MovieChat Forums > True Grit (1969) Discussion > Hey, pardner. Patch up these questions! ...

Hey, pardner. Patch up these questions! Comment on the observations.


These questions are in order that the scene appears in the movie.


#1.} What dies it mean to "bury someone in Macy's Apron"?

#2.} What are a person's traps?

#3.} Is it true that one of the condemned men being hung was portrayed by Jay Silverheels?

#4.} What does it mean to force someone into receivership?

#5.} What is a Navy Six? Some kind of firearm?

#6.} Does John Wayne really say "boory" for "bury", or is that just his character?

#7.} Rooster would be a GREAT example of "Don't Drink & Drive"! {He FLOPPED off his horse!}

#8.}Can you REALLY cock a rifle by twirling it like John Wayne (or Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator")? Or is it a stunt gun?

#9.} When Maddie was gravely ill, was that from her entire adventure, being jostled after the snakebite or all 3?

#10.} Wow! I heard that John Wayne did this movie with only PART of ONE lung, 61 years old, & overweight. He was riding & shooting all across the countryside, 7,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. Kudos to John for being able to do all those while in such ill health!




Eight divided by one-half equals four squared!

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yes to the gun questions, but it was Chuck Connors that perfected the rifle twirling from the rifleman tv show. I met him in Texarkana Texas back in the 80's at blockbuster videos opening and he came in and was twirling two rifles standing 6 foot 6 and very mean looking.

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Okay, I'll take a stab.

1. The line goes something like, "... get him home, put him in a better coffin, and bury him in his Mason's apron." Mattie is speaking to Yarnell and giving him instructions. The reference is to the Order of Freemasons, a secret fraternal organization dating from (maybe) 14th century England. I think only Masters and Grand Masters get to wear the apron, but I'm unclear on that; it's certainly a badge of high honor. Burying her father in his Masonic apron was the highest mark of respect, akin to burying a soldier in full regimentals and putting a flag on the coffin.

2. In this context, I'm sure that "traps" is used as a synonym for "trappings" or personal belongings. Mattie is asking for her father's gear and apparel.

3. IMDB and other websites say so. I'll have to notice next time I watch.

4. Receivership is a court-ordered state whereby the goods, money, and other assets of a party involved in litigation is placed in the care of a third party for safekeeping. Basically, if I understand it, it prevents a person or company who is being sued and in debt from selling their assets, hiding the money in some fashion, or absconding with the disputed property, then saying later that they can't pay what they don't have. Lawyer Dagget was a very formidable lawyer indeed to force a huge company into receivership.

5. Yes, it's a six shooter used in the Civil War and after.

6. I would've said it sounded closer to "burry," but yes. Most Americans that I've ever heard pronounce it to rhyme with "berry." I'm certain that I've heard him pronounce it "burry/boory" in other movies as well.

7. Lol. Don't you love it when he tries to get up, can't, and drawls, "We'll camp here. Here!"

8. I hope so. I'd be so disappointed to find out you can't really do that. Didn't Chuck Connors do it too, in The Rifleman?

9. It was from the snakebite. I've read that deaths from rattlesnake venom are rare these days, I have to assume that's because of today's advance medical care, sophisticated antivenins, and, mainly, rapid access to medical care. At least one species of rattler native to the U.S. is definitely capable of injecting enough a strong enough venom to kill an adult. In those days, with Mattie so far from all effectual aid and being bounced around for all those miles, she'd probably have been in grave danger - or so we're supposed to believe. In the book, Mattie's arm had to be amputated due to the bite.

10. ... and that is one more reason why he is my hero. NOBODY kicked ass harder than John Wayne. :D

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