True Grit (2010)

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Plot Summary

14-year-old Mattie Ross takes revenge into her own hands when the local law refuses to chase down her father's killer, a man named Tom Chaney. She enlists the help of the Fort Smith's most relentless Marshall, a man named Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn. Though he initially refuses to help Mattie, her dogged persistence and the sight of $50 changes his mind. Mattie insists on accompanying the Marshall into Indian territory to see the job completed with her own eyes, and after a bit of struggle, he reluctantly agrees. Along the way they are joined by La Boeuf, a Texas Ranger who is also pursuing Chaney for the shooting of a State Senator and the State Senator's dog. The rest of the film slowly develops Mattie and Cogburn's relationship, as well as a rivalry between Cogburn and La Boeuf, as they pursue Chaney and his gang through the wild landscape.

Production

The film was shot near Santa Fe, New Mexico and Austin, Texas as well as in Granger, Texas.

The search for the perfect Mattie Ross was one of the more difficult aspects of the movie, with Hailee Steinfeld ultimately being chosen from a pool of 15,000 applicants. In an interview Ethan Coen commented on casting the role: “It was, as you can probably imagine, the source of a lot of anxiety. We were aware if the kid doesn’t work, there’s no movie".

Steinfeld arrived for the audition wearing a period costume that she and her mother constructed out of fabric and surplus store goods. She believes her willingness to immerse herself in the role won her the part.

The screenplay was written by the Coen brothers, based on the 1968 novel by Charles Portis, and was made to more closely follow the book than the 1969 picture starring John Wayne. However, certain iconic scenes from the first movie version were kept nearly identical.

Armament

Mattie Ross

Mattie Testing the Weight of Her Colt Dragoon.

Colt Dragoon -

Mattie inherits this pistol from her deceased father. She retrieves it from the boarding house at which her father stayed before being murdered by Tom Chaney. She carries it around in an old flour sack that she bought from the boarding house mistress for a nickel.

The Colt Dragoon is a .44 cal percussion cap pistol that does not fire when wet (as evidenced by Mattie trying to shoot Tom Chaney a second time after falling in a river).

Sharps 1874 Cavalry Carbine - Technically, this firearm is the Texas Ranger La Boeuf's. Mattie shoots this weapon once and successfully kills Tom Chaney. Because it fires the powerful US Government .50-70 round, it also knocks her backwards into a pit full of snakes.

Rooster Cogburn

"Fill Your Hands, You Son of a Bitch!"

Two 1851 Colt Navy Revolvers - Deputy US Marshal Rooster Cogburn carries two of these pistols which he calls Navy Sixes. He keeps them within easy reach in holsters on his saddle horn. Cogburn can fire both of these .38 cal weapons simultaneously at a full gallop while holding the reins of his horse in his teeth. During the charge, he kills three members of the Ned Pepper gang with these weapons.

"You're Not Going to Let Him Do This, Marshal?" "I Reckon I'm Not."

Colt 1873 Single Action Army - Cogburn carries this .45 cal weapon around on a belt holster. He threatens La Boeuf with it to stop the Texas Ranger from beating Mattie Ross with a switch.

He later shoots Emmet Quincy in the face with this gun after the outlaw stabbed his partner Moon in the chest with a knife.

Also, Cogburn fires this weapon into the air during his ruse to signal Ned Pepper that he was apparently leaving.

Winchester 1873 Rifle - Cogburn attempts to ambush the Ned Pepper Gang at a dugout using this .38-40 round firing weapon. He refers to the action as a "turkey shoot." The ambush fails as La Bouef arrives and forces Cogburn to start firing. Cogburn kills three of Ned Pepper's cohorts with this weapon. He also may have shot La Boeuf in the arm, depending on whose story you believe.

Texas Ranger La Bouef

Note the Fancy Pearl Handle. It Matches the Fringe of His Jacket.

Colt 1873 Single Action Army - La Bouef carries this revolver on the right side of his waist holster. It has a fancy pearl handle. He draws it to defend himself when surrounded by the Ned Pepper Gang at the dugout.

"You Could Not Have Made That Shot If You Had Rest Your Rifle on the Rock of Gibraltar."

Sharps 1874 Cavalry Carbine - La Boeuf is extremely proud of his Sharps. The Sharps can hold only one round at a time. La Boeuf carries the large ammunition on his ammo belt.

Besides being a powerful rifle, it can also be used as a club. La Boeuf knocks Tom Chaney unconscious with the stock of the Sharps as the outlaw tries to strangle Mattie Ross.

La Boeuf constantly claims that "it is a weapon of uncanny power and precision." He also claims it can make shots of over 400 yards. Afterwards, he kills "Lucky" Ned Pepper with a single .50-70 round fired from over 400 yards, proving his point. La Boeuf then tries to extoll the uncanny power and precision of the weapon to Mattie Ross but is instead hit over the head with a rock by Tom Chaney.

"Lucky" Ned Pepper

This Exchange Does Not End Well for Ned Pepper.

Remington 1875 Revolver - Ned Pepper totes this .45 cal revolver. The handle of the revolver is emblazoned with a four-leafed clover to denote his luck. After Marshal Cogburn's dramatic charge, Pepper draws this revolver in an attempt to kill Cogburn who is trapped under his horse.

Winchester 1866 Rifle - After Marshal Cogburn invites Pepper to "fill his hand, you son of a bitch," Pepper draws this rifle and begins firing at the Marshal. He misses all but one shot which hits Cogburn's horse.

Tom Chaney

Tom Chaney with Stolen Henry Rifle.

Henry 1860 Repeater - Tom Chaney stole this .44 cal rifle from Mattie Ross' father. He carries it around with a rope tied roughly to the frame.