Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973)
John Wayne is at his grizzled best in this later western. Standing alone against gangs of bad guys is no problem to him but his two sons aged 11 and 17 are a different matter since their mother died, especially when they join up with George Kennedy and rob a bank.
Whilst not one of Wayne's best westerns, Cahill is still a lively 90 minutes or so with Andrew V McLaglen directing some violent shoot outs whilst adding (true) grit to proceedings by putting the 11 year old lad in genuine peril whilst at knife and gun point. In fact i doubt they'd get away with the knife sequences on a child today.
Naturally Wayne stands tall throughout and he has a good rapport with Neville Brand who plays a Comanche chief cum tracker for Cahill. They spar off each other well and their camaraderie is as much to the films fore as Cahill realizing he's been a lousy father and having to make up for it.
When it all comes down to the said and done
Cahill U.S. Marshall is a vehicle for John Wayne. John Wayne the cowboy and John Wayne the legend and he doesn't disappoint with some brilliant lines only he could deliver.
For example whilst arresting a black gang member who refuses to disarm - "Mister, I ain't got a bigoted bone in my body. You don't drop that axe I'll blast you to hell as quick as I would a white man"
And when a local posse gets in his way - "Well, there's no use prodding around. I'm willing to die trying to keep 'em. The question is, are you willing to die trying to take 'em. Now I'm cold and hungry and wet and tired and short-tempered, so get on with it!" - naturally Wayne just strides on through and no one raises so much as a finger to stop him.
Classic John Wayne in an enjoyable film. Recommended.