(1971)
2.5
Donald Guarisco
The style and content of Hollywood films changed considerably during the early 1970's and this had a trickle-down effect to the veteran stars of previous eras. Even John Wayne, who mostly stuck to his classic style during these times, had to bend his formula to fit the times. Big Jake is an interesting example of how Wayne rolled with the changes of 1970's Hollywood. It mirrors the influence that Sam Peckinpah and other revisionist filmmakers were having on the Western genre by including a theme of old ways (and heroes) being left behind by a changing generation. It's also much more violent than old school westerns, with an opening assault on a ranch and a dramatic standoff finale getting surprisingly bloody for a John Wayne vehicle. However, Big Jake retains a Hollywood feel via its classic ransom/rescue plot and a familiar macho mindset (a theme of sons learning to obey their father - and thus learning how to be men - is key to the story). George Sherman directs with an appropriately stately style and Elmer Bernstein supplies a rousing score that harkens back to his classic work on The Magnificent Seven. Wayne delivers a typically convincing performance, using his formidable persona to sell the script's reverence for tradition. There is also solid support work from Patrick Wayne as a resentful but brave son and a creepy turn from Richard Boone as the quietly psychopathic villain. In short, Big Jake offers a unique mix of the old and the new that makes it worth viewing for all kinds of Western fans.
Big Jake on AllMovie
Big Jake (1971)
