"True Grit" was not necessarily Wayne's best acting role, but I think it was sort of a turning point for him. Unlike most of Wayne's previous cowboy heroes, Rooster Cogburn is old and fat, wears the wrong color hat, and "likes to pull a cork." It's a recognition that age is catching up with him and he can't be the same hotshot he used to be. He was a Hollywood legend by this point, and the role was sort of a wink at all the Western hero roles he'd played so often and come to personify.
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I'm no expert on acting, but I thought he did pretty well in this role. Whatever bad acting he engages in has a way of being redeemed by other qualities. He has a talent for distracting attention away from weak delivery.
I agree. I've heard plenty of people say he was not a good actor, but I don't quite get it. He had an incredible screen presence.
I thought he was terrific. I can't compare him to other roles (I saw "Stagecoach," but it was a long time ago), but I liked how unpredictable his behavior was. It wasn't just what the script called for, it was the level of bad temper or good-naturedness he'd exhibit when others provoked him.
He also was sort of a relief for me. I've been on a film kick and watching lots of noir -- stylized and heavy with affectations. I thought Wayne's delivery seemed natural and easygoing.
I'd have to say he was more refreshing in this role for me; I think his bad acting rap comes from the fact that a lot of his movies it's not a character you're seeing on the screen: it's John Wayne playing the same part.
In "True Grit," he's not playing the larger-than-life icon everyone had seen on the screen for decades, but rather a character, flaws and all.
He gets drunk and falls off his horse.
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