El Dorado (1967)
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100% of critics liked it
(12 reviews) -
84% of users liked it
(12,121 ratings)
Having struck pay dirt with his 1958 western Rio Bravo, Howard Hawks more or less remade the picture twice in the 1960s. The first of these rehashes was El Dorado, with Rio Bravo star John Wayne back for more. Wayne plays a gunfighter who rides into El Dorado to link up with his old pal, sheriff… More Having struck pay dirt with his 1958 western Rio Bravo, Howard Hawks more or less remade the picture twice in the 1960s. The first of these rehashes was El Dorado, with Rio Bravo star John Wayne back for more. Wayne plays a gunfighter who rides into El Dorado to link up with his old pal, sheriff Robert Mitchum ("It's the big one with the big two!" declared the film's advertisements). Wayne has turned down a job with evil land baron Ed Asner, who'd hoped to drive a family off the land that he needed for its water. That family, headed by R.G. Armstrong, is convinced that Wayne is working with Asner; when Armstrong's son Johnny Crawford dies, Wayne is held responsible, earning him a bullet in the spine from Crawford's sister Michele Carey. A year passes: Wayne returns to El Dorado, in the company of his new saddle pal James Caan. They find that Asner is still up to his old tricks, and that Mitchum has descended into alcoholism. Several plot twists and power shifts ensue, leading to the slam-bang climax, with the partially paralyzed Wayne, the newly crippled Mitchum (on crutches), and the concussion-suffering Caan battling together to stave off Asner's minions. The final long-shot, of Wayne and Mitchum limping off together arm-in-arm, is one of the most enduring images in the entire Hawks canon. If they loved it twice they'll love it thrice: in 1969, John Wayne and Howard Hawks teamed up for a third Rio Bravo derivation, Rio Lobo--which, like the first two films, was scripted by Leigh Brackett. Incidentally, that's famed artist Olaf Weighorst (whose paintings appear in the title sequence) in a cameo as the gunsmith. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Howard Hawks
- Written By
- Leigh Brackett
- Genres
- Western, Action & Adventure, Classics
- In Theaters
- Jun 7, 1967 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
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, Variety
An excellent oater drama, laced with adroit comedy and action relief, and set off by strong casting, superior direction and solid production.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Howard Hawks is too good a director to depend upon stereotyped violence to keep the interest of the audience, and his well-made scenes between Wayne, Mitchum, Arthur Hunicutt and James Cann never lag for a moment.
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Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Vivid story telling and a late take on the Western genre as a whole.
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Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
Even looked at with today's eye, El Dorado is a thrilling movie with great characters and a brilliant image of the mythical old west.
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Len Sousa, Slant Magazine
Although the plot and star have been recycled, El Dorado is still a gold standard of the western genre.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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John Wayne
as Cole Thornton
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Robert Mitchum
as Sheriff J.B. Harrah
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James Caan
as Alan Bourdillon Trehearne (Mississippi)
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Charlene Holt
as Maudie
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Michele Carey
as Joey MacDonald
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Paul Fix
as Doc Miller
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Arthur Hunnicutt
as Bull Harris
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Edward Asner
as Bart Jason
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R.G. Armstrong
as Kevin MacDonald
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Christopher George
as Nelse McLeod
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Marina Ghane
as Maria
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John Gabriel
as Pedro
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Robert Rothwell
as Saul MacDonald
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Robert Donner
as Milt
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Adam Roarke
as Matt MacDonald
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Victoria George
as Jared's Wife
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Anne Newman
as Saul MacDonald's Wife
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Johnny Crawford
as Luke MacDonald
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Olaf Wieghorst
as Gunsmith
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Anthony Rogers
as Dr. Donovan
- Charlita
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Don Collier
as Deputy Joe Braddock
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Chuck Courtney
as Jared MacDonald
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Jim Davis
as Jim Purvis
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Nacho Galindo
as Mexican Saloonkeeper
- Betty Jane Graham
- Buzz Henry
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William Henry
as Sheriff Tod Draper (uncredited)
- Riley Hill
- Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.
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John Mitchum
as Jason's Bartender
- Ruben Moreno
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Chuck Roberson
as Jason's Gunman
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Dean Smith
as Charlie Hagan
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Rosa Turich
as Rosa
- Ralph Volkie
- Christopher West
- Frank Leyva
- Linda Dangcil
- Danny Sands
- Lee Powell

