Big Jake

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Big Jake

PG-13,

1971,

1h 50m,

Western

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Watchlist

Watchlist

75%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

The avenging head of the McCandle clan returns to his estranged family and leads the search for his kidnapped grandson. Big Jake sets off, his sons in tow, to deliver the ransom to the kidnappers, but has little intention of handing it over without a fight.

Michael McNay

Guardian

Jun 8, 2020

A mildly entertaining story of kidnap and ransom foiled by Big John that sags hopelessly when it comes to the big shoot-out.

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Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Jun 8, 2020

Not only jolly exciting, it even manages to contrive a plot that keeps you guessing.

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David Elliott

Chicago Daily News

Oct 3, 2023

It's not great Wayne, in the tradition of Hondo or The Searchers, because neither the story nor the direction has any comparable flair... But at last it does move, an imperative asset in any decent Western.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 30, 2021

2/4

It flies in the face of Wayne's hypocritical statements at the time abhorring the new levels of sex and violence in American cinema.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Nov 2, 2007

C+

A second rate Western, more interesting for its biographical elements, the film co-stars Wayne's own son as well as sons of Robert Mitchum and other friends, all getting the usual lessons in macho morality.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Jan 6, 2006

B-

Wayne gets little help from anyone else but Boone and can't pull off such a slight story line by his lonesome.

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Ron R

Feb 12, 2019

It'd be a big mistake to miss Big Jake.

Hagrid R

Jan 30, 2019

Usual Duke tough guy movie though Patrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum are passable as his sons, his youngest son is playing his grandson... Richard Boone is a decent villain but Wayne carries the film on his own with his grizzled one liners. The fights are more amusement than rock em sock em. And it's a toss up who the better sidekick is: Bruce Cabot as Sam or the indispensable dog... One of my favorite John Wayne flicks.

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Aug 20, 2018

Perhaps the greatest scene to introduce a lead character in cinematic history.

Luke L

May 7, 2018

Ridiculous movie. The main hero (big jake) has terrible character, especially towards his family. One example of this is that he actually expects his estranged sons to respect him when he comes back after many years. He is also unfaithful to his wife. This would be fin except the audience is expected to be rooting for him. (And his sons end up liking Big Jake at the end of the movie--something that is supposed to be positive.) The "bad guys" are terribly written, and the plot has way too many holes. Overall a bad quality movie that is only watched for John Wayne.

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Hagrid W

Mar 21, 2018

Another great western and another amazing performance by the legend John Wayne.

Harry S

Sep 18, 2017

Alternates as my #1 in my Top 10 Favourite Duke Movies. Robert Mitchum's son steals the show in this one, although Boone is Brilliantly Sinister. The Duke is @ his best here. The 1-Liners abound.

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George Sherman

Director

John Wayne

Jacob McCandles

Richard Boone

John Fain

Maureen O'Hara

Martha McCandles

Patrick Wayne

James McCandles

Christopher Mitchum

Michael McCandles

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Synopsis

The avenging head of the McCandle clan returns to his estranged family and leads the search for his kidnapped grandson. Big Jake sets off, his sons in tow, to deliver the ransom to the kidnappers, but has little intention of handing it over without a fight.

Director: George Sherman
Producer: Michael Wayne
Screenwriter: Harry Julian Fink, Rita M. Fink
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Batjac Productions, Cinema Center Films
Rating: PG-13 (Western Violence)
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 26, 1971, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 28, 2017
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Mono

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