Four Sons and a Funeral

The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)   

Often cited as the inspiration for John Singleton's "Four Brothers", "The Sons of Katie Elder" is not by any means of the word the greatest western with various flaws preventing it from being any more than very good. But then it's entertaining and all the flaws become quite inconsequential as you watch a good old fashion movie. It's got a mastery about it when telling the story, that it charms you despite it being quite formulaic, especially for a western. Plus with good performances from the likes of John Wayne and Dean Martin it has that old fashioned cowboy machismo to keep you enthralled.

"The Sons of Katie Elder" stars John Wayne as the eldest son of Katie who having learnt of her death returns to the family home in Clearwater where he is reunited with his three brothers. Having buried their mother they are surprised to learn that she had no estate to leave thanks to their dad having lost everything whilst gambling to Morgan Hastings. Believing that their dad had been swindled the four brothers set about getting justice.

At it's heart "The Sons of Katie Elder" is nothing more than the reworking of the traditional justice/revenge theme and all the reasonably clever build up, the back story over the sons parents adds just as an intro to what for many would consider just another rehash of an old favourite. Think "The Man from Laramie" and you get very much an idea of what to expect except with this time four brothers seeking justice. That's not a criticism of it, because it's a good storyline especially when worked by a director who knows what he wants to achieve with the movie and Henry Hathaway certainly gets more out of the story and actors than many others would have.

Part of the charm of "The Sons of Katie Elder" is that it has a grip on the story telling which draws you into the characters making you warm to them. In those early scenes where the four brothers head off too settle their mother's debts the way everyone enthuses about what a wonderful woman their mother Katie Elder was really draws you in to the movie making the characters very much real. But it's also the demonstration of old fashioned respect which is on show, with the likes of the owner of the funeral service saying it would be an honour to tend her grave and regaling John Elder with tales of his parents. In many ways it's old fashioned sentimentality but it delivers all the charm you could ever want, it really is very masterfully done.

But of course it is a western and as such it has plenty of action interspersed building up to the major sequence towards the end. It's all very well choreographed delivering the excitement of a western shoot out which you want from this sort of movie. What is more significant is that just four months before shooting "The Sons of Katie Elder" John Wayne had a cancerous lung removed yet he still did all his own stunts and more importantly looked just as impressive as ever as a gun slinger.

It's as much to do with the casting of John Wayne as it's to do with the casting of all the characters which helps to make "The Sons of Katie Elder" such a good movie. Pairing up with John Wayne again is Dean Martin who brings his smooth talking charisma to the character of Tom Elder the gambling brother out of the four and gives the movie the often needed lighter moments such as the bar room eye auction scene. Then there is Earl Holliman who plays the sensible Matt Elder and Michael Anderson Jr. who fills the screen up with enthusiasm as Bud the youngest of the Elder brothers. They may not look like brother's but all four work well together, not one of them trying to hog the limelight, although that seems to naturally fall to the partnership of John Wayne and Dean Martin.

But it's also the other characters which makes it a much rounder movie especially George Kennedy as Curly the hired gun slinger who works for the Hastings. Kennedy is not the most obvious choice when it comes to playing a bad guy but he is surprisingly convincing even if not overly menacing. Martha Hyer adds a bit of beauty as neighbour and there's also a youngish Dennis Hopper who crops up as Morgan Hastings son Dave.

What this all boils down to is that whilst there are greater westerns "The Sons of Katie Elder" is still a very good movie which will keep you entertained from beginning to end. It has a great grip on a storyline which charms you with old style respect whilst delivering those action moments you expect from a western. Plus of course with the pairing of John Wayne and Dean Martin it has two great actors full of charisma to lead the movie. If you've seen John Singleton's "Four Brothers" then it's worth while seeing this as it surely inspired it.