Big Jake (1971)

82% of users liked it
(12,261 ratings)

When his grandson (played by real-life son Ethan Wayne) is kidnapped by scurrilous baddie Richard Boone, Big Jake (John Wayne) sets out to deliver the $1 million ransom. On the off-chance that there'll be gunplay, Jake brings along his sons Patrick Wayne and Chris Mitchum. Maureen O'Hara plays… More When his grandson (played by real-life son Ethan Wayne) is kidnapped by scurrilous baddie Richard Boone, Big Jake (John Wayne) sets out to deliver the $1 million ransom. On the off-chance that there'll be gunplay, Jake brings along his sons Patrick Wayne and Chris Mitchum. Maureen O'Hara plays Jake's estranged wife and Bruce Cabot provides comedy relief as a scraggly Indian Scout. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 49 min.
Directed By: George Sherman
Written By: Harry Julian Fink, R.M. Fink
Genres: Western, Action & Adventure, Classics

On DVD: Apr 29, 2003
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A second rate Western, more interesting for its biographical elements, the film co-stars Wayne's own son as well as sons of Robert Mitchum and other friends, all getting the usual lessons in macho morality.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Wayne gets little help from anyone else but Boone and can't pull off such a slight story line by his lonesome.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
Very enjoyable, underrated western.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Rowdy shootem' up has Duke in boot-stridin' form.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dean M

One of my best and favourite John Wayne's action-filled western films. This film was a family affair for John Wayne.
Burger S

This might be my favorite movie by the Duke.
ashley h

Gotta love John Wayne..."Don't you ever call me Daddy!" Its a great old western.
Chad R

Who are you? Jake: Jacob McCandles. John Fain: I thought you were dead. Jake: Not hardly. This movie has John Wayne as Big Jake McCandles who has left his family on his mega ranch years ago to go screw around out west. Some bandits from south of the border attack his household… More
Who are you? Jake: Jacob McCandles. John Fain: I thought you were dead. Jake: Not hardly. This movie has John Wayne as Big Jake McCandles who has left his family on his mega ranch years ago to go screw around out west. Some bandits from south of the border attack his household and kidnap his grandson for a $1 Million ransom. Well here come Grandpa to save the day (with the help of his older sons who are more than a little reluctant to listen to him) and do whatever he has to get Little Jake back. There are plenty of funny lines and famous Duke lines in this one. Recommended Highly! I think this is my favorite John Wayne movie. They are all good but this one is the best for me. Unlike most of you people on this site, I grew up with one TV with 13 channels (and that was with cable!). I think that upped to 45 or so by the time I went to college. and then I just couldn't afford it. The point is, everytime a John Wayne movie was on, we watched it. We didn't grow up watching these serial rape/torture/murder movies like Saw, Hostel, etc. John Wayne and similar movies were it. The thing you got out of his movies were not only the action and wars and gunfights, but also had family values, pride in your country, sticking up for yourself and those not able to help themselves, doing things right, and basically just not putting up with anyone's shit.Yes, it was more black and white and there was always a clearly defined bad guy, but there wasn't always a perfect resolution.
Anthony V

One of the few John Wayne movies I actually dig.

Cast

            John Wayne as Jacob McCandles

            Richard Boone as John Fain

            Maureen O'Hara as Martha McCandles

            Patrick Wayne as James McCandles

            Christopher Mitchum as Michael McCandles

            Bruce Cabot as Sam Sharpnose

            John Agar as Bert Ryan

            Jim Burk as Trooper

            Virginia Capers as Delilah

            Harry Carey Jr. as Pop Dawson

            Glenn Corbett as O'Brien

            Jim Davis as Head of Lynching Party

            John Doucette as Buck Dugan

            Bernard Fox
            
            Roy Jenson
            
            John McLiam
            
            Gregg Palmer as John Goodfellow

            Dean Smith as Kid Duffy

            Bobby Vinton as Jeff McCandles

            William Walker as Moses Brown

            Robert Warner as Will Fain

            Ethan Wayne as Little Jake

            Hank Worden as Hank

            Everett Creach as Walt Devries

            Jerry Gatlin as Stubby

            Don Epperson as Saloon Bully

            Tom Hennessy as Saloon Brawler

            Chuck Robertson
            
See full cast