wonder]

I have a mixed opinion, I think the duke was the better rooster, but the photography was better in the later movie, glen Campbell did not impress me at all in the original, seemed like he was just reading the lines without emotion.

the actress playing the part of the girl was better in the remake and I liked the remakes ending much better

 

[steamloco76]

Yes, the cat was a good part in the original, his name was General Sterling Price. "I got a writ, writt' for a rat."

 

[fdw]

John Wayne...

Don't care much for Bridges... he's way to self absorbed for my taste.

 

[gamboolman]

Can't say...grew up watching the Duke...
I like'em both...

 

[walkin jack]

Yes, the cat was a good part in the original, his name was General Sterling Price. "I got a writ, writt' for a rat."

You are right. Thanks for settin' me straight. Now All I gotta do is figure out why I thought it was General Lee.

Old and slow....

 

[the ringo kid]

You are right. Thanks for settin' me straight. Now All I gotta do is figure out why I thought it was General Lee.

Old and slow....

Maybe you watched: Rio Grande or She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, lately? Lee was mentioned in both by Ben Johnson--especially in "Ribbon."

 

[the ringo kid]

You are right. Thanks for settin' me straight. Now All I gotta do is figure out why I thought it was General Lee.

Old and slow....

Maybe you watched: Rio Grande or She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, lately? Lee was mentioned in both by Ben Johnson--especially in "Ribbon."

Actually, Lee was also fondly mentioned in Fort Apache as well.