|
This was the last movie he made. It's about an aging
gunfighter J.B. Books (John Wayne) who has been told
that he has "a cancer". He comes here to Carson City
to see another doctor, an old friend (James Stewart),
who confirms what the other doctor had told him.
The doctor recommends a boarding house run by a widow,
Mrs. Rogers (Lauren Bacall). He quietly checks into
the boarding house and tells the widow Rogers, he'll
pay extra if needed, but he wants his meals in his
room, he doesn't want to be a burden to anyone.
The word of his arrival has spread throughout the
town. A milk delivery man, Cobb (Bill McKinney)
thinks he's pretty good with a gun, and a gambler at
the saloon (Hugh O'Brian) stages gunfights from time
to time to prove how good he is with a gun. Another
man that lives just outside town name Sweeney
(Richard Boone) has it in for Books for killing his
brother several years ago.
Mrs. Rogers has a son, Gillum (Ron Howard) who finds
out who Books really is, and is proud to know that
the famous J.B. Books is living in his house. His
mother on the other hand wants him to leave. Books
tells her of his illness and says he can't leave.
The stable owner (Scatman Crothers) is also known
to be the best haggler, he and Books do a little
haggling to see how much he's going to have to pay
Books for his horse and saddle.
Books, not wanting to lay around waiting to die,
has young Gillum go to each of the gunmen, Cobb,
Sweeney and the gambler and tell each one to meet
him at the saloon. He walks calmly into the saloon
and orders a drink, telling the bartender that it
is his birthday. Cobb was the first to try his
luck, but after the smoke cleared, Books stood
alone, all three were dead.
Books standing, looking towards the door, when
Gillum walks in and yells "look out", but not in
time, Books was shot in the back by the bartender.
|
