LITTLE ROCK — Hollywood has made three movies out of Charles Portis’ novels:
True Grit (1969). Just a year after the novel came out, John Wayne starred as the one-eyed Deputy Marshal Rooster Cogburn. Wayne received the only Oscar of his career. Elvis Presley was up for the role of the Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf, but only if he would be top-billed over Wayne, who wouldn’t stand for it. The ranger’s role went to Arkansas native Glen Campbell. Kim Darby, at 22, played the 14-year-old Mattie Ross.
Norwood (1970). Campbell and Darby teamed again in this road adventure that co-starred the Superbowl-winning football quarterback Joe Namath. “It’s ‘Goodtime Glen’ and ‘Super Joe,’” the movie promised, “‘doin’ what they do best!’”
True Grit (2010). Joel and Ethan Coen stuck closer to Portis’ novel in their version that starred a graybearded Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn. Wayne wore his eye-patch over the left eye, and Bridges over the right - as good a reason as any why Bridges, an Oscar nominee as best actor, did not win.
Sources include the Internet Movie Data Base.
Style, Pages 55 on 09/30/2012