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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Big Jake | |
|---|---|
| The second version of the theatrical release poster. | |
| Directed by | George Sherman |
| Produced by | Michael Wayne |
| Screenplay by | Harry Julian FinkR. M. Fink |
| Starring | John WayneRichard BooneMaureen O’HaraPatrick WayneChristopher Mitchum |
| Narrated by | George Fenneman |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein |
| Cinematography | William H. Clothier |
| Edited by | Harry Gerstad |
| Production company | Batjac Productions |
| Distributed by | Cinema Center Films through National General Pictures |
| Release date | May 26, 1971 |
| Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $7.5 million (North American rentals) |
Big Jake is a 1971 Technicolor Western. It was the final film for George Sherman in a directing career of more than 30 years. It grossed $7.5 million in the US.
Production
John Wayne and Richard Boone at the film’s premiere at John Wayne Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1971
Written as The Million Dollar Kidnapping, which was used as the shooting title, it was filmed from early October to early December 1970, in the Mexican states of Durango and Zacatecas, including scenes shot at the El Saltito waterfall and in the Sierra de Órganos National Park.
John Wayne’s real-life son, Patrick Wayne, portrays James McCandles in the film, while Robert Mitchum‘s son, Christopher Mitchum plays Michael McCandles. Wayne’s youngest son Ethan Wayne is seen as his grandson, Little Jake, in the movie.
Continuity issues (e.g., the absence of the other Devries Brother after the opening raid sequence) with the final version hint at the film being edited, with scenes removed, possibly to shorten the run-time.
Howard Thompson of The New York Times encouraged theatergoers to “stick it out” until the exciting climax, which the rest of the film was a “long prelude” to that “simply jogs along fairly tediously on the rescue trail, with the star being his laconic self, plus conventional spurts of violence, likewise the saddle humor.” Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 2 stars out of 4 and wrote, “With a little bit of restraint, the latest John Wayne Western, ‘Big Jake,’ might have been one of the veteran star’s recent best. The most obvious excess, and this is unusual for a John Wayne film, is violence.” Arthur D. Murphy of Variety wrote that the film had “[a]n above-average script, plus excellent direction by vet George Marshall and superior photography by William Clothire on Mexican locations,” but was “gratuitously violent far beyond the legitimate requirements of the action plot.” Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times stated, “To say that ‘Big Jake is a typical John Wayne western is pretty much to say it all. His fans should be well-satisfied with its tried and true combination of action and comedy. ‘Big Jake’ is scarcely distinguished but is certainly enjoyable.” Gary Arnold of The Washington Post called it “a rather insufferable sort of ‘typical’ Wayne vehicle” with “an undercurrent of vindictiveness that spoils the ostensible humor. It’s obvious that young actors are needed to appeal to younger viewers and to perform the kinds of physical action that require youth and dexterity and that Wayne is just too visibly massive and slow to accomplish these days—but they’re treated almost exclusively as stooges … There’s no good reason why the young leads in a Wayne picture shouldn’t be allowed to function with at least as much importance and dignity as Ricky Nelson in ‘Rio Bravo‘ or the young actor who played opposite Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott in ‘Ride the High Country‘ or, better yet, Montgomery Clift in ‘Red River.'” Allen Eyles of The Monthly Film Bulletin declared, “Another genial celebration of Big John’s ability to carry a film practically single-handed. Although supported by the group of dependables who usually appear in his films, as well as by a good proportion of his family, it is the Wayne personality—carefully catered for by the script—that accounts for most of the pleasure.”
Watch the movie “Big Jake”
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