Punishment comes one way or another
The Coen brothers’ True Grit opens today. Yep, I am a John Wayne fan, but am also a big Coen brothers fan. I have to admit, I am super anxious to see what the Coens do with this classic movie. I’m glad to hear that they paid attention to historic accuracy on the set.
“The Coens did a good job of approximating this area, and they did a great job of rebuilding 1870s Fort Smith. Fort Smith would have been a little bit busier and dirtier than their film, but the Coens got some of the real businesses that were here during that time period from looking at historical photos.”
Coen Brothers, True Grit, Triggers barrage of events at historic site
The Guns of True Grit
True Grit is unusual among westerns because the guns are period correct and the film gives them weight. Rooster Cogburn's Dragoon, the Sharps carried by LaBoeuf and the revolvers of the supporting cast are all real patterns from the 1870s, and the film uses them to say something about the characters.
The Dragoon is the piece that gets the most attention. It is the heaviest revolver in the catalog, designed to be carried on horseback and to stop a horse, and holding one explains why the character who carries it is written the way he is. If you are building a display from the film, put the Dragoon next to a Peacemaker: the difference in scale tells the whole story.
Common questions
What gun does Rooster Cogburn carry?
A Colt Dragoon in the 1969 film, and the same pattern in the 2010 version.
Is the Dragoon replica the same weight as the original?
Close enough to feel heavy. It is the largest and heaviest revolver in the catalog.
