To really grasp the emotional significance of The Shootist, you really need a little bit of background information. Several years earlier, John Wayne did a film called The Conquerer, which filmed about a hundred miles from a nuclear bomb testing site in Nevada. Although they claimed that the exposure would not cause any adverse health conditions, by 1981, 91 of the 220 cast and crew members had developed cancer, including John Wayne. Just as The Shootist is about a legend's last hurrah, it also happens to serve as a real life acting legend's swan song. So his final performance, in a film about a gunslinger dying of cancer, had an added poignancy with the knowledge that he would eventually die of the disease as well. Contrary to popular belief, John Wayne didn't have cancer at the time of filming, but it's still an emotionally resonant performance. It's hard not to feel a twinge of sadness for the movie giant, who goes into his last, suicidal shootout with characteristic grit and resolve.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
