He's got to face a gunfight once more to live up to his legend once more. To win just one more time.
Afflicted with a terminal illness John Bernard Books, the last of the legendary gunfighters, quietly returns to Carson City for medical attention from his old friend Dr. Hostetler. Aware that his days are numbered, the troubled man seeks solace and peace in a boarding house run by a widow and her son. However, it is not Books' fate to die in peace, as he becomes embroiled in one last valiant battle.
The Shootist (1976) is a western film directed by Don Siegel, released on July 21, 1976 with a runtime of 1h 40m. It stars John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard and James Stewart. Viewers rate it 7.1 out of 10 across 396 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Shootist before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The Shootist.
Trailer
Trailer
Featurette
John Wayne
as J.B. Books
Lauren Bacall
as Bond Rogers
Ron Howard
as Gillom Rogers
James Stewart
as Dr. Hostetler
Richard Boone
as Mike Sweeney
Hugh O'Brian
as Jack Pulford
Bill McKinney
as Jay Cobb
Harry Morgan
as Marshall Thibido
John Carradine
as Beckum
Sheree North
as Serepta
Rick Lenz
as Dobkins
Scatman Crothers
as Moses
Directed by Don Siegel, written by Miles Hood Swarthout, Glendon Swarthout and Scott Hale, produced by William Self and M.J. Frankovich.
Average viewer score of 7.1/10 from 396 ratings.
The big man bows out and leaves an indelible mark. Legendary gunfighter J.B. Books rides into Carson City, diagnosed with terminal cancer he has a short time to live. After taking a room at the widow Bond Rogers' house, he becomes something of a mentor to Bond's son, Gillom. Dignified, eloquent, perhaps even incredibly sad, The Shootist mirrors John Wayne's personal situation and closes his career (and life) with a…
Reviewed on May 29, 2019
I publicly take back every negative thing I ever said about John Wayne. I was so far wrong in claiming that he was just a very famous, highly overrated actor, but I blame my misconceptions on the fact that I was probably introduced to him via some of his lesser movies, or perhaps just not the kind of movie I like or usually bother with. I never have been big on Westerns, but after viewing The Man Who Shot Liberty…
Reviewed on September 7, 2019
John Wayne's final big screen role sees him playing a terminally-ill gunfighter determined to go out with his boots on - and to take as much local riff-raff with his as he goes. He settles down in a boarding house run by a slightly puritanical widow - Lauren Bacall, and her teenage son played by Ron Howard. Once his doctor, James Stewart, has confirmed the worst, he manipulates some of the local ne'er-do-wells into…
Reviewed on June 3, 2023
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The Shootist (1976) is available to stream on fuboTV and Paramount Plus Essential, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Shootist (1976) includes John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart and Richard Boone. The film was directed by Don Siegel. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Shootist was released on July 21, 1976 and runs for 1h 40m.
The Shootist (1976) holds an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from 396 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy western films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Shootist trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
