Plot: What’s it about?
Katie Elder has mother to four sons and those men have now returned home, as she is being laid to rest. The ranch once by their mother has been taken from the family and their father has been murdered, which leads these men to seek answers, perhaps even revenge. John (John Wayne) is the oldest of the brothers and is a well known gunfighter, but he always seem to be in the middle of trouble, wherever he travels. Matt (Earl Holliman) usually just keeps to himself, but when pushed he will push back, with tremendous force. Tom (Dean Martin) is slick with a gun, but even slicker with a deck of cards and as such, makes his cash as a professional gambler, of all trades to have. Bud (Matt Anderson, Jr.) is the youngest of the brothers, but he wants to see the truth uncovered as much as any of the others. As the brothers search for the truth, they discover all sorts of twists and trouble, but they are determined not to give up until they have their answers, as well as revenge…
I don’t like westerns as rule, but I do enjoy some of them and while I don’t think this is a classic by any means, The Sons of Katie Elder was a more than solid picture. I think genre fans will be more taken with it than I was, but I did like the film and I am glad I took the time to watch it once again. The story is pretty standard western stuff, but has some great moments and of course, the picture boasts a superb cast of performers. John Wayne stands tall as usual, backed up by such actors as Dean Martin, Earl Holliman, Dennis Hopper, George Kennedy, and Michael Anderson, Jr. The performances are good, but fall into the usual western cliches, though that is to expected, I think. The direction is supplied by genre veteran Henry Hathaway, who is able to provide better than average presence, thanks to his experience. If you’re a fan of westerns or a John Wayne fanatic, then I recommend this release as a rental, as Paramount has done little to entice a purchase.
Another western with John Wayne in the saddle, another solid performance under his belt, just as expected. Of course, Wayne was a legend in the genre and starred in countless pictures within in, so his normal performance was seasoned, much better than most actors’ normal performance, to be sure. So while this isn’t one of his better efforts, he covers all the bases and never sleepwalks, so it all turns out quite well indeed. I don’t think his work here will gain more mainstream fans per se, but it does further cement him as a western hall of famer, as well as Hollywood legend. You can also see Wayne in such films as Donovan’s Reef, Angel and the Badman, The Searchers, True Grit, How The West Was Won, and The Longest Day. The cast also includes Dean Martin (The Cannonball Run, Road to Bali), Earl Holliman (Sharky’s Machine, Forbidden Planet), Michael Anderson, Jr. (The Sundowners, Logan’s Run), and George Kennedy (Cool Hand Luke, The Dirty Dozen).
Video: How does it look?
The Sons of Katie Elder is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is very impressive work to be sure, the image is much cleaner and sharper than expected, by leaps and bounds. The print shows minimal debris and grain, this movie looks like it was made just a few years ago, excellent stuff indeed. A few scenes lack the refinement of others, but on the whole, this is a nice looking presentation. The colors look natural and bright enough, while flesh tones are even and never falter. No problems with contrast either, as blacks look rich at all times and detail is strong throughout. This is a much better transfer than I had counted on and of course, fans should be thrilled to say the least.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included mono track is decent, but don’t expect much above the basics here. The music comes through in fine form and has little distortion, while the sound effects are very well presented, more dynamic than expected. The dialogue is clean and crisp throughout, with no real complaints to be made. This isn’t a flashy track by any means, but it gets the job done and in the end, that’s what counts. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
