Dust off your chaps and hop on that Stetsoman bus because we’re hitting the heart of the American West to journey to the real-life haven for outlaws…and now, curious moviegoers in John Wayne & “True Grit”, a classic pairing forged beneath Colorado’s towering mesas and dusty skies.
Stepping through cinematic time, “True Grit”, released in 1969, captured a frontier grit not just via acting prowess (shout-out to that award-winning Kim Darby!), but through the rugged locations themselves. And believe me, they haven’t changed ALL THAT much. Take for instance the quaint mining town of Red Cliff, standing proud like a weathered sentinel, offering us glimpse – in that vintage photograph or on modern day trip – a window into life BEFORE Hollywood descended upon her dusty streets.
Speaking of “descent”, look up to those snow-capped peaks: that’s Mount Evans. This isn’t just scenery; it whispers tales of Rooster Cogburn (well, John Wayne) traversing those treacherous paths, adding a palpable weight to every draw he made in the wilderness.
Then throw on your cowboy hat and follow the trail westward: That sprawling vista near Buena Vista? John filmed out there! His steps likely tracked across plains not unlike those still seen today. There’s a timelessness about that… The world held still for John Wayne, even then – or at least a believable facsimile of it!
Beyond these landmarks, it’s crucial to remember every shadow, dusty corner felt real because the film was grounded by locals: wranglers brought down from real ranching communities, townscapes teeming with working folk. This wasn’t just a story; it sprang from their land itself, making “True Grit” more than just entertainment – it’s our historical time machine, carrying us alongside Rooster Cogburn right into frontier life in ’09 America!
The truth is, some things change faster than others. That majestic Wild West landscape is etched into rock for all to see then and now, with only minor additions in 2023 — perhaps another souvenir shop or sign pointing towards the film locations. This enduring beauty proves that while eras morph around us, it’s our enduring fascination with the stories, told in such visceral locations as those “real” from “True Grit”, that keeps a piece of its magic constantly alive.
