True Grit Themes and Film Elements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

True Grit Themes and Film Elements - Essay Example She asks the Sheriff if she can hire a Deputy U.S. Marshal to track down Chaney and bring him to justice. The Sheriff recommends three of them and Mattie chooses to hire Rooster Cogburn. Mattie’s first conversation with Cogburn occurs when he is in a toilet out of a saloon. Mattie waits for him to come out but he takes too long. This is to show that Cogburn drinks a lot and is sort of nonchalant of what goes on in the world. Until the first appearance of Cogburn, the camera focuses a lot on Mattie. She has been shot from low angles and when three criminals are hanged in the beginning, the camera follows Mattie in a way that makes her presence prominent. This shows that Mattie is a very important character in the movie. Cogburn’s first appearance in the movie is like that of a title or a very important character. He is called as a witness in a courtroom and everybody is listening to his testimony very carefully. He explains to the court that his fellows and he had tried to talk about the situation with the Wharton boys who had allegedly murdered an old man and a woman for some money. He explains that they tried â€Å"to talk some sense into him† but they chose to attack his group and Cogburn had to shot them and their father to save his life. Also, when asked about how many men he has shot in his 4 year career as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, he says that he has â€Å"never shot anybody he didn’t have to.† In this scene, a whole new opinion can be formed about Cogburn which is quite different from him being a drunkard. It can be easily construed that Cogburn is man of good judgment and reason who is not afraid to use violence when it is necessary. When Mattie has first real and face to face meeting with Cogburn, she says to him she has heard that he is â€Å"a man with true grit.† From this statement, it seems that Cogburn is the central character but he shares it with Mattie. He refuses to believe that Mattie would be able to pay the reward of $50 that she offers to him for the capture of Tom Chaney. However, when Mattie raises the money by horse-trading with Colonel Stonehill, she is able to convince Cogburn to pursue Tom Chaney. He agrees but has some qualms about Mattie accompanying him. Another very important development before Mattie successfully secures Cogburn’s services is the introduction of Texas Ranger LaBoeuf who is also after Chaney who has murdered a state senator in Texas. LaBeouf is a strong character in the movie and is noticeable how the camera follows him when he is talking to Mattie as she wakes up. When he stands up from his chair, the camera shows his boots and the spurs on his boots are prominent. Although he tells himself after a little while that he is a Texas Ranger, the focus on his shoes and the guessing eyes of Mattie at the same time show that he is an accomplished individual. He is beyond his jurisdiction but he is pursuing Chaney for a big reward that is offered for Chaney in Texas. His entrance into the movie is also like that of a very important character. He is shot from a low angle when he looks at Mattie when she is going inside to spend the night. He tells Mattie of her business and offers to join forces with Cogburn in pursuit of Chaney as Cogburn knows the area very well and LaBoeuf knows hoe habits and reactions of Chaney. Mattie proves to be very firm in her resolve and insists that she wants to see Chaney hang in Fort