Popular reviews

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  Review by Mister Cap ★★★

  "Chisum" ist ein solider John Wayne-Western. "The Duke" spielt darin den unerbittlichen Rancher John Simpson Chisum. Regisseur Andrew McLaglan eröffnet den Film mit einer interessanten Animation. Unterstützt von einem gewöhnungsbedürftigen Song, wird der Transport einer Rinderherde über Ebenen, Hügel und durch Unwetter gezeigt. Am Ende des Intros verwandelt sich die gezeichnete Figur, die einsam auf einem Hügel, hoch zu Ross steht und bedeutsam in die Ferne blickt, langsam in reale Bilder von John Wayne.

  John Chisum hat es wirklich gegeben und man kennt ihn vor allem im Zusammenhang mit William H. Bonney alias Billy The Kid. Anders als bei "Young Guns 1 + 2" steht bei diesem Film, wie bereits der Titel vermuten lässt, nicht Billy The Kid sondern Chisum…

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  Review by waiyanaung ★★½

  In Lincoln County, New Mexico a virtuous wealthy cattle baron John Chisum is facing his biggest threat as a greedy powerful land developer Lawrence Murphy threatens to take over Chisum's territory. But everything changes when two men arrived: Billy The Kid and Pat Garrett.

  This could have been legitimately an epic film in it's own way in the right hands and if also made 20 years earlier. But it's late 60s and traditional westerns got no place and no right to be made, and unlike The Cowboys (1972), this late career outing of John Wayne has nothing new to add to the table, it is painfully cliché, traditional and tedious affair. Somehow 3 or 4 hours worth of materials are…

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  Review by Andy Summers 🤠 ★★★½ 5

  There are definitely times, especially when it comes to Westerns, that the need to fit a host of historical characters into the one film becomes too much of a temptation. Now obviously I've heard of cattle baron John Chisum, he's been featured in more Westerns than Billy The Kid, well almost, and his stature as one of the most powerful and influential cattlemen of the Old West, and as a major landowner in New Mexico, was only heightened by being portrayed in various Hollywood movies. Now this film manages to throw in just about every figure that was around New Mexico back in the late 1870's, but if you're looking for historical accuracy, then Andrew V. McLaglen's very entertaining Western…

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  Review by Gregor Kreyca ★★★★

  Definitely a late career highlight for John Wayne. It’s got everything a strong, way above average Western needs. Everything here screams classic Western including Wayne himself and the appearance of some legendary characters like Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid. Great cast, strong cinematography, lots of action and competently executed drama. Chisum is proof that even over four decades into his amazing career, the Duke had some juice left in him. Pretty impressive, if you ask me!

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  Review by 🐱Andrew Chrzanowski🐱 ★★★ 2

  ☆"I had no idea [it] was so big."
  "Fair size."☆

  March to the West 2023 – Film #29 of 31

  John Wayne is ready to cream some bad guys, fight long and hard, erect law and order, and show them he's the head of the throbbing mantra of the West: "Don't mess with a man and his chisum."

  Too much? Too much.

  Not the namesake of the Chisholm Trail, but cattle rancher Mr. John Chisum during the Lincoln County War of 1878. In the historical Western Chisum from Andrew. V. McLaglen (McLintock!, Shenandoah), Wayne stars in a late-career role that's forgettable if notable for fitting into his stereotypically conservative safe space where men were men, women were their obedient property,…

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  Review by RetroHound ★★★½ 2

  I think I underrated Chisum in my John Wayne List. I had it behind the Green Berets. Lots of action set peices, and lots of great old stars, many Wayne regulars, Bruce Cabot, Forrest Tucker, Ben Johnson, Christopher George, Edward Faulkner, Hank Worden, Richard Jaeckel, and others. Chris Mitchum is in this too, but I didn't think he had a speaking part till near the end.

  This is a heavily fictionalized story of the Lincoln County War which took place in New Mexico. Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett were part of this and they are in the film.

  There's lots of shooting and lots of deaths. And Wane and friends are always fun to watch.

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  Review by Benjamin Green ★★½

  First time watch: April 2022
  Source: Itv4

  Director/Cast/Premise
  Chisum is the 1970 western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Starring John Wayne, Forrest Tucker, Ben Johnson and Geoffrey Deuel the plot details events from the Lincoln County War of 1878 featuring historical figures that includes Billy the Kid.

  Quick Thoughts
  More John Wayne! I'm incredibly surprised to hit 55 titles from his filmography, most have been seen from the tv so it just goes to show how much playtime his titles still get on daytime television in 2022. Its not always easy to tell his films a part with only a handful being what I would deem classics but often his lesser titles still boast stunning cinematography and interesting plots.…

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  Review by 8BeanSoup ★★★★

  Chisum is surprisingly good for one of John Wayne's later Westerns. (I prefer the cinematography and acting—and pretty much everything else—of Westerns from the first half of the twentieth century. I generally don't like the more modern Westerns.)

  John Wayne is John Chisum, a land owner in New Mexico. Much of the state is being taken over by Lawrence Murphy (Forrest Tucker). Not only is Murphy beginning to rival Chisum in terms of land, but he owns the bank, the general store, and the town sheriff. Although Chisum is willing to let small, local farmers continue to use the rivers on his land, Murphy is trying to run everyone off. It's only a matter of time before Chisum and Murphy…

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  Review by Jeremy Crabb ★★★½

  On the eve of The Duke's 115th birthday, I figured it fit to watch a couple of his classic Westerns I had yet to see, starting with the rather underrated Chisum; a well-crafted, fast-paced endeavor with some gorgeously shot sequences and a genuinely epic climax, despite Wayne's very obvious stunt double. John Wayne is as charismatic and fun to watch as ever, and his supporting cast offers a well-rounded ensemble of characters to follow through what is a fairly standard Western plot, albeit an entertaining one for sure. For a later addition to Wayne's iconic filmography, this was much better than it really had any right to be, even if it's far from The Duke's best efforts.
  GRADE: B

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  Review by Luke Thorne ★★★

  Andrew V. McLaglen’s western in which a New Mexico cattle baron battles to protect his property. Starring John Wayne, Forrest Tucker, Christopher George and Ben Johnson.

  Adapted from the short story ‘Chisum and the Lincoln County Cattle War’ by Andrew J. Fenady, the movie concerns generous, protective John Chisum (John Wayne) who owns a huge farm in Lincoln County, New Mexico, in the 1870s.

  With the aid of his authentic assistant, Pepper (Ben Johnson), and an argumentative young ranch hand nicknamed Billy the Kid (Geoffrey Deuel), John does fight with sneaky land developer Lawrence Murphy (Forrest Tucker).

  Having bought up the majority of the nearby area and selected his individual dishonest sheriff (Bruce Cabot), Lawrence now has his eye on…

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  Review by griffin_fenady ★★★★★

  My grandfather wrote & produced Chisum (1970) so he could collaborate with one of his best friends, John Wayne.

  My favorite moment occurs when John Wayne pulls out a locket of his ‘brother’s wedding picture’, it’s a photo of my Grandfather. 

  Cinematographer William H. Clothier photographed one of the finest American westerns The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) which is why Chisum looks so great for 1970. Some truly superb landscape imagery & tremendous horseback tracking (prior to the steadicam’s invention in 1975). Proper photography goes a long way, Chisum’s visuals hold up very well in 2024.

  Really unique & awesome title sequence, never really seen anything like that. Absolutely epic score. Love the idea of taking justice into one’s own hands. The final shoutout is so grand & weirdly legendary? Nearly 30minutes of nonstop thrill.

  Favorite quote:
  ‘Thinks he’s going to the picnic.
  He ain’t met Chisum yet.
  I wanna be somewhere else when he does.
  We will be.’

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  Review by 0livia 🎥 (Free 🇵🇸🇱🇧🇸🇩) ⚢☭ ★★

  Ah yes, the key to overthrowing a big business with the government in its pocket: a slightly smaller but still very big businessman who earned his wealth the proper way -- manifest destiny imperialism.

  Decent movie, but it feels behind the times even for 1970. This isn't something that I'd guess was made three years after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or Bonnie and Clyde. In form, it's almost there. In tone and material, with that score, the side romance, and Wayne's acting, it feels 15 years older than it is.

  (Edit: Watching this back-to-back with Peckinpah's Pat Garett film makes this look like an abomination.)