El Dorado

Dir. Howard Hawks. 1966, 126 mins. Archival 35mm. With John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Edward Asner. For his penultimate film, Howard Hawks recruited longtime collaborator Wayne to star as a wizened gunslinger who teams up with an alcoholic sheriff, self-effacingly played by Mitchum, to defend a town against a greedy rancher and his hired guns. Not only does Hawks give a young Caan his first major Hollywood role, he’s also given a star entrance—in a saloon, in a black hat, hurling a knife to the chest of a smirking bad guy. While Hawks, legendary DP Harold Rosson (Singin’ in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz) and writer Leigh Brackett (Rio Bravo, The Empire Strikes Back) devise swirling, emotionally intricate set pieces, Caan manages to steal a measure of the spotlight from titans Wayne and Mitchum, adding a modern, low-key energy to the mix, and flashing his pearly grin as a deadly weapon.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.