The Dude in True Grit Talks
Bridges, who last worked with the Coens when he turned in a heralded performance as Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, is in talks to play the lead role in the iconic Western that the Coens are mounting as their next project.
The picture, which also reunited the Coens with their “No Country for Old Men” producing partner Scott Rudin, has been redrafted by the Coens to be more faithful to the Charles Portis novel that the original film was based on.
The Coens premiere “A Serious Man” at the Toronto Film Festival. Bridges most recently starred in “The Men Who Stare At Goats” and reprised in “Tron Legacy.”
He’s repped by CAA and Schiff Co.
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I don't know what version of True Grit The Coens have been watching to think the story is told from Rooster's point of view. To the contrary the 1969 movie is Matty's story entirely. more importantly the movie was wonderful, with Wayne entirely deserving of his Oscar.
Why not just leave well alone.
Posted by: Steve | 09/10/2009 at 06:15 PM
Can't say I want a remake of True Grit, it's a wonderful movie. Then again I wasn't that enthused with the Coens making a film out of Yiddish Policemen's Union, which was Michael Chabon's worst novel. So bring on Rooster.
Posted by: Michael | 09/10/2009 at 07:46 PM
"They pissed on your f*cking rug, Dude."
Posted by: Walter | 09/10/2009 at 11:25 PM
Overall I'm fed-up with remakes and most of all sequels!
However, given it's these guys & Jeff Bridges & 1 must rate things in it's own perspective & not compare to original,etc
It may work?
Posted by: Jeff L. Shannon | 09/11/2009 at 04:30 AM
It's not a remake of a movie, right? They're making a movie based on a book. It just so happens there's already been a movie made about it.
Relax, folks.
Posted by: Jim | 09/11/2009 at 05:54 AM
The 1969 film got Maddie's character completely wrong. They weakened her, dropped her southern accent and turned her into a Disney Pollyanna-type.
If you've read the book, which is a masterpiece, the '69 version of the film is just hard to watch.
Here's hoping the Coens do better - though I doubt any movie can do this book justice.
Posted by: Paul N. | 09/11/2009 at 09:16 AM
Steve's right, not sure it was the reporters take or the Coen's but the original sure as hell wasn't from Rooster's POV. The story followed Matty throughout...which was a wise decision on the filmmakers part. By keeping John Wayne a "character" in Matty's story, he freed the Duke up to actually play a character and not "John Wayne playing the hero", which he played in 99% of his other stuff.
Posted by: Jack Desmondi | 09/11/2009 at 09:34 AM
Having read (and reread and reread) the book and knowing the movie by heart, and loving both for their unique virtues, I'm willing to go on a little faith. After all, the Coens have given us a fine body of work to date.
Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!
Posted by: Ellen Cloyed | 09/11/2009 at 11:07 AM
Other than Stagecoach, has anyone ever remade an iconic John Wayne film? It's like remaking The Good The Bad & The Ugly or any other Eastwood film. How can it compare?
Posted by: NYCrex | 09/11/2009 at 11:31 AM
Why remake True Grit, when you could just adapt another Charles Portis novel that hasn't been already been made. True Grit and Norwood were adapted in the 1960s, which both coincidentally both feature Glen Campbell and Kim Darby. The Coens should consider adapting The Dog of the South, Masters of Atlantis, or Gringos. The Coen Brothers do not inspire confidence with remakes if The Ladykillers is anything to judge.
Posted by: Joe | 09/11/2009 at 12:56 PM
I worked with the Coens as an extra in Mississippi on "'O Brother Where Art Thou?" and would like to see them use some of us Southerners for parts in this new version of "True Grit". A good western would be nice for a change, especially with a Coen twist to it.
Posted by: Andy in Mississippi | 09/11/2009 at 01:31 PM
My only True Grit memory took place in New York on a subway a few weeks after the movie opened. Four Pueto Rican teens sat directly across from me hanging onto a boombox playing. But not blasting it seemingly out of respect for the elderly passenger opposite them. What kept them animated for the ride was their joyous account of the confrontation in True Grit between the Duke and "Tom Chaney" the movie's killer played by Jeff Corey. While the elderly passenger next to them obviously overheard their excited recitation, he made no motion to them but managed to wink at me. For he realized that I recognized him as Jeff Corey. I was tempted to tell them, but I didn't think they would believe me. Wow, that was forty years ago.
Posted by: Arthur Axelman | 09/11/2009 at 05:22 PM
The ending is very sad in the book. We see that Matty is maimed for life and never finds fulfillment as a woman or mother. With the suspicion that she has no use for men. Her love for Rooster wasn't about sex. Will it be with Matty narration I wonder. As she futilely hunts for Rooster to give him a place to live in his old age.
I'm all for it. I love Jeff Bridges and he'll be more the age Rooster was supposed to be. Second pick though. Kurt Russell.
Posted by: Ellis In Culver City | 09/11/2009 at 06:40 PM
I'm all for it. I love the Coen's body of work. They've had some clunkers but my gawd what could have been better than O Brother Where Art Thou and The Big Lebowski? Just those two alone would make them great. I'll give it a chance, and as someone who read the book, the movie was vastly different and I'd love to see a script that's more true.
Posted by: Barbara | 09/12/2009 at 11:15 AM
Calling it a "remake" is slightly inaccurate, as the Coens are making another adaptation of Charles Portis' novel.
And that novel was told from the girls' POV and was much darker, and their film will be more faithful to that aspect that the 1969 film was.
Posted by: Robert | 09/12/2009 at 05:22 PM