THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER

US, 1965, 122 minutes, Colour.
John Wayne, Dean Martin, Martha Hyer, Michael Anderson Jnr., Earl Holliman, Denis Hopper, George Kennedy, Jeremy Slater.
Directed by Henry Hathaway.

The Sons of Katie Elder is directed by Henry Hathaway, a veteran director of westerns since the mid-'30s, especially with the first colour western, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. Hathaway had directed many action adventures like The Lives of a Bengal Lancer and was to continue making a range of Hollywood dramas in the '40s (with police themes and crime studies like Call Northside 777) and was then to move into colour action adventures with the coming of Cinemascope. The Sons of Katie Elder is one of his later films, a different kind of western where the criticism was that there was not much action in the earlier part of the film but rather character study.

The film was also a John Wayne western, though by this time he was seen more as a senior citizen. In fact, in four years time, he was to win the Oscar for his portrayal of Rooster Cogburn in True Grit (again directed by Henry Hathaway). By the mid-'60s, Dean Martin had established a reputation as an actor in his own right and had appeared in a great number of westerns. The supporting cast, including Dennis Hopper, were stand-by character actors in dramas and westerns of the mid-'60s.

The film is not as dynamic as audiences wanted at the time. However, it stands up quite well as a blend of human drama with western action.

1. How enjoyable a western was this? How good a western? Its impact and interest?

2. The use of widescreen, colour, locations, the staging of incidents, the music?

3. The importance of John Wayne and Dean Martin and their impact and effect? Audience expectations of their kind of western?

4. The emphasis of the title on the four sons? Audience expectations? Themes of law and order, the west, the myths of the west?

5. The first half of the film is criticized as being very slow in setting the scene. Is this criticism justified? Why is the first half slow? Is it important for this film and the second half to set the scene well?

6. The film's emphasis on Katie Elder and her memory? The characters' talk about her, her status in the town, her burial? The importance of the ranch and its being won from her husband?

7. How interesting were the four sons? John Wayne and his style? The rough elder son, violent, the memory of him in the town etc.? Tom and Dean Martin's style? The importance of his turn in the bar, trying to scrounge drinks? The amiable character? Matt and his earnestness? Bud and his trying to ape his brothers? Their wish for him to go to college? The gradual introduction of the sons? The town's reaction to them? The interchanges amongst themselves? In the atmosphere of the west?

8. The importance of the character of Mary and her taunts? Galvanizing the characters and the film into action?

9. How conventional was Hastings as a villain? His running of the town, his gaining of the ranch? His hold over his son? Curly? Hiring him and the violence inherent in this? Hastings over-reaching himself, his son’s reaction and his shooting of him?
10 The picture of the amiable sheriff and the violence of his death? As motivation enough for the Elders for revenge?

11. The portrayal of trouble in the town? Murder? The town’s reaction? Reaction to the Elders?

12. How well staged and interesting were the action sequences of the second half: the arrest, the journey, the siege on the bridge, the murder of the deputy? The death of Matt, the wounding of Bud?

13. The drama of the finale? Hastings' death? Bud's wounding and John's achievement? Tom getting the evidence? Audience involvement in this?

14. What elements of the classic western did the film use? How well? Its presentation of and exploration of the legends and myths of the American west and its heritage?