True Grit

Note: Normally I wouldn’t have noticed the remaking of an old movie. I’m not wed to the belief that movie remakes are heresy; however, there are just some movies that Hollywood should just leave be.


It’s a travesty I tell you; a travesty! A black dot on the film industry. Marion Morrison, better known as John Wayne or The Duke, is rolling over in his grave. How can Hollywood even consider remaking one of John Wayne’s films? But, that is exactly what is happening. The Coen Brothers are producing a remake of True Grit. The remake is supposed to follow more closely with the Charles Portis novel, True Grit, but come on, who in their right mind can picture Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn? You have to be kidding me! After all, John Wayne won an Oscar for his performance in the movie and the 2009 Harris Poll listed him as one of America’s top 10 actors. I don’t have anything against Jeff Bridges, but there is no way he can come close to The Duke as Rooster Cogburn. And to make matters worse, Matt Damon, who is playing a Texas Ranger in the remake, actually admitted that he had never seen the original movie. Really??

As I was tirading (yes, I just made up that word) around the office, it became really clear that others did not value True Grit or John Wayne, for that matter, the same way I do. In fact, no one in the office has ever seen True Grit. Now that is just un-American. Ok, so here is the thumbnail sketch of the movie plot: Mattie Ross, a teenage girl, hires the one-eyed, drunken, hard-core U.S. Marshall to help find her father’s murderer.

The Duke was 62 years old when True Grit was filmed in 1969. He had one lung and was in such poor health that he couldn’t do his own stunts. Let’s face it; John Wayne had as much grit as Rooster Cogburn during the production of the award winning film.

True grit. Determination. Resolve. Tenacity. Doggedness. Those are definitely words I’d use to characterize John Wayne and the characters he portrayed in 100 or so movies. However, there is something to be learned here.

Stop for just a moment and think about the meaning of those six words. They are the same words that should describe our journey with Christ. Discipleship requires sacrifice and sacrifice requires total commitment. Total commitment comes from true grit, determination, resolve, tenacity and doggedness. The words Jesus said to his disciples 2000 plus years ago still ring true today; “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

Although John Wayne was a movie icon, his life was not without controversy and neither is our call to discipleship. Time and time again, God places us in situations where we are called to proclaim our faith. God’s movie is one that can never be remade, but isn’t it wonderful that he rewrites our role so that we can learn the script, become a practiced player and develop the true grit that makes us fit for service in the kingdom of God. Thanks be to God!


                                                                                                                        Judith Bell 8/27/10

Copyright © Judith Bell 2010