Rent The Shootist (1976)

Wonderful - The Shootist review by sb

FILM & REVIEW Don Siegel’s wonderful eligiac Western has Wayne as JB Books an elderly gunfighter and sometime lawman who arrives in a small prosperous town. He calls on his old friend and doctor Jimmy Stewart who confirms his worst fears - he has terminal cancer with only weeks to live. Stewart when pushed tells him how bad it will get in the end and recommends he rent a room from local widow Mrs Rogers (Bacall) who lives with her teenage son (Ron Howard). He pretendsto be someone else but is soon find out and being a Christian soul she wants him out due to the amount of men he has killed. He explains he has no else to go in the time he has left so an uneasy truce is set. In the meantime his name has got about and several people - either to settle old scores or make a name for themselves fancy their chances against him. There is a key scene early on when Stewart indicates Books end may lie in his own hands so the whole film is predicated on him leaving this life the way he lived it. Wayne brings a superb quiet dignity to the role and the eligiac quality is enhanced with it being his last film as he too would die of cancer within 2 years. Bacall is also very good eventually coming round the man for all his faults. It’s set in 1901 so it’s as much about the passing of the Old West as much as Books own fate - he is a man who did what he had to do and seeks neither redemption from The Lord or anyone else. It’s a superb final chapter in his career - 5/5