The 1967 Western The War Wagon, a fan favourite starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, airs on Film4 today at 4.50pm for free. The film holds an 83% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and is praised as a quiet but brilliant example of the genre.
Plot and Cast
Wayne plays Taw Jackson, a rancher framed by corrupt businessman Frank Pierce, who is imprisoned and returns home on parole. Pierce has taken over Jackson's land, which contains a massive deposit of gold dust. To reclaim what is rightfully his, Jackson plans a heist to disrupt Pierce's regular shipments before they reach the railroad.
Jackson recruits Lomax, played by Douglas, a charming and skilled gunslinger, to help him win back his life. The biggest obstacle is the transport itself: a heavily armoured, iron-clad stagecoach equipped with a turret-mounted Gatling gun, known across the territory as the War Wagon.
Critical and Fan Reception
Giving the film five stars, one viewer said: "This movie has always been a fun favorite. Just the right mix of drama, humor and light-hearted Western adventure."
An IMDb user added: "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."
Broadcast Details
The War Wagon is on Film4 at 4.50pm today.
