Western

The Sons of Katie Elder

- From the four winds they came, the four brothers, their eyes smoking and their fingers itching...

The four sons of Katie Elder reunite in their hometown of Clearwater, Texas for their mother's funeral, and discover that the family ranch is now in the hands of Morgan Hastings, the town's gunsmith.

Release Date : 1965-06-23

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount PicturesHal Wallis Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : John Elder

Original Name : John Wayne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom Elder

Original Name : Dean Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mary Gordon

Original Name : Martha Hyer

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bud Elder

Original Name : Michael Anderson Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matt Elder

Original Name : Earl Holliman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ben Latta

Original Name : Jeremy Slate

Gender : Male

Character Name : Morgan Hastings

Original Name : James Gregory

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheriff Billy Wilson

Original Name : Paul Fix

Gender : Male

Character Name : Curley

Original Name : George Kennedy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dave Hastings

Original Name : Dennis Hopper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Harry Evers

Original Name : Sheldon Allman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minister

Original Name : John Litel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Henry Hyselman

Original Name : John Doucette

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Vennar

Original Name : James Westerfield

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie Bob Striker

Original Name : Rhys Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie Biller

Original Name : John Qualen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bondie Adams

Original Name : Rodolfo Acosta

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ned Ross

Original Name : Strother Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Peevey

Original Name : Percy Helton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doc Isdell

Original Name : Karl Swenson

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Glen Anderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Amboy / Stationmaster (uncredited)

Original Name : Jerry Gatlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeb (uncredited)

Original Name : Harvey Grant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ned Reese (uncredited)

Original Name : Loren Janes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Burr Sandeman / J. Plummer, blacksmith (uncredited)

Original Name : Boyd 'Red' Morgan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Chuck Roberson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bit Part (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph Volkie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Andy Sharp (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gus Dolly (uncredited)

Original Name : Henry Wills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buck Mason (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Yrigoyen

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The Magnificent Four! John, Tom, Matt and Bud, these are the Elder boys, who upon meeting up at the funeral of their recently deceased mother, find that their father may have been murdered over a card game. The boys must cast off sibling rivalries and find out just what has been happening in their childhood town of Clearwater, Texas. Unfairly given harsh treatment upon its release by the critics and beset with behind the scenes problems, The Sons Of Katie Elder actually holds up rather well in this day and age. All the required traits are in the film to make it an oater of some worth, a splendid cast with as much macho beef as you can shake a stick at, a top Elmer Bernstein score, the wonderful use of the Casa Blanca location and a revenge driven plot of some note. So why is it hard to actually sell this picture to the staunch Western crowd? Well coming as it did in 1965 it certainly has something of a modern sheen to it, an uneasy bed fellow with the wild west theme of the picture. The casting of the brothers just about works, but Michael Anderson Jr (Bud) and Earl Holliman (Matt) do seem to be overawed by the presence of John Wayne (John) and Dean Martin (Tom), meaning as a foursome it never quite gets to being a tight acting unit. The length of the picture may also be an issue to some? Long periods of inaction work to me personally because the characters (family unit) are gaining much needed depth, but for those wanting guns a toting at frequent intervals are not exactly catered for. Yet what action there is surely more than makes it worth the viewers patience? From the Duke swinging a nice piece of hickory to a wonderful riverside shootout, Henry Hathaway's Western is not found wanting for memorable sequences, in fact if you ask me then the mere sight of the Duke blasting away with a six shooter in each hand is a truly blood pumping joy, and don't get me started on a delightful Dean Martin scene as he raffles his glass eye! So all in all it's not without its itches, but as 60s Westerns go, The Sons Of Katie Elder is a hugely enjoyable picture to enjoy by the fireside on a Sunday afternoon. 7/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-06-09

When "John" (John Wayne) returns home for the funeral of his mother and to reunite with his three brothers, he sets the cat amongst the pigeons. It turns out that their ranch now belongs to gunsmith "Hastings" (James Gregory) and with their father having been shot in the back, they start to investigate. Now "John" is a notable man with a gun, so tensions heighten when "Curley" (George Kennedy) arrives in town as a bit of muscle for the ambitious "Hastings". It's all a little predictable this but it builds to quite an explosive denouement and there's an enjoyable degree of chemistry between Wayne and kid brothers "Tom" (Dean Martin) and the baby of the pack "Bud" (Michael Anderson Jr) who has a notion to put a marble angel on top of his mother's grave - that or an horse. What ensues delivers quite an entertaining western with plenty of shoot 'em ups, quite a menacing baddie and a pretty wimpish Dennis Hopper in there too. It's a solidly written and paced action adventure that showcases some of the less laudable elements of the pioneering spirit - with plenty of splinters.