EL DORADO

Here Director Howard Hawks in 1966 reworks the plot of his 1959 film 'Rio Bravo', again using the idea of a sheriff defending his office from outlaws with only the help of various misfits. 

In the earlier film the sheriff under siege is aided by a drunk and a lame old-timer.  Plus a young gunslinger who may or may not decide to get involved.

In 'El Dorado' it's the sheriff (Robert Mitchum) who has an alcohol problem, aided by a veteran gunslinger (John Wayne), a young guy who is handy with a knife (a young James Caan) and an old-timer.

'Rio Bravo' is very highly regarded but I think I prefer this film (although I wouldn't count either as among my favourite Westerns), the main reason being that Robert Mitchum is a significant upgrade compared with Dean Martin in the earlier film. 

The scene where Mitchum manages to pull himself together sufficiently to enter the town's saloon and make an arrest is a memorable one.

I also enjoyed the performance of Christopher George as a rival gunslinger, and the mutual respect between him and Wayne's character, Thornton.

There is also a shocking moment early on when Thornton accidentally kills the son of a local rancher, which leads to a well acted and written scene when Thornton takes the son's body to his family.

Hawks' last film 'Rio Lobo', made four years later, reworks this plot yet again, and by all accounts it is a sad ending to an extremely distinguished career.  I shan't rush to see it. 

RATING: ✓ If You've Nothing Better To Do