True Grit (1969 film) Their adaptation focuses more on Mattie's point of view, as in the novel, and is more faithful to its Oklahoma setting. Hailee Steinfeld portrays Mattie Ross, Jeff Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn, and the cast also includes Matt Damon as La Boeuf and Josh Brolin as Tom Chaney. True Grit (1969 film) True Grit is a 1969 American western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Kim Darby as Mattie Ross and John Wayne as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn. It is the first film adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name. The screenplay was written by Marguerite Roberts.
Rooster Cogburn (film) marked the only time the Hollywood veterans appeared together in a film. Although it was promoted as "Rooster Cogburn the opening credits of the film give the title as simply "Rooster Cogburn". During filming, both 67-year-old stars stayed Governor Tom McCall flew in for a brief visit with them in Noted character actor Strother Martin portrayed Shanghai McCoy; he also appeared in "True Grit", but as the horse trader Colonel G. Stonehill. It was the final film from producer Wallis, and the cinematography was by Harry Stradling Jr. In his review in "The New York Times", Vincent Canby called the