Certification. U
Running Time. 2 hours 2 mins
Director. Henry Hathaway
Cast. Michael Anderson Jr, James Gregory, Earl Holliman, Dennis Hopper, Martha Hyer, George Kennedy, Dean Martin, Jeremy Slate, John Wayne.
Rating. 60%
Four months after undergoing major surgery to remove his left lung (following a diagnosis of lung cancer in 1964), John Wayne returned to the screen as the lead character, John Elder in Henry Hathaway's The Sons Of Katie Elder.
Wayne was joined by Dean Martin, Earl Holliman and Michael Anderson Jr to portray four brothers (with an age span of 36 years), the eponymous sons of Katie Elder.
The character of Katie Elder is undoubtedly the real hero of the piece. Never seen on screen, she has already passed away at the beginning of the film. Respected by the locals of Clearwater, she is remembered with fondness by all and her influence is felt throughout the film. Director Henry Hathway poignantly uses an empty rocking chair to signify her presence as the brothers decide that the best legacy of the family's matriarch is to send the youngest, Bud Elder (Michael Anderson Jr) back to college.
The film is perfectly paced and Henry Hathway ensures the storyline advances with the support of a rousing score from Elmer Bernstein. The main title theme from The Sons Of Katie Elder is every bit as good as the main title theme from The Magnificent Seven, if not better.
Without the bitter conflict of Red River, the moral ambiguity of The Searchers, or the charisma of Rio Bravo, The Sons of Katie Elder is an unpretentious western, but highly entertaining nonetheless.
The Sons Of Katie Elder was a source of inspiration for John Singleton's Four Brothers starring Mark Wahlberg and Tyrese Gibson.
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