El Dorado (1966)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Harry Brown (novel)
Leigh Brackett (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 June 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Action | Adventure

Tagline:

It's The Big One With The Big Two!

Plot:

Hired gunman Cole Thornton turns down a job with Bart Jason as it would mean having to fight an old sheriff friend...

Plot Keywords:

Gunfighter | Swindle | Land Grab | Alcoholism | Beautiful Woman

Cast

John Wayne	...	Cole Thornton
Robert Mitchum	...	El Dorado Sheriff J.P. Harrah
James Caan	...	Alan Bourdillion Traherne ('Mississippi')
Charlene Holt	...	Maudie
Paul Fix	...	Dr. Miller
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Bull Harris
Michele Carey	...	Josephine (Joey) MacDonald
R.G. Armstrong	...	Kevin MacDonald
Edward Asner	...	Bart Jason
Christopher George	...	Nelse McLeod
Marina Ghane	...	Maria
Robert Donner	...	Milt (McLeod gang)
John Gabriel	...	Pedro (McLeod gang)
Johnny Crawford	...	Luke MacDonald
Adam Roarke	...	Matt MacDonald

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

John Wayne starred in Rio Bravo (1959), and after reading the script for "El Dorado" he asked to play J.P. Hara, but the part went to Robert Mitchum.

Goofs:

Continuity: Whan JP is sitting at his desk after being shot, he grabs his injured leg, lifts it up, and turns to face Cole. When the camera angle changes, he is facing away from Cole looking back over his shoulder, and then once again he lifts his leg up, and turns to face Cole.

Quotes:

Nelse McLeod: Can you use a gun?
Mississippi: Well, if I could I'd be using one. Good evening.
Cole: Just minute, Mississippi.
Mississippi: Would you mind telling me why you have such a great passion for my company?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#22.89)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

El Dorado

Sumptuous Filming; Many Good Characters; Superior Western

This many not be the best western ever made, but it looks like an epic and is more fun than most movies by a hoot and a holler. It's got direction by Howard Hawks, characters, and people who actually talk to each other in intelligent dialogue and have to think, all set in a beautiful Western locale. John Wayne ably plays a man who has faces several challenges, in this fine screenplay by Leigh Brackett (of "The Big Sleep" and "Rio Bravo" fame). The challenges have to do with helping his hard-drinking friend, the Sheriff played by Robert Mitchum, combating a gang of badmen headed by powerful Edward Asner, and the fact that he's been shot in the back by mistake and that the pain causes him to be unable to move at inconvenient times. The production has a fine title sung by the great Ed Ames, titles by noted western artist Olaf Weighorst (who also appears as a gunsmith),; and its technical production is truly outstanding in every department Other actors contributing to this near-masterpiece of entertaining film-making include Arthur Hunnicutt, R.G. Armstrong, Christopher George and Charlene Holt in her best screen role ever. Outstanding contributions were made by Nellie Manley and Wally Westmore on hair and makeup, Edith Head on costumes and many others. Altogether a very-satisfying, adult and physically beautiful color western; writer Brackett was asked by Wayne to include the saloon scene from "Rio Bravo" in a rewritten version, and it works just as well here; the major change is James Caan as Alan Trehearne, plus the change of cast to Mitchum, Hunnicxuut and Holt, who are all very good indeed.