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El Dorado doesn't quite have the scope or ambition of Howard Hawks's greatest Westerns, Red River and Rio Bravo. But this relaxed picture, made near the end of Hawks's marvelous career, still shows the steady, sure hand of a master. Hawks reunites with John Wayne, playing a hired gun mixed up in a range war; Robert Mitchum is Wayne's old pal, now a sheriff in the midst of a hopeless drunken bender. James Caan, in one of his first sizable roles, plays a kid who can't shoot straight and wears a funny hat (every character in the movie makes fun of this hat). As the plot moves along, it begins to resemble Rio Bravo rather closely ("I steal from myself all the time," Hawks was fond of admitting). But in El Dorado the heroes are a bit older, their powers a bit weaker; at the end Wayne must revert to a bit of subterfuge in order to get the drop on the steely gunslinger (ice-cold Christopher George) he needs to put down. As relaxed as the movie is, Hawks and Wayne and company are in good spirits, with plenty of broad humor and easy camaraderie on display. Hawks and Wayne would make just one more film, the disappointing Rio Lobo, before ending their fruitful partnership. --Robert Horton
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Tim Janson
Format:DVD
Paired with Robert Mitchum, El Dorado is essentially a remake of Howard Hawks' earlier Rio Bravo (with writer Leigh Brackett updating her own script). John Wayne, instead of sheriff, plays an aging gunman, who is getting too wise for the game. Robert Mitchum, as the drunken sheriff, takes over the role of the drunken Dean Martin, and James Caan is the fresh faced greenhorn last played by Ricky Nelson (thankfully, Caan doesn't sing). Hawks and Brackett take their time in setting up this story, giving Wayne and Mitchum plenty of backstory, before the stand-off in the town of El Dorado.
In this movie, Thornton is offered a job by land grabber Ed Asner to take out the Sheriff of El Dorado and run the rightful landowners off their land. Thornton refuses and instead goes to El dorado to help his friend against the other gunmen Asner hired led by Nelse McCloud played by regualr Wayne Co-Star Christopher George.
Caan plays Mississippi a young man who cannot use a gun and is given a sawed off shotgun as his weapon. Arthur Hunnicut plays Bull and essentially takes over the role that Walter Brennan played in "Rio Bravo".
The movie has a great deal of action as well as humor as Wayne and Caan and Hunnicutt attempt to sober up the sheriff. Wayne and Mitchum had great chemistry together and even though the Duke was aging, still commands the screen in this movie.
Lots of fun.
By Peter Kenney
Format:DVD
EL DORADO has a lot of good elements such as an interesting story, gripping suspense and above all excellent acting. Besides John Wayne in the role of a professional gunfighter and Robert Mitchum as the sheriff of El Dorado, the film has a strong supporting cast which includes James Caan, Charlene Holt, Paul Fix, Arthur Hunnicutt, Michele Carey and John Mitchum. The latter is the younger brother of Robert Mitchum. In this movie John plays a bartender. He has more than 200 movie and TV appearances to his credit as well as stints as a singer and song writer.
Robert Mitchum can play a drunk trying to cope with a hongover as well as anybody in movies. Howard Hawkes is best remembered for his direction of SERGEANT YORK.
I always thought that EL DORADO deserved a high rating even though it failed to receive any Oscar nominations in 1967. The Academy award competition in that year was dominated by BONNIE AND CLYDE, THE GRADUATE and IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.
By Tim Janson
Format:DVD
El Dorado is basically a remake of 1959's Rio Bravo with Robert Mitchum playing the Dean Martin Role and James Caan playing the Rick Nelson role as a young gunman. The Trio are joined by Mitchums deputy "Bull" in trying to protect a family of rancers from an evil land baron trying to run them off their land.
It's classic Wayne with lots of humor mixed in with the action. Wayne and Mitchum were very good together and Mitchums scenes playing the drunken sheriff are very funny.
Ed Asner plays the evil land baron with Christopher George as his hired gunslinger who wants to challenge the older Wayne to see who is faster on the draw.
Not as good as Rio Bravo but better than Rio Lobo which was basically yet another re-make of the same plot.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Decent remake
I got the feeling that Hawks was sitting around one day wondering what movie to make next when he happened upon the Rio Bravo script and, as a joke, suggested making it all over... Read more
Published on Oct 14 2003 by Tony Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wayne's most entertaining production
El Dorado is the somewhat clichéd story of John Wayne playing the out of work gunslinger and picking up a drifter who can't shoot well. Read more
Published on April 28 2003 by Martin Andrade
5.0 out of 5 stars
A spectacular western from the masters--Hawks and the Duke
Director Howard Hawks turned out some great westerns, but this has to be the best (in my opinion). Teaming up once again with John Wayne, El Dorado is a great film with an... Read more
Published on Mar 9 2003 by bixodoido
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Favorite John Wayne Film
It may not have the stature--critically or in the popular mind--of the films the Duke made in his prime, like "Stagecoach," "The Searchers," or the Cavalry... Read more
Published on Oct 23 2002 by Chrijeff
5.0 out of 5 stars
The First John Wayne movie I saw and wasn't the last
First off,I'm 21 years old and been watching John Wayne since I was 9 years old,I got it from my dad. Read more
Published on Aug 13 2002 by S. Schofield
4.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite Western, but there are flaws
Like the other reviewer said, I can't put my finger exactly on why this is not just my favorite Western but one of my favorite movies. Read more
Published on Aug 8 2002 by Catfish
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Personal Favorite
Director Howard Hawks and John Wayne would essentially remake the same story three times: first as RIO BRAVO in 1959, then as EL DORADO in 1967, and finally as RIO LOBO in 1970. Read more
Published on May 9 2002 by Gary F. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why didn't Wayne win an Oscar for this one?
This is one of the best Westerns ever made. John Wayne delivers his usual grand performance as Cole Thornton, a hired gun who carries a fearsome reputation. Read more
Published on Feb 6 2002 by Abram Book
5.0 out of 5 stars
Most favorite movie ever
Im like one writer I have seen the movie 100 times,but I tell my wife that it will be good 101 times. There cant be enough said about John Wayne. Read more
Published on July 14 2001 by Danny Williams
2.0 out of 5 stars
Mediocre
"El Dorado" is so hokey, one has to wonder if John Wayne was attempting a self-parody. Seriously, a film featuring Wayne, Robert Mitchum and James Caan should feature some great... Read more
Published on May 4 2001 by Brian D. Rubendall
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