The Shootist - (Siegel;1976;USA) - ***1/2
A dying shootist finds out he has cancer and looks for a peaceful way to die. Unfortunately his reputation calls the attention of gunfighters who would like to kill him and those who don't seem to want to profit off of his death.
You never expect to see a western and find out that it's a great character study. It's very different from the average western formula, especially the end. John Wayne was battling cancer while doing it and seems to be mixing himself with the acting. This is arguably his best performance and definitely one of his best. It's grand that he ended his career with this and not some B-Movie. The cast is also great featuring Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Jimmy Stewart, and Richard Boone. The film contains less violence then most would have and focuses more on the man himself, which I love. Great acting, another great Siegel film to go with Dirty Harry, and another John Wayne classic.
#47