| Photos (see all 33 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 2) |
| John Wayne | ... | J.B.Books aka John Bernard Books | |
| Lauren Bacall | ... | Bond Rogers | |
| Ron Howard | ... | Gillom Rogers | |
| James Stewart | ... | Dr. E.W. Hostetler | |
| Richard Boone | ... | Mike Sweeney | |
| Hugh O'Brian | ... | Jack Pulford (faro dealer at Metropole Saloon) | |
| Bill McKinney | ... | Jay Cobb (owner, Cob's Creamery) | |
| Harry Morgan | ... | Carson City Marshal Walter Thibido | |
| John Carradine | ... | Hezekiah Beckum (undertaker) | |
| Sheree North | ... | Serepta (Books' ex-girlfriend) | |
| Rick Lenz | ... | Dan Dobkins (reporter, 'Morning Appeal') (as Richard Lenz) | |
| Scatman Crothers | ... | Moses Brown (liveryman) | |
| Gregg Palmer | ... | Burly man | |
| Alfred Dennis | ... | Barber | |
| Dick Winslow | ... | Streetcar driver | |
| Melody Thomas Scott | ... | Girl on Streetcar (as Melody Thomas) | |
| Kathleen O'Malley | ... | School teacher | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Johnny Crawford | ... | Books' victim in flashback (uncredited) | |
| Christopher George | ... | Books' victim in flashback (uncredited) | |
| Leo Gordon | ... | Books' victim in flashback (uncredited) | |
| Charles G. Martin | ... | Murray (the bartender) (uncredited) | |
| Ricky Nelson | ... | Books' fellow lawman in flashback (uncredited) | |
| James Nolan | ... | Gambler (uncredited) | |
| Henry Slate | ... | Pulford confidante (uncredited) | |
| Ralph Volkie | ... | White-haired bartender (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Don Siegel | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Glendon Swarthout | (novel) | |
| Miles Hood Swarthout | (screenplay) and | |
| Scott Hale | (screenplay) | |
Produced by | |||
| M.J. Frankovich | .... | producer | |
| William Self | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Elmer Bernstein | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Bruce Surtees | (director of photography) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Douglas Stewart | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Robert F. Boyle | (as Robert Boyle) | ||
Set Decoration by | |||
| Arthur Jeph Parker | (as Arthur Parker) | ||
Makeup Department | |||
| Joe DiBella | .... | makeup artist (as Joe Di Bella) | |
| Dave Grayson | .... | makeup artist | |
| Vivienne Walker | .... | hair stylist | |
Production Management | |||
| Russell Saunders | .... | executive production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Joseph C. Cavalier | .... | assistant director (as Joe Cavalier) | |
| Joe Florence | .... | second assistant director | |
Art Department | |||
| Bill Dietz | .... | property master | |
| Richard Lawrence | .... | assistant art director | |
| Joseph M. LeBaron | .... | construction coordinator | |
| William Cruse | .... | set designer (uncredited) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Les Fresholtz | .... | sound re-recordist | |
| Michael Minkler | .... | sound re-recordist | |
| Al Overton | .... | sound mixer (as Alfred J. Overton) | |
| Arthur Piantadosi | .... | sound re-recordist | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Augie Lohman | .... | special effects | |
| David Domeyer | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
Stunts | |||
| Denny Arnold | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Jim Burk | .... | stunt double (uncredited) | |
| Jim Burk | .... | stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited) | |
| Jim Burk | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Steven Burnett | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Roydon Clark | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Chuck Roberson | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Henry Wills | .... | stunts wrangler (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Kenneth Adams | .... | key grip | |
| Thomas Del Ruth | .... | camera operator (as Tom Del Ruth) | |
| Charles Holmes | .... | gaffer (as Chuck Holmes) | |
| Richard A. Mention III | .... | camera assistant (as Rick Mention) | |
| Timothy E. Wade | .... | camera assistant | |
| Dave Sutton | .... | still photographer (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Luster Bayless | .... | costumes: men | |
| Moss Mabry | .... | costumes: Miss Bacall | |
| Edna Taylor | .... | costumes: women | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Jerrold L. Ludwig | .... | assistant editor | |
Music Department | |||
| Dan Wallin | .... | score mixer (uncredited) | |
Other crew | |||
| Jack Casey | .... | publicist | |
| Eudie Charnes | .... | production coordinator | |
| Dino De Laurentiis | .... | presenter | |
| Al Horwits | .... | public relations | |
| Betsy Norton | .... | script supervisor | |
| Buzz Barton | .... | horse wrangler (uncredited) | |
| Robert S. Birchard | .... | dailies projectionist (uncredited) | |
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I've never had much use for the swaggering, tough-as-nails `heroic' John Wayne. Perhaps that style of heroism was all one needed to get by in the old west', but even then, death was not an easy thing to face (I bet most gunslingers and sheriffs' boots were filled with liquid just moments before they bit the dust). Finally, here is a film that looks at what courage is really made up of: the ability to accept limitations, to accept change, to have humility, and to be able to say, `I'm afraid'. The Duke is dying of cancer, in reality and within the plot of this film. He is also a living myth in reality and within the plot of this film. That he chose to play out his swan song as a human legend instead of as a mythic one, must have taken a lot of courage. Imagine the Duke propped on a dainty red pillow upon his saddle! Imagine him showing all the physical signs of the wear and tear that illness and age have bestowed on him. Imagine him allowing us to hear the weakness of his infirm body slipping in the bathtub. Imagine his groans of agony. `Death is a very private thing', his character John Books says, but he is man enough to show us how to do it and do it with dignity, despite the fear. Just imagine The Duke admitting that he's afraid of the dark!
At the period in which this film is set, gunslingers or `shootists' were soon to go the way of the horse and buggy. The queen (Victoria) had just died. Electricity, modern plumbing, modern commerce, modern transportation, and creature comforts were beginning to take over (check out the electric ceiling fans and mosaic tiles in the saloon!). Forward to real life'. It is 1976. One by one, the mythic legends created by dime novels and Hollywood movies are being demystified. From Billy The Kid to Buffalo Bill, to Bonnie and Clyde, audiences have been shown for over decade how legends have always been manufactured. There are some who may see this demystification as a negative thing, but when people start adoring soldiers, celebrities and gangsters as something more than human, it's time to set the record straight. That's what all the best films of the seventies did. They broke the myths but they did not break the spirit, for what they did was let US, not the supermen on the screen, become the heroes. We could be afraid, old, young, ill, or weak, and we could feel pain and humiliation. In the process of confronting our limitations we become stronger. To be a stronger human being is to become civilized. Like this film shows us, we CAN reject the gun and join civilization. This film is John Wayne's gift to us. He is enabling us to grow up, to look at the past with respect, but to face the future with responsibility. His John Books is worth more to us than all his superheroes put together. We're all gonna die, we're all afraid, and pain is very, very real. It is in the process of surrendering to this fact with dignity and humility that we in a sense become immortal. To try to live as a superman is to die a fool. Only cowards (and very dangerous people) embrace myths over reality. That dainty red pillow has made The Duke sit very tall in his saddle indeed!