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El Dorado
1966 126 min United States of America G 12+
★7.8
Western, Drama
Director: Howard Hawks
Trailers
Description
Cole Thornton, a gunfighter for hire, joins forces with an old friend, Sheriff J.P. Harrah. Together with a fighter and a gambler, they help a rancher and his family fight a rival rancher that is trying to steal their water.
Budget:
$4.65M
Worldwide:
$6M
Starring
John Wayne
Actor
Robert Mitchum
Actor
James Caan
Actor
Awards
2 nominations total
Key opinion
El Dorado is widely regarded as a masterful, character-driven Western that benefits from the stellar chemistry between John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. While some critics view it as a sluggish, redundant imitation of Rio Bravo, most audiences and reviewers celebrate its nuanced portrayal of aging legends and its professional, unforced style.
| Acting | The natural, engaging chemistry between John Wayne and Robert Mitchum serves as the film’s emotional anchor. | |
| Acting | James Caan delivers a charismatic performance that elevates a potentially thin supporting role. | |
| Direction | Howard Hawks utilizes a comfortable, professional direction that brings a sense of realism to the classic land-dispute narrative. | |
| Theme | The film explores complex, humanizing themes of aging, physical decline, and professional ethics among its lead characters. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on the film's pace are divided: supporters find it relaxed and character-focused, while detractors perceive it as sluggish and lacking the energy of contemporary 1960s Westerns. | |
| Originality | The film's status as a spiritual successor to Rio Bravo is debated; some view it as a superior refinement of those tropes, while others consider it an uninspired and redundant remake. |