John Wayne could lift most films in which he was featured, even flat ones. It’s a testament to his acting and his star power. He helps The Sons of Katie Elder, but its not a flat film.
This movie has the elements of a good Duke film. There’s a mandatory fight scene, a few bad guys; and of course a climactic gun battle. Wayne plays John Elder, the oldest of four sons. He is also also joined by Dean Martin, as Tom Elder. Dean Martin as an actor is passable. He mainly is a likeable contrast to John Elder. He does have a slightly humorous scene, involving a glass eye gag, in the bar. The other brothers are Michael played by Earl Holliman and Bud played by Michael Anderson Jr.
The Sons of Katie Elder begins with the sons attending their mother Katie’s funeral. Three of them attend, with John Elder, looking on from a distance. When they get together, they all agree to get their land back. It was taken from them by Morgan Hastings. He killed their father and took the land from their mother. Hastings is played as a respectable town boss/villain by James Gregory. John Wayne’s character is lectured by the town sheriff, Billy Wilson, played by Paul Fix. John Elder has had an encounter with Curley, played by George Kennedy. Wayne has a reputation as a gunfighter and Sheriff Wilson, asks him to leave town. The main reason is he knows Curley will start trouble and that he works for Hastings. John Elder thanks him but says he has unfinished business.
The Elders run into Curley again, when he badmouths their late father. The youngest, Bud, is challenged to a gunfight. He is forcibly removed by the brothers, saving his life. Before John Elder can engage in a gunfight with Curley, the sheriff breaks it up, and kicks John out of the bar. After this, Bud expresses his displeasure about John interrupting his gunfight. The brothers get into a fight, ending when John lands out the front door.
Shortly after, a wanted poster of Tom Elder is seen. He is wanted for murder in New Orleans. Sheriff Wilson decides to bring Tom in for the murder. He goes out and is followed by Morgan Hastings, who shoots him. When the sheriff is found, he’s rushed to the doctor, and later dies. The overzealous deputy, Ben Latta, played by Jeremy Slate, goes after the Elders and arrests them. He already has a grudge against them, since they resisted arrest before, and took his gun, when they were trespassing on Morgan Hastings land.
The deputy is persuaded that the Elders wont get a fair trial in the town. He decides to move them to Laredo. While they are being transported, their is an ambush. Hastings and his men are behind it. John Elder and his brothers take cover under the bridge and manage to retrieve guns from the wagon. John Elder notices that Curley and his men, have tied together sticks of dynamite, and lit the fuse. John yells to take cover, but Matt Elder doesn’t make it, and dies. The Elders shoot their way out, killing Curley and his men. The deputy, while trying to catch a gun, thrown by John Elder, is shot and killed. Unfortunately during the shootout, Bud Elder, is seriously wounded. The Elders take a wagon, and hurry into town. They find a doctor and stay in a barn. Tom Elder sees Dave Hastings, Morgan Hastings son, played by Dennis Hopper, and grabs him. Tom is shot by Morgan, but brings Dave Hastings, to John for questioning, before collapsing. Morgan Hastings sees his son, and fires at John. His shots hit Dave, mortally wounding him. Dave tells John about his father Morgan, before he dies. John goes to confront Morgan in his gun shop. The two exchange gunfire inside, and Wayne’s character runs out, and shoots at an explosive, that is just outside, blowing up the gun shop, and dispatching Morgan Hastings. Everything is later cleared up, the brothers recover, and the land goes back to the Elders.
The Sons of Katie Elder is a typical western, that John Wayne starred in when he got older. It follows the same type of story, that was common, when Wayne was making B westerns. The main difference was there are better production values. He was also able to choose his script, costars and his director.
The director for this film was Henry Hathaway, who directed Wayne a few years later in one of his best westerns, True Grit. He was a veteran director and worked with Wayne before. The film flows well because of his able hand.
John Wayne’s legacy will always be westerns. There isn’t anything wrong with that. They were for many years a dominant genre, with Wayne being the driving force, that kept them going. In The Sons of Katie Elder, he plays the big brother role very well. One is when he stops his brother Bud, from being killed, and another when his stops his brother Tom, from breaking out of jail. He tells him he will stay and face the murder charge. This movie isn’t very different, from most of the westerns John Wayne made, in the ten years before True Grit. It’s a good film, and brings home the message, that family matters.