The Shootist (1976)

The Shootist is the final film role of John Wayne.

Directed by Don Siegel, it tells the story of John Bernard (J.B.) Books (John Wayne) (born January, 29, 1843), an aging gunfighter, the most celebrated "shootist" extant, who is struggling with terminal prostate cancer. The movie begins with a clip montage of some of Wayne's earlier western movies. Although Books is perceived by some of the characters as an amoral opportunist, he expresses his simple creed when he says, "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." Arriving in El Paso, Texas (Carson City, Nevada in the movie) in 1901, Books seeks the second medical opinion of an old friend, E. W. ("Doc") Hostetler (Jimmy Stewart).

Once Hostetler confirms the presence of the cancer, Books rents a room from the widow 'Bond' ("that's a crackerjack of a name for a woman") Rogers (Lauren Bacall), and her son Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard). Books' presence in town is soon known to most, and the news spreads by telegraph throughout the country. This results in the arrival of troublemakers to lure Books back to his past. Not only does he have to deal with his inevitable death, but he has to deal with the vultures who come to profit from his infamy. Having never had trouble facing death in other men, Books now struggles with the fact that death is calling on him. On his 58th birthday, January 29, 1901 he confronts the three men, offering to settle an outstanding score, and they meet in an empty saloon, where he kills Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford and Jay Cobb. Then the bartender shoots Books and in return Gillom shoots him, throws the gun away and walks out of the saloon and down the street.

The character of J.B. Books - John Wayne in the film - serves to parallel the final days of Wayne himself, who died from stomach cancer three years after production ended. The Shootist would be his final film role, concluding a legendary career that began during the silent film era in 1926. The knowledge of Wayne's health during the production would inspire much of the dialogue and imagery of the film. Lauren Bacall had suffered through the 1957 death of her husband Humphrey Bogart, who died of throat cancer, adding further shading to the parallels of the film.

At the time the movie rights were purchased, John Wayne was not seriously considered for the role, due to questions about his health and his ability to complete the filming. The producers had wanted George C. Scott, but Wayne actively campaigned for the role and made completion of the film a personal mission.

Contrary to popular belief, John Wayne did not have cancer when he made this film. His entire left lung and several ribs had been removed in surgery on 16 September 1964, and in 1969 he was declared cancer free. It was not until 12 January 1979, almost three years after this movie had been filmed, that the disease was found to have returned.

The film was shot on location in Carson City, Nevada and at studios in Burbank, California. In Carson City, the house at 500 N. Mountain Street that doubled for J.B. Books' rooming house (owned by Bond Rogers in the movie) is three doors south from the Nevada governor's mansion. The only change to the house was a portico added on the southern side. Besides changing the location from El Paso to Carson City, and having his horse Dollor written in, Wayne also changed the ending of the screenplay. Books was supposed to shoot Jack Pulford (Hugh O'Brian) in the back, and then Gillom Rogers (Ron Howard) was to shoot Books. Wayne said "I've made over 250 pictures and have never shot a guy in the back. Change it." He also did not want the young Gillom killing him. The screenplay was changed, having him shoot Pulford in the head, the bartender then shooting Books, followed by Rogers shooting the bartender.

The horse that J.B. Books (Wayne) rides in the film, Dollor ('Ole Dollor), that he gives to Gillom Rogers (Howard), had been Wayne's favorite horse for ten years, through several Westerns. The horse shown during the final scene of True Grit was Dollor, a two-year-old in 1969. Wayne had Dollor, a chestnut Quarter horse gelding, written into the script (although there is no mention in the book of a specific horse) of The Shootist because of his love for the horse; it was a condition for him working on the project. Wayne would not let anyone else ride the horse. Robert Wagner was a rare exception, who rode the horse in a segment of the Hart to Hart television show, after Wayne's death.

John Wayne and Lauren Bacall made one previous film together two decades earlier called Blood Alley (1955), a seafaring adventure set in China.

James Stewart and John Wayne also made one previous film together, John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).

The original poster of the film is Richard Amsel art.