El Dorado (1966 film)

El Dorado is a 1966 American Western film produced and directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. Written by Leigh Brackett and loosely based on the novel The Stars in Their Courses by Harry Brown, the film is about a gunfighter who comes to the aid of an old frienda drunken sheriff struggling to defend a rancher and his family against another rancher trying to steal their water. The gunfighter and drunken sheriff are helped by an aging Indian fighter and a young gambler. The supporting cast features James Caan as the young gambler, Charlene Holt, Ed Asner, Paul Fix, Arthur Hunnicutt, Michele Carey, and Christopher George.

Cole Thornton John Wayne, a gunslingerforhire, is hired by wealthy rancher Bart Jason Ed Asner to help him in a range war with the McDonald family in the town of El Dorado. The local sheriff, an old friend of Thornton, J.P. Harrah Robert Mitchum gives Cole more details that Jason had deliberately left out, including the possibility of having to side against Harrah. Unwilling to fight his friend, Thornton quits, to the relief of saloon owner Maudie Charlene Holt, who is in love with Thornton and was for a time a romantic interest of Harrahs.The McDonalds learn of Thorntons presence in town. Fearing that he might come for them, Kevin McDonald R.G. Armstrong puts his youngest son, Luke, on guard. When Thornton passes by on his way back from rejecting Jasons offer, Luke Johnny Crawford, who has fallen asleep, wakes and fires a wild warning shot whereupon Thornton reflexively shoots him. Luke is still alive when Thornton finds him, but he refuses treatment based upon the belief that a gutshot man wouldnt have a chance anyway and commits suicide when Thornton turns his back on him. ........

Source: Wikipedia