Big Jake

You follow him and I'll hunt you down and kill yah.

Big Jake is directed by George Sherman and written by Harry and Rita Fink. It stars John Wayne, Richard Boone, Patrick Wayne, Christopher Mitchum and Maureen O'Hara. Elmer Berstein scores the music and William H. Clothier is the cinematographer. It's shot in Panavision and Technicolor with the principal location for the shoot being Durango in Mexico. Plot finds Duke Wayne as tough old rancher/gunfighter Jake McCandles, who is estranged from his family and spends his days roaming the west with his trusty dog. However, when the McCandles family ranch is raided by a gang of outlaws led by John Fain (Boone), and Jake's grandson Little Jake is kidnapped for ransom, Big Jake gets the call fro...

This is probably the most violent of Wayne's westerns depicting a tale of an estranged husband who returns home after his grandson is taken hostage by a ruthless gang of kidnappers. This well paced thoughtful drama takes us on the journey as he - with his two sons and an almost unrecognisable Bruce Cabot set off to rescue the boy. Richard Boone is outstanding as the evil leader of the kidnappers; he really does exude a sense of threat. The production does let this down a bit, though - the music is intrusive and the look and feel makes me wonder if it was shot on tape, rather than film and the colours and light don't look so hot. It's still a good, exciting watch with some touches of humour and a very much on-form star.