Movie · 1969 · Western, Drama · 2h 8m · G · English
Curator score: 7.0/10 (86.5K ratings)
The strangest trio ever to track a killer.
Overview
The murder of her father sends a teenage tomboy on a mission of 'justice', which involves avenging her father's death. She recruits a tough old marshal, 'Rooster' Cogburn because he has 'true grit', and a reputation of getting the job done.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.0/10
IMDb: 7.4/10
Letterboxd: 3.67/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Metacritic: 83
TMDB: 7.3/10
Director
Henry Hathaway
Production
Wallis-Hazen Inc., Paramount Pictures, Taurus Film
Cast
John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Jeremy Slate, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Alfred Ryder, Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, Ron Soble, James Westerfield, John Fiedler, John Doucette, Donald Woods, Edith Atwater, Carlos Rivas, Isabel Boniface, H.W. Gim, John Pickard, Elizabeth Harrower
Where to watch
fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo
Curator Review
Verdict
A sturdy, old-school Western with real charm: sharp frontier banter, scenic craftsmanship, and a memorable odd-couple dynamic between the determined girl and the worn-down marshal. It’s less brutal or psychologically complex than later revisions of the genre, but it remains entertaining, moving, and anchored by a defining John Wayne performance.
Best for
classic Western fans
viewers who like character-driven adventure
fans of tough-but-warm mentor dynamics
people interested in late-60s studio-era filmmaking
audiences who enjoy frontier justice stories
Skip if
you want a revisionist or especially gritty Western
you prefer modern pacing and psychological realism
you’re looking for a darker, more violent revenge film
you dislike a few broad comic or old-fashioned tonal touches
Overview
Henry Hathaway’s True Grit is a polished, highly watchable Western that leans on personality as much as plot. The revenge setup is simple, but the film gets its energy from the friction between Mattie Ross’s relentless certainty and Rooster Cogburn’s battered, half-drunk pragmatism.
Worth noting
What lingers most is the movie’s balance of roughness and sentiment. It has enough dust, danger, and deadpan humor to feel like a proper frontier adventure, yet it also finds room for tenderness and mutual respect. That emotional center is what keeps it from feeling merely procedural.
Bottom line
It’s also a showcase for John Wayne, whose performance gives the film its weathered authority. Even when the movie shows its age in tone or structure, the craftsmanship, scenery, and easy momentum make it an enduring genre staple rather than a museum piece.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Leighton Trent (3.5★) · 186 likes
𝔸 𝕃𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕒 𝕊𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕒 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣
Dear Dad,
I'm sorry it took me this long to watch your favorite movie star in your favorite movie of his. If it was John Wayne, you watched it; it didn't matter which one it was, good or bad, your eyes were glued. It feels all kinds of wrong not only that I never watched this with you, but that I waited eight years after you were gone to finally see it.… more
Sam (3.5★) · 181 likes
True Grit, above all else, is surprisingly moving, embracing good messages to drive its dazzling adventure with potency and excitement. Rooster Cogburn is a man who takes no BS, constantly utilizing his aggressive and independent tone to intimidate others. However, Mattie Ross is a toughie, and will not let Cogburn get the best of her skillful power. These two form an everlasting bond that may have taken a bit to solidify, yet exemplifies the unlikelihood and distinctiveness of friendship. In… more True Grit, above all else, is surprisingly moving, embracing good messages to drive its dazzling adventure with potency and excitement. Rooster Cogburn is a man who takes no BS, constantly utilizing his aggressive and independent tone to intimidate others. However, Mattie Ross is a toughie, and will not let Cogburn get the best of her skillful power. These two form an everlasting bond that may have taken a bit to solidify, yet exemplifies the unlikelihood and distinctiveness of friendship. In… more
David Whitman (4.5★) · 169 likes
Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) has already seen his best days as a U.S. Marshall. Though he is still a success tracking down criminals, he’s usually quite drunk and ornery. When a young teenager’s (Kim Darby) father is murdered, she hires Cogburn to hunt him down. Reluctantly, he brings her along.
This is a straight up classic and features the best John Wayne performance on film. Director Henry Hathaway finally coaxes a performance out of Wayne that shows he could actually… more
theriverjordan (4★) · 147 likes
In Henry Hathaways’s “True Grit,” a bastard dies two deaths: first, when he kills his own soul, and second, when someone sends a bullet through the husk that’s left of him.
Whether in the form of a harsh frontier landscape, or a grouchy sad sack of a drunk - forgiveness, though hard earned, is always possible.
Hathaway’s rendition of the 1967 novel gives less narrative agency and focus to the strong spoken Maddie Ross character than the Coen Brothers grant… more
Sam (4★) · 120 likes
There’s something so special about 60s cinema, and with True Grit specifically there’s that grainy touch that graciously covers and emphasizes the beauty of landscapes. The mountainous backgrounds, untouched trees, free fields and shinning waters act as a symphony in unison, immersing the viewer into a wonderful adventure. And with Kim Darby and John Wayne giving us chemistry that is classic and reminiscent, there’s no way I couldn’t enjoy such a pure and exciting adventure.
Best Actor Rank
1953 · Drama, Western · 1h 58m · NR · Curator 7.7/10 (86.8K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, MGM Plus, Philo
A classic Western about violence, moral clarity, and a young person’s view of frontier justice, with a similarly elegiac feel.
1939 · Western, Adventure, Drama · 1h 36m · G · Curator 8.9/10 (149.3K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Essential classic Western storytelling with a strong ensemble, travel danger, and the template for later frontier adventures.