weezeralfalfa
Wayne's film company, Batjac, needed a sizable commercial hit that was relatively quick and cheap to produce, to make up for the financial loss from making the long expensive "The Alamo". The winner was this Western semi-farce, which included resurrecting elements of two John Ford-directed films made a decade previously costarring Wayne and Maureen O'Hara: "Rio Grande" and "The Quite Man", with the major theme based on "the Taming of the Shrew" It far outdid Ford's penchant for including some humor, especially the slapstick variety. Unfortunately, Victor McLaglen, who had instigated much of the humor in Ford's cavalry trilogy films and "The Quite Man" was no longer around, although his son was present as the director. Thus, in addition to the repeated battle of the sexes between Wayne and Maureen taken to new heights, an additional element of conflict was needed to provide for a more complex plot. Thus, in place of warring Apaches(as in "Rio Grande") or an obstinate Irish traditionalist McLaglen, in "The Quite Man", we have various characters and elements which are at odds with G.W.'s(Wayne) rugged individualism: mostly agents of misguided federal government paternalism, reflecting Wayne's view of contemporary government liberalism agendas. Examples include: Indian agent Agard, daughter Becky's Eastern college-educated boyfriend, territorial governor Humphrey(in reference to democratic presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey), and the naïve homesteaders who hope to grow crops on government give away land barely suitable for grazing cattle. In contrast, G.W. respects Jake the general store owner, because he, on a much smaller scale, represents another man who, without the aid of government largess, established a successful business. He also likes Delvin(played by Wayne's son Patrick): a young man trying to support his widowed mother and sister by working hard for G.W., and G,W.'s bait for weaning Becky away from her effete Eastern boyfriend, thus helping to convince her to return to living in his realm. Unfortunately, I find this film considerably less appealing than do many, who presumably find over-the-top slapstick hilarious. With the coming women's lib movement, this film probably closes out the era when it was considered OK and hilarious for women being difficult on film to receive a paddling from their significant other. Here, we have not just one, but two women(Maureen and Stephanie Powers, as her daughter Becky) who receive a paddling over a man's knees, functioning as a redundant gag. Yvonne De Carlo, who plays G.W.'s new cook and house maid, Louise, received a similar paddling in "Frontier Gal", where she played a rather similar fighting -mad woman to Maureen's Kate. True, these episodes were mild compared to the beatings many women have received through the ages. But, I find them embarrassing, making women appear to be more like children than adults. If I were Kate, I certainly couldn't face continued residence in that region after the public humiliation inflicted by G.W., even if I deserved it. Kate and daughter Becky clearly must be masochists, as both are 'turned on' by their spankings(as was Yvonne's character in her previous film).Unfortunately, Maureen overplays her persona as an unforgiving snobby shrew we see no possibility of reform in. Was Kate like this before she left G.W. over his suspected philandering , or is this her response to this discovery? I suspect mostly the latter. Had G.W. become a drunkard and whore supporter before Kate left him, or has he developed these evening recreations in response to her leaving? We would like to believe that these characteristics have become much accentuated as a result of Kate's discovery of lipstick on G.W.'s collar, which apparently precipitated this whole ugly situation. At one time, they must have been a very industrious and savvy team in building up a huge cattle empire, along with a mine, lumber and other businesses in a dangerous frontier region. Underneath the overt hostility, we detect a lingering caring for the other. Katie assumes that Louise was hired mostly to be G.W.'s in-house mistress in her absence. But, Louise doesn't appear to be a fighter nor drinker. Thus, G.W. will probably find her boring as Kate's replacement. G.W. and Kate are both fighters, who need to fight and make up occasionally to provide sufficient drama to their relationship. Thus, under the surface, both are hoping they can reestablish a meaningful relationship, while saving face in the process.I prefer Maureen's less extreme shrewish spitfire characters in the much shorter, obscure, films: "Comanche Territory" and "Against All Flags". You may also. She gets booted in the derriere in the former, instead of spanked.Although the historical setting for this tale is of minor importance, it appears to take place around 1874-5, when the US army was called upon to round up the remnant southern plains tribes , which were rampaging due to unfulfilled US government promises. The dictate that these tribes move onto supervised reservation lands in Oklahoma Territory is dramatized. G.W. acts as the friendly spokesman-interpreter for these tribes in their oral response, in a council with the army.
atlasmb
Looking at the reviews on this site, it appears this film has many fans. I cannot understand why.First of all, the script has no charm. I loved Wayne and O'Hara in The Quiet Man, but here they are working with a script that more closely resembles a Road Runner cartoon (mug for the camera, hit someone over the head with the nearest object, then fall hilariously over your own feet!).Saying that the concept is based upon The Taming of the Shrew does not make it better.Everything that happens in the film is broadcast in advance. There are no surprises. Slapstick can be an art, but here there is no joy in it. I don't mean to belittle the opinions of others. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. But I found no genuine laughs in this movie. There are so many other worthy films out there.
kai ringler
it's really hard to put into words how much I love this movie. it's funny tells a great story, moves along nicely. Maureen O' Hara plays perfectly off of John Wayne. Stephanie Powers is great as the spoiled daughter of G. W. McLintock. G.W. is expecting the return of his daughter after 2 years in school, to his surprise tho his wife is along for the trip, in the meantime he battles, crooked real estate men, and also trying to help the Indians from being thrown off of their land, this movie has it all, hilarious slapstick comedy all the way through , especially the mud scene,, that is so hilarious, and watching the way him and his wife constantly argue and bicker is classic, I really couldn't find anything wrong with the movie whatsoever.
