True Grit is a book written and published in 1968 by writer Charles Portis. It has been adapted into film twice, with the first film releasing a year after the book’s publication in 1969 and the second adaptation releasing in 2010. The original 1969 adaptation also featured a spinoff sequel film centered around the character of Rooster Cogburn which released in 1975, aptly named Rooster Cogburn. A made-for-television film called True Grit: A Further Adventure also released in 1978, produced by Paramount Television and released on ABC. Both True Grit adaptations were distributed by Paramount Pictures, while Rooster Cogburn was distributed by Universal Pictures.
The General Premise
The general story of True Grit follows 4 main characters: a young girl named Mattie Ross, who seeks revenge against the man who killed her father; Tom Chaney, the man who killed Mattie’s father; Marshall Reuben J. or “Rooster” Cogburn, who aids Mattie in her quest for revenge; and finally a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf, who’s conveniently been tracking Tom Chaney for murdering a senator in Texas. Cogburn, LaBoeuf, and Ross form an unlikely trio as they join together to hunt down Chaney, who has joined up with the infamous Ned Pepper Gang in this revenge-focused story.
True Grit (1969)
The original film adaptation of True Grit, directed by Henry Hathaway, starred actors John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, Glen Campbell as LaBoeuf, and Jeff Corey as Tom Chaney. Actor Robert Duvall plays Ned Pepper, while Dennis Hopper, known for his directing work on the 1969 film Easy Rider, plays the character Moon. Glen Campbell also worked on the soundtrack for the film alongside composer Elmer Bernstein.
John Wayne was nominated for and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Cogburn. He also won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for the role.
This film begins with a slower scene before getting into the action, showing Frank Ross saying goodbye to his family before he travels with Tom Chaney to Fort Smith. Mattie notes her dislike for Chaney to her mother, moments before the camera cuts to the murder of Frank Ross. Certain scenes, such as when Mattie and Cogburn first meet at his place of stay to discuss hunting Chaney follow.
True Grit (2010)
The 2010 adaptation of True Grit, produced, written, and directed by the Coen Brothers Joel and Ethan, aimed to be a more accurate adaptation of the novel’s story compared to its 1969 predecessor. The film stars actors Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn, Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross in her film debut, Matt Damon as LaBoeuf, and Josh Brolin as Tom Chaney. Actor Barry Pepper plays Ned Pepper, while Domhnall Gleeson plays the character Moon.
For her role as Mattie Ross, Steinfeld was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, which at the age of fourteen, put her in a group of one of the youngest actors to be nominated. Other notable actors to be nominated at such an age include a 14-year-old Jodie Foster for her role as Iris Steensma in 1976’s Taxi Driver and a 10-year-old Mary Badham for her role as Scout Finch in 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Bridges was also nominated for a Best Actor award for his role as Cogburn. The film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.
The film’s soundtrack was largely composed of and sampled from various hymns, with the 1887 hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” serving as Mattie Ross’ theme, doubling service as the base for roughly a quarter of the film’s score.
This film starts rather action-packed, opening with voiceover from an older Mattie who discusses the events of her time hunting down Chaney throughout the movie. The opening shot is of an already dead Frank Ross, as Chaney rides away on a stolen horse while the older Mattie provides some backstory.
A Deeper Comparison
The Coen Brothers’ rather fast-paced style of filmmaking and witty dialogue makes for a slightly shorter runtime of roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes compared to the original film, which clocked in at 2 hours and 10 minutes. While certain scenes in the original are longer than scenes in the Coen adaptation, and others are placed at later points in the story, many scenes and dialogue are relatively similar in nature, being lifted directly from the original novel. One of the largest differences between both adaptations is the team-up between LaBoeuf and Cogburn: in the original film, despite their bickering, LaBoeuf, Cogburn, and Mattie all stick together throughout the film; however, in the Coen Brothers’ film, LaBoeuf briefly goes his separate way from Cogburn and Mattie because of their disagreements.
Rooster Cogburn (1975)
Rooster Cogburn or Rooster Cogburn (…and the Lady), directed by Stuart Millar, is an American western film that serves as a sequel to the original 1969 adaptation of the book. Actor John Wayne reprises his role as Rooster Cogburn, with Katharine Hepburn joining the cast as Miss Eula Goodnight.
Rooster Cogburn, under threat of being stripped of his badge and gun by Judge Parker, goes on a quest of redemption to take down the bank robber Hawk and his gang, who have stolen a shipment of explosives in order to commit a heist. Along the way, Cogburn meets Miss Eula Goodnight and a student of hers named Wolf, who lived in a village in the Indian Territory attacked by Hawk and his gang. Together, the three of them work together to track down Hawk and the gang.
True Grit: A Further Adventure (1978)
True Grit: A Further Adventure, directed by Richard T. Heffron, is an American western film made for television intended to serve as a backdoor pilot for a True Grit-based television show following the continued adventures of Mattie and Rooster Cogburn. None of the actors from the original films reprised their roles, with actor Warren Oates taking over the role of Rooster Cogburn and Lisa Pelikan taking over the role of Mattie Ross.
Mattie Ross once again hires Rooster Cogburn, this time to accompany her on her way to her grandfather’s homestead, unaware of her intentions to reform his morals and help him become a better person. On their journey, they stop at the Sumner farm, as Cogburn wishes to aid the family following the death of the father of the family Jake Sumner.
Conclusion
Through its adaptations and inspirations, the story of True Grit proves itself to be an everlasting one, serving as a meditation on revenge, justice, and the law. LaBoeuf and Cogburn serve as contrasting views of law enforcement, displayed even before Cogburn is introduced by his comparison to other lawmen. While potential spinoffs and continuations like A Further Adventure or Rooster Cogburn were less successful than pure adaptations, deviations on the original story have still found success today. DC Comics’ Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which serves as the source material for the upcoming 2026 film Supergirl, was heavily based on the concept of True Grit, according to Woman of Tomorrow’s writer Tom King. The stand-in for Mattie Ross is extraterrestrial rock farmer Ruthye Marye Knoll, whose father is killed by a man named Krem of the Yellow Hills. Supergirl, serving as the stand-in for both Cogburn and LaBoeuf, assists Ruthye on her journey to hunt down her father’s killer.
The original 1969 True Grit can be rented off Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV, while the 2010 adaptation can be watched for free with ads on Pluto TV. Rooster Cogburn can be streamed on Netflix.
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