The 1976 Western The War Wagon, starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, is airing on Film4 today at 4.50pm, and fans have called it a favourite. The film follows Wayne as Taw Jackson, a rancher wrongly imprisoned after being framed by corrupt businessman Frank Pierce, who returns home on parole.
Plot and All-Star Cast
Pierce has seized control of Jackson's land, which contains a substantial gold dust deposit. To reclaim what belongs to him, Jackson plans a heist to intercept Pierce's regular shipments before they reach the railroad. He enlists Lomax, played by Douglas, a charismatic and accomplished gunslinger, to help recover his livelihood.
The main challenge is the transport vehicle: a heavily fortified, iron-clad stagecoach fitted with a turret-mounted Gatling gun, known throughout the territory as the War Wagon.
Critical and Fan Reception
The film holds an impressive 83% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and is praised as a quiet but brilliant Western. One viewer, awarding the film five stars, said: "This movie has always been a fun favorite. Just the right mix of drama, humor and light-hearted Western adventure."
An IMDb user commented: "As far as westerns go I really can't think of many that John Wayne has failed at. The only way to rate a John Wayne movie is to compare it with other John Wayne movies. In do so I would give The War Wagon a firm 5 stars."
Another wrote: "Pitted against the machinations of a greedy business man, Jackson and his gang of misfit wage war against the might of Pierce and his hired guns - not to mention a horse drawn tank that infuses the action packed adventure with a slight the steampunk element. While this film is not ground-breaking, it is without doubt one of my favourite Westerns and - I firm believe - is one of the Duke's most fun and entertaining films."
Broadcast Details
The War Wagon is on Film4 at 4.50pm today.
