Cattle baron John Chisum joins forces with Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett to fight the Lincoln County Land War in the New Mexico Territory of 1878.
Acting
Wayne at 63, still towering over everyone like a granite monument.
Cinematography
New Mexico landscapes so golden you'll need sunglasses.
Director
Andrew V. McLaglen
John Wayne
John Chisum
Forrest Tucker
Lawrence Murphy
Christopher George
Dan Nodeen
Ben Johnson
James Pepper
Glenn Corbett
Pat Garrett
Andrew Prine
Alex McSween
Bruce Cabot
Sheriff Brady
Patric Knowles
Henry Tunstall
Richard Jaeckel
Jess Evans
Lynda Day George
Sue McSween
Geoffrey Deuel
Billy 'The Kid' Bonney
Pamela McMyler
Sallie Chisum
John Agar
Amos Patton
Lloyd Battista
Neemo
Robert Donner
Bradley Morton
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was John Wayne's first film for Warner Bros. after 23 years elsewhere—he basically brought his entire Batjac Productions team with him.
The Lincoln County War was real, but Chisum's role was inflated—historically, he was more absentee landlord than hands-on hero. Wayne's version is pure frontier fantasy.
US
