The Shootist
Encyclopedia
The Shootist is a 1976
Western starring John Wayne
in his final film role. It was based on the 1975
novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout
. Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout (son of the author) wrote the screenplay. Lauren Bacall
, Ron Howard
and James Stewart
co-starred and Don Siegel
directed.
The aging Books and the Old West
are dying. Arriving in Carson City, Nevada
on January 22, 1901, reading reports of the death of England's Queen Victoria in the newspaper, Books seeks a medical opinion from someone he trusts, E. W. "Doc" Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart
). Hostetler confirms a Colorado doctor's prognosis of a painful and undignified death from cancer
, so Books rents a room from the widow Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall
) and her son Gillom (Ron Howard
) to contemplate his fate.
A distinctly nervous Marshal Walter Thibido (Harry Morgan
) visits the house to order the notorious gunfighter to leave town. Books tells him about his terminal illness. The lawman is both relieved and elated, telling him, "Don't take too long to die."
Books' presence in town becomes known. Old enemies and glory seekers are drawn to him. Mike Sweeney (Richard Boone
) wants to avenge a brother's death. A newspaperman (Rick Lenz
) wants to exaggerate and glorify the violence in Books' life. Others seek fame by killing the gunfighter, Books being forced to shoot two strangers who try to ambush him in his sleep. Gillom is impressed, but his mother loses boarders and is upset by the violence in her home.
Old flame Serepta (Sheree North
) shows up to ask Books to marry her. He is touched until he learns that she wants to use his notoriety to make money from the sensationalized ghost-written
"memoirs" of his widow. After Doc Hostetler sells Books something to ease his pain and advises him not to die a death like he has described, Books bargains with someone who plans to profit from his death, the undertaker Hezekiah Beckum (John Carradine
), whom he orders a headstone with specific writings on it from.
Gillom tries to sell Book's horse to Moses(Scatman Crothers
), the local blacksmith to help pay back his mother's loss of boarders, however, he gets a better deal and confronts Gillom and they work out their differences. Books sets himself up to die on his birthday rather than die of cancer and sends Gillom to three specific men, Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford(Hugh O'Brian
), a professional gambler and pistol shot, and Jay Cobb(Bill McKinney
)(each one being unaware that Gillom told the others) with a message saying he will be at the Metropole saloon on January 29, his 58th birthday.
On his birthday, the headstone he ordered arrives and shows 1843 as the year of his birth. Having made a gift of his horse, which he bought back, to Gillom as he has grown fond of him, Books says goodbye to Bond, whom he has gotten friendlier with and departs to meet his fate.
In a changing frontier, Books arrives at the saloon by trolley and Sweeney in an Oldsmobile Curved Dash
(which debuted in 1901). It is early in the day, so there are no other customers for the bartender besides the four men. Books orders a drink from the bartender, and lifts his glass to each of the three men who are there at his invitation.
Suddenly, one by one, the men draw their guns and open fire, each taking on Books. In the ensuing shootout, Books kills all of his opponents but is shot twice himself. Gillom arrives after the gunbattle to find the wounded Books still alive. The bartender sneaks up on Books and empties a shotgun on the back of his chest. Gillom picks up Books' gun and shoots the bartender three times, killing him. In horror, Gillom looks at Books' gun, and then tosses it away. Books looks on, smiles in satisfaction to this, and then dies.
three years after production ended. The Shootist would be his final film role, concluding a legendary career that began during the silent film
era in 1926. Lauren Bacall had suffered through the 1957 death of her husband Humphrey Bogart
, who died of throat cancer
, adding further shading to the film's parallels.
At the time the movie rights were purchased, John Wayne was not seriously considered for the role due to questions about his health and his ability to complete the filming. The producers had wanted George C. Scott
, but Wayne actively campaigned for the role and made completion of the film a personal mission.
Contrary to popular belief, John Wayne did not have cancer
when he made this film. His entire left lung and several ribs had been removed in surgery on 16 September 1964, and in 1969 he was declared cancer-free. It was not until 12 January 1979, almost three years after this movie had been filmed, that the disease was found to have returned.
The film was shot on location in Carson City, Nevada
and at studios in Burbank, California
. In Carson City, the house at 500 N. Mountain Street that doubled for J. B. Books' rooming house (owned by Bond Rogers in the movie) is three doors south from the Nevada governor's mansion. The only change to the house was a portico added on the southern side.
Besides changing the location from El Paso to Carson City, and having his horse Dollor written in, Wayne also changed the ending of the screenplay. Books was supposed to shoot Jack Pulford in the back, and then Gillom Rogers was to shoot Books. Wayne said, "Mister, I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it." He also did not want the young Gillom killing him; this would have made the movie go in a different direction and Gillom's tossing away of the gun, thus rejecting the life of a gunman, gained Wayne's approval.
Wayne was also responsible for much of the film's casting: friends and past co-stars Lauren Bacall
, James Stewart
, Richard Boone
and John Carradine
were all cast at Wayne's request.
Despite Wayne's influence on the film, Don Siegel
denied claims that he and Wayne clashed, saying that "He had plenty of his own ideas... and some I liked which gave me inspirations, and some I didn't like. But we didn't fight over any of it. We liked each other and respected each other."
The horse that J. B. Books rides in the film, Dollor (Ol' Dollor), that he gives to Gillom, had been Wayne's favorite horse for ten years, through several Westerns. The horse shown during the final scene of True Grit was Dollor, a two-year-old in 1969. Wayne had Dollor, a chestnut quarter horse gelding, written into the script (although there is no mention in the book of a specific horse) because of his love for the horse; it was a condition for him working on the project. Wayne would not let anyone else ride the horse. Robert Wagner
rode the horse in a segment of the Hart to Hart
television show, but this was after Wayne's death.
and Network
, and was nominated for one Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA award, and a Writers Guild of America
award. The film currently has a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes
.
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
Western starring John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
in his final film role. It was based on the 1975
1975 in literature
The year 1975 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* August 12 — with the 20-year time limit stipulated by Thomas Mann at his death having expired, sealed packets containing 32 of the author's notebooks were opened in Zurich, Switzerland.* Writing under the...
novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout
Glendon Swarthout
Glendon Fred Swarthout was an American writer.-Life:Glendon Swarthout was the only child of Fred and Lila Swarthout, a banker and a homemaker. Swarthout is a Dutch name from the area around Groningen, in the Netherlands, and his mother’s maiden name was Chubb, from English farmers of Yorkshire...
. Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout (son of the author) wrote the screenplay. Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
, Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
and James Stewart
James Stewart
James Stewart was a Hollywood movie actor and USAF brigadier general.James Stewart may also refer to:-Noblemen:*James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland*James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn James Stewart (1908–1997) was a Hollywood movie actor and USAF brigadier general.James Stewart...
co-starred and Don Siegel
Don Siegel
Donald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
directed.
Plot
The movie begins with a clip montage of some of John Wayne's earlier western movies, depicting the life of the legendary "shootist" (gunfighter) John Bernard (J. B.) Books.The aging Books and the Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
are dying. Arriving in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
on January 22, 1901, reading reports of the death of England's Queen Victoria in the newspaper, Books seeks a medical opinion from someone he trusts, E. W. "Doc" Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
). Hostetler confirms a Colorado doctor's prognosis of a painful and undignified death from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, so Books rents a room from the widow Bond Rogers (Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
) and her son Gillom (Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
) to contemplate his fate.
A distinctly nervous Marshal Walter Thibido (Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
) visits the house to order the notorious gunfighter to leave town. Books tells him about his terminal illness. The lawman is both relieved and elated, telling him, "Don't take too long to die."
Books' presence in town becomes known. Old enemies and glory seekers are drawn to him. Mike Sweeney (Richard Boone
Richard Boone
Richard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
) wants to avenge a brother's death. A newspaperman (Rick Lenz
Rick Lenz
Rick Lenz is an American actor best known for repeating his Broadway role as Igor Sullivan in the 1969 film Cactus Flower.-Career:...
) wants to exaggerate and glorify the violence in Books' life. Others seek fame by killing the gunfighter, Books being forced to shoot two strangers who try to ambush him in his sleep. Gillom is impressed, but his mother loses boarders and is upset by the violence in her home.
Old flame Serepta (Sheree North
Sheree North
Sheree North was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She was known for being 20th Century Fox's answer to Marilyn Monroe from 1954 to 1956...
) shows up to ask Books to marry her. He is touched until he learns that she wants to use his notoriety to make money from the sensationalized ghost-written
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
"memoirs" of his widow. After Doc Hostetler sells Books something to ease his pain and advises him not to die a death like he has described, Books bargains with someone who plans to profit from his death, the undertaker Hezekiah Beckum (John Carradine
John Carradine
John Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
), whom he orders a headstone with specific writings on it from.
Gillom tries to sell Book's horse to Moses(Scatman Crothers
Scatman Crothers
Benjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers was an American actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man, and as Dick Hallorann in The Shining in 1980...
), the local blacksmith to help pay back his mother's loss of boarders, however, he gets a better deal and confronts Gillom and they work out their differences. Books sets himself up to die on his birthday rather than die of cancer and sends Gillom to three specific men, Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford(Hugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian is an American actor, known for his starring role in the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp .-Early years and career:...
), a professional gambler and pistol shot, and Jay Cobb(Bill McKinney
Bill McKinney
Bill McKinney is an American character actor whose most famous role was the sadistic mountain man in the movie Deliverance...
)(each one being unaware that Gillom told the others) with a message saying he will be at the Metropole saloon on January 29, his 58th birthday.
On his birthday, the headstone he ordered arrives and shows 1843 as the year of his birth. Having made a gift of his horse, which he bought back, to Gillom as he has grown fond of him, Books says goodbye to Bond, whom he has gotten friendlier with and departs to meet his fate.
In a changing frontier, Books arrives at the saloon by trolley and Sweeney in an Oldsmobile Curved Dash
Oldsmobile Curved Dash
The gasoline powered Curved Dash Oldsmobile is credited as being the first mass-produced automobile, meaning that it was built on an assembly line using interchangeable parts. It was introduced by the Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1907...
(which debuted in 1901). It is early in the day, so there are no other customers for the bartender besides the four men. Books orders a drink from the bartender, and lifts his glass to each of the three men who are there at his invitation.
Suddenly, one by one, the men draw their guns and open fire, each taking on Books. In the ensuing shootout, Books kills all of his opponents but is shot twice himself. Gillom arrives after the gunbattle to find the wounded Books still alive. The bartender sneaks up on Books and empties a shotgun on the back of his chest. Gillom picks up Books' gun and shoots the bartender three times, killing him. In horror, Gillom looks at Books' gun, and then tosses it away. Books looks on, smiles in satisfaction to this, and then dies.
Cast
- John WayneJohn WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
- John Bernard "J.B." Books - Lauren BacallLauren BacallLauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
- Bond Rogers - Ron HowardRon HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
- Gillom Rogers - James StewartJames Stewart (actor)James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
- Dr. E.W. Hostetler - Richard BooneRichard BooneRichard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
- Mike Sweeney - Hugh O'BrianHugh O'BrianHugh O'Brian is an American actor, known for his starring role in the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp .-Early years and career:...
- Jack Pulford - Harry MorganHarry MorganHarry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
- Carson City Marshal Walter J. Thibido - John CarradineJohn CarradineJohn Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
- Hezekiah Beckum (undertaker) - Sheree NorthSheree NorthSheree North was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She was known for being 20th Century Fox's answer to Marilyn Monroe from 1954 to 1956...
- Serepta - Scatman CrothersScatman CrothersBenjamin Sherman "Scatman" Crothers was an American actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show Chico and the Man, and as Dick Hallorann in The Shining in 1980...
- Moses Brown - Bill McKinneyBill McKinneyBill McKinney is an American character actor whose most famous role was the sadistic mountain man in the movie Deliverance...
- Jay Cobb (owner, Cobb's Creamery) - Rick LenzRick LenzRick Lenz is an American actor best known for repeating his Broadway role as Igor Sullivan in the 1969 film Cactus Flower.-Career:...
- Dan Dobkins (reporter, 'Morning Appeal') - Gregg PalmerGregg PalmerGregg Palmer, originally Palmer Lee is an American actor, known primarily for his prolific work in television westerns...
- Burly Man - Charles G. Martin - Murray the Bartender
Production
The character of J. B. Books foreshadows the final days of John Wayne, who died from stomach cancerStomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
three years after production ended. The Shootist would be his final film role, concluding a legendary career that began during the silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
era in 1926. Lauren Bacall had suffered through the 1957 death of her husband Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
, who died of throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
, adding further shading to the film's parallels.
At the time the movie rights were purchased, John Wayne was not seriously considered for the role due to questions about his health and his ability to complete the filming. The producers had wanted George C. Scott
George C. Scott
George Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
, but Wayne actively campaigned for the role and made completion of the film a personal mission.
Contrary to popular belief, John Wayne did not have cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
when he made this film. His entire left lung and several ribs had been removed in surgery on 16 September 1964, and in 1969 he was declared cancer-free. It was not until 12 January 1979, almost three years after this movie had been filmed, that the disease was found to have returned.
The film was shot on location in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
and at studios in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. In Carson City, the house at 500 N. Mountain Street that doubled for J. B. Books' rooming house (owned by Bond Rogers in the movie) is three doors south from the Nevada governor's mansion. The only change to the house was a portico added on the southern side.
Besides changing the location from El Paso to Carson City, and having his horse Dollor written in, Wayne also changed the ending of the screenplay. Books was supposed to shoot Jack Pulford in the back, and then Gillom Rogers was to shoot Books. Wayne said, "Mister, I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it." He also did not want the young Gillom killing him; this would have made the movie go in a different direction and Gillom's tossing away of the gun, thus rejecting the life of a gunman, gained Wayne's approval.
Wayne was also responsible for much of the film's casting: friends and past co-stars Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
, James Stewart
James Stewart
James Stewart was a Hollywood movie actor and USAF brigadier general.James Stewart may also refer to:-Noblemen:*James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland*James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn James Stewart (1908–1997) was a Hollywood movie actor and USAF brigadier general.James Stewart...
, Richard Boone
Richard Boone
Richard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
and John Carradine
John Carradine
John Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
were all cast at Wayne's request.
Despite Wayne's influence on the film, Don Siegel
Don Siegel
Donald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
denied claims that he and Wayne clashed, saying that "He had plenty of his own ideas... and some I liked which gave me inspirations, and some I didn't like. But we didn't fight over any of it. We liked each other and respected each other."
The horse that J. B. Books rides in the film, Dollor (Ol' Dollor), that he gives to Gillom, had been Wayne's favorite horse for ten years, through several Westerns. The horse shown during the final scene of True Grit was Dollor, a two-year-old in 1969. Wayne had Dollor, a chestnut quarter horse gelding, written into the script (although there is no mention in the book of a specific horse) because of his love for the horse; it was a condition for him working on the project. Wayne would not let anyone else ride the horse. Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
rode the horse in a segment of the Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple who also moonlighted as amateur detectives. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg...
television show, but this was after Wayne's death.
Reception
Upon its release in June 1976, The Shootist was a minor success, earning nearly $6,000,000. It received fair-to-excellent reviews, with enormous praise heaped on Wayne by many critics. It was named one of the Ten Best Films of 1976 by the National Board of Review, along with All the President's MenAll the President's Men (film)
All the President's Men is a 1976 Academy Award-winning political thriller film based on the 1974 non-fiction book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two journalists investigating the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post...
and Network
Network (film)
Network is a 1976 American satirical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about a fictional television network, Union Broadcasting System , and its struggle with poor ratings. The film was written by Paddy Chayefsky and directed by Sidney Lumet...
, and was nominated for one Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA award, and a Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....
award. The film currently has a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Awards
- Novel
- Western Writers of AmericaWestern Writers of AmericaWestern Writers of America, founded 1953, promotes literature, both fiction and non-fiction, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional western fiction, the more than five hundred current members also include historians and other non-fiction writers as well as authors...
, Spur AwardSpur AwardThe Spur Award is an annual literary prize awarded by the Western Writers of America. Founded in 1953 with only four categories , the award today has expanded to include the following categories:...
Winner - "Best Western Novel" - 1975 (as: "one of the best western novels ever written." and as: "one of the 10 Greatest Western novels written in the 20th century.")
- Western Writers of America
- Film
- Writers Guild, nomination: "Best Adaptation of a Screenplay" - Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout
- Academy Awards, nomination: "Best Art Direction-Set DecorationAcademy Award for Best Art DirectionThe Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999...
" - Robert F. BoyleRobert F. BoyleRobert Francis Boyle was an American film art director and production designer.Born in Los Angeles, Boyle trained as an architect, graduating from the University of Southern California . When he lost his job in that field during the Great Depression, Boyle found work in films as an extra...
and Arthur Jeph ParkerArthur Jeph ParkerArthur Jeph Parker was an American set decorator. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.-Selected filmography:Parker was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction:... - Golden Globes, nomination: "Best Motion Picture Actor in a Supporting Role" - Ron Howard
- BAFTA Film Award, nomination: "Best Actress" - Lauren Bacall