
When it was first announced in 2008 that film making siblings JOEL & ETHAN COEN were slated to write and direct a new adaptation of the classic western TRUE GRIT for producer SCOTT RUDIN, the news was greeted by more than a few insiders with a fair amount of head-scratching incredulity. After all the Brothers (lovingly referred to in the industry as “the Two-Headed Director”) were the independent darlings behind dark quirky faves like FARGO, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, THE BIG LEBOWSKI and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, while Rudin was the most commercial of producers known for mass appeal material the likes of FLATLINERS, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, CLUELESS and THE FIRM. Also, the original 1969 JOHN WAYNE film, at the time the latest in the Duke’s legendary collaboration with director HENRY HATHAWAY, while a bonafied cinematic favorite (maybe another reason NOT to do a remake) was also considered a straight-up middle America icon of the old school ... even corny ... “horse opera“ variety. Or so it could appear to a new generation of FX-addicted, IMAX-raised film goers attending theaters in 2010. Those more familiar however with the distinct literary voice of the 1968 CHARLES PORTIS novel on which the Wayne film was based, and familiar with the author’s unique brand of skewed Americana in general, grinned knowingly, realizing this new pairing was a tag team hook-up from the gods in movie-making heaven.