Static Media
John Wayne made no shortage of classic Westerns, and fans could argue for days over which one deserves to be called his best. But while Henry Hathaway’s “The Sons of Katie Elder” has a devoted following, it was not a film The Duke remembered fondly. The 1965 Western follows four brothers seeking revenge for their mother’s death, yet Wayne came to associate the production with a particularly difficult period in his life.
“I had just got over that cancer operation and I thought I could hear myself breathing all the time,” Wayne said in a 1968 interview with Roger Ebert. “Everybody said it was my imagination. Well, old Henry [Hathaway] was very thoughtful of me, of course, since I was recuperating and all. He took me up to 8,500 feet to shoot the damned thing and the fourth day of shooting he had me jumping into ice water. Very considerate.”
“The Sons of Katie Elder” arrived in 1965, just a year after Wayne underwent surgery to remove his left lung following a cancer diagnosis linked to heavy smoking. Rather than taking extended time away to recover, he returned to work. Given his physical condition, it is easy to understand why Wayne believed he was not operating at his usual best during the shoot. Audiences and critics, however, saw the movie very differently.
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Critics disagree with John Wayne’s The Sons of Katie Elder assessment
Paramount Pictures
Although several of Wayne’s greatest Westerns have arguably eclipsed “The Sons of Katie Elder” over time, viewers did not share his misgivings about the picture. The film earned strong critical praise and holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers highlighting Wayne’s performance.
“Wayne delivers one of his customary rugged portrayals, a little old, perhaps, to have such a young brother as Anderson but not so old that he lacks the attributes of a gunman,” Variety wrote.
Howard Thompson of The New York Times likewise applauded “The Sons of Katie Elder” as a direct, effective entry in the genre. “It has, most unobstrusively, an ace director Henry Hathaway, who knows exactly how to spike menace
“The Sons of Katie Elder” also inspired a movie you might not know is a remake. “Four Brothers,” an entertaining crime-thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Tyrese Gibson, reimagines the siblings-avenging-their-mother concept in a modern-day urban setting. The film might not be Wayne’s best Western, but it’s still an influential one that’s stood the test of time.