El Dorado
Legendary producer-director Howard Hawks teams with two equally legendary stars, John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, in this classic Western drama. Mitchum plays to perfection an alchoholic but gutsy sheriff who relentlessly battles the dark side of the wild West, ruthless cattle barons and crooked "businessmen." The Duke gives an equally adept performance as the sheriff's old friend who knows his way around a gunfight. Filled with brawling action and humor, El Dorado delivers the goods. James Caan and Ed Asner co-star.
Member Reviews
Passes the time... - CanCinephile
El Dorado is most certainly not the best in terms of crafted storytelling, bold characters, or structured solid filmmaking. It is, however, a reasonably fun Western that passes the time. There’s nothing particularly memorable about it, John Wayne’s performance, or the action. Mitchum is the highlight here and it is fun to see a young James Caan playing with the big boys of the genre in Hawks and Wayne. If one were to do a patchwork of Rio Bravo and this film, they’d look alike and together would form a great Western. As a standalone picture, however, El Dorado leaves a lot to be desired and likely stands up better in the context of the full trilogy from Howard Hawks.Charming And At Times Exciting Western - bwod
Once again, John Wayne finds himself doing what he does best. It's a very good western that was directed by great Hollywood director Howard Hawks. With co-stars Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Ed Asner,etc. this is a first-rate re-telling of an earlier campy version of the same story (Rio Bravo). It's much better! My only complaint is that it runs about twenty minutes too long. But theres plenty of action, and some witty dialogue.
As westerns go, I'd say it ranks in the top ten percent. One and a half thumbs up.El Dorado is no Rio Bravo - TaBobo
El Dorado keeps again with the quality of films one can expect from Howard Hawks. In much the same fashion as Rio Bravo, El Dorado sets our hero (played again by Wayne) fighting off the bad overbearing rancher with the help of two sidekicks. In Rio Bravo it was Ricky Nelson as Colorado (the young gun), here it's Mississipi played by James Caan, just as the drunk friend in Rio Bravo was played by Dean Martin, here it's almost as good a performance by Robert Mitchum. The only thing that really differs between the two is that we don't get the two songs that the singers in Rio Bravo gave us.
El Dorado is no Rio Bravo, but it stands the test of time and in my opinion is still among the top westerns ever made.
Member Reviews
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Passes the time... - CanCinephile
El Dorado is most certainly not the best in terms of crafted storytelling, bold characters, or structured solid filmmaking. It is, however, a reasonably fun Western that passes the time. There’s nothing particularly memorable about it, John Wayne’s performance, ...Charming And At Times Exciting Western - bwod
Once again, John Wayne finds himself doing what he does best. It's a very good western that was directed by great Hollywood director Howard Hawks. With co-stars Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Ed Asner,etc. this is a first-rate re-telling of an earlier campy version ...El Dorado is no Rio Bravo - TaBobo
El Dorado keeps again with the quality of films one can expect from Howard Hawks. In much the same fashion as Rio Bravo, El Dorado sets our hero (played again by Wayne) fighting off the bad overbearing rancher with the help of two sidekicks. In Rio Bravo ...