The Tales of the American West and the Western Film are two inseparable American Cultural Institutions. They are highly visible and closely related to each other. Both are exaggerated and distorted versions of American History. Whatever the images we harbor in the deep recesses of our widdle heads, they are colored by people like Zane Gray, Louis Lamour, William S. Hart and John Ford.
Then of course, we have so many types of western film as we have other kinds of genres of stories. So some films are historically correct, some are strictly fairy tale material. So we even have Western Farce, a subject well represented by today's 'victim', the John Wayne starring vehicle, McLINTOCK (Batjac Productions/United Artists, 1963).
Being an original screenplay, the story is a custom fit for the Duke, whose Batjac Productions made the picture and released it through United Artists. Long on characters and characterizations, the picture uses the slimmest plot as just a reason for presenting political postulates and providing its audience with many a reason to laugh.
OUR STORY
..It is to be a Great Celebration of the 4th of July in the Western Town of McLintock. Having been named after its local patriarch, the Multi-millionaire Rancher/Farmer/Miner, one George Washington McLintock (the Duke), the town and its people have prospered.
Added to the mix we have the return from College "back East" of G.W.'s daughter, Becky McLintock (Stephanie Powers-Woo, woo, woo, woo!). Her affections were being sought after by College Boy and Glee Club Varsity Letterman, Matt Douglas, Jr. (Jerry Van Dyke), the son of U.S. Government Agent, Matt Douglas (Gordon Jones). Jerry Van Dyke does as fine a job as ever in doing comic relief. He gives a Stan Laurelesque interpretation to his character.* The biggest development in the whole chain of happenings is the return of G.W.'s estranged firebrand of a wife, Katherine Gilhooley McLintock (Maureen O'Hara), who has a real love-hate relationship with G.W. The climax of the film has an open air domestic "quarrel" that takes Mrs. Mc down the streets of the town, clad in (strictly non-revealing) foundation under-garments, with G.W. in pursuit, ah, it's true love! Many who have viewed both films agree that this was a sort of obvious attempt to recreate the high spot in John Ford's THE QUIET MAN (Argosy Pictures/Republic Pictures Corporation, 1952), in which both the Duke and Maureen O'Hara also coincidentally were the belligerents.
In the viewing of McLINTOCK!, we witness a real hybrid of a production. As we have mentioned before, we have a particular sort of Horse Opera here. It is a true farce. Unlike Mel Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES (Crossbow Productions/ Warner Brothers, 1974), which was a spoof of the Western, the John Wayne film was a farce, all the way. If anything, we can describe it as a sort of "latter day" or modern, if you will, Mack Sennett Comedy. And it is with confidence we offer this thesis, for it seems to have all the same elements; namely, a central hero having some unusual difficulties, family troubles, bad business conditions and high expectations of his ability to weather the "storm." In the process of getting through the 2 hours, the Duke manages to instruct us on what his ideas were on the way things are and should be.
If you notice, any Governmental Representative is seen with a dim view, not only of his intent, but also of the underlying intent and outright necessity of whatever their function is. He is obviously a Conservative, a believer in self help. His is truly a far cry from the Cradle to Grave, creeping socialism that we see so much today.
One thing we do know about Mr. Marion Michael Morrison was his generosity and his loyalty toward his friends, both old and new. In McLINTOCK! We had a film that could have gotten by with a much smaller cast. But if they did that, so many of Mr. Wayne's friends wouldn't have a pay day. Subsequently we have people like the Director Andrew V. McLaglen (Victor's son) and a host of actors such as: Patrick Wayne, Stephanie Powers, Jack Kruschen, Chill Wills, Yvonne De Carlo, Jerry Van Dyke, Edgar Buchanan, Bruce Cabot, Perry Lopez, Strother Martin, Gordon Jones, Robert Lowery, Hank Worden, Michael Pate, Leo Gordon, Bob Steele and many others.
Whatever the classification, McLINTOCK! is worth taking in. It's never dull, and certainly won't be hard to watch, that's for sure. And we dare you not to have your full share of laughs before it's over!
