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Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

MCLINTOCK! is a familiar western for star John Wayne with a greater lightness of touch than usual, making this an out-and-out comedy at times. Once again the story mixes together ranchers, land owners, government corruption, and ruthless officials, with Wayne a steadying presence at the centre of the production as he attempts to hold everything together. The comedy is often broad and some of it is more than a little sexist by modern standards (check out the film's poster for the most crushing example of this) but there are some highlights here like the big brawl in the mud pit. Wayne gives more prominence to female characters than ever, with Maureen O'Hara matching him, Yvonne De Carlo cameoing, and Stefanie Powers looking young and beautiful.

Wealthy cattle baron George Washington McLintock (John Wayne) has his hands full dealing with land grabbers and crooked politicians. Now his estranged hot-tempered wife Katherine (Maureen O'Hara) returns to take their daughter Becky (Stefanie Powers) back with her to the "civilized" East. I think this is John Wayne's best comedy. Any movie with Wayne and O'Hara together is worth seeing. They're both great here. Excellent supporting cast. Most famous for being the movie where Duke chases Maureen O'Hara and finally spanks her in front of the entire town. Easily offended types should avoid this like the plague. Everybody else sit back and enjoy a fun movie.

The thought of former swashbuckling leading ladies Maureen O'Hara and Yvonne De Carlo duking it out over "Duke" John Wayne comes out a disappointment in this otherwise enjoyable comedy. Separated for two years, fighting married couple Wayne and O'Hara are reunited in his small rural community when their daughter (Stefanie Powers) comes home. The Duke's real-life son, Patrick Wayne, plays cook De Carlo's son, and falls for the fiery Powers, resulting in a two-generation battle of the sexes with more than a passing resemblance to "Taming of the Shrew".There's also an Indian raid, a group fight with men sliding down into a mud pit (ultimately joined by the perfectly clad O'Hara), drunken attempts for Wayne and De Carlo to get up the Tara-like staircase, and a slapstick finale where O'Hara, showing off a still lovely figure after being stripped (or ripped) down to her bodice, tries to escape from her husband while ensued by the entire town. This being De Carlo's only film with Wayne, I longed to see more of her, but this is more than just the "guest appearance" she is billed with, given half a dozen major scenes and some good verbal spars with O'Hara that give the impression that the two will end up buddies, especially since it appears that they are going to end up related anyway.Wayne always succeeded in comedy, especially in spoofing his western tough guy image, and he's very funny here. He also adds compassion for the Native American tribe fighting relocation to a reservation. O'Hara's a bit tougher here and overly hot-tempered, a bit quick to assume the worst about her dipsomaniac husband. But once she finds out the truth, she silently mutters an apologetic "oops" and becomes quite likable. Such professionals as Edgar Buchannan, Chill Wills and Jack Kruschen offer fine support, with "B" movie actress Mari Blanchard memorable in a tiny part as an obvious madame. (Interesting to note that I initially confused her for De Carlo, so imagine my surprise when she actually did show up as the younger Wayne's mama.) There's also a very funny sequence involving a rodeo contest with men racing on horses while having (in some of the cases) a year-old egg in their mouth. This results in an amusing scene where a pretentious politician named "Cuthbert" (Robert Lowery) really does end up with egg on his face.

Perhaps not the film for those with a humour bypass or with political correctness issues but for the rest of us we can have a good old belly laugh at a movie that doesn't and isn't meant to be taken seriously.McLintock is an interesting character,on the surface an overbearing womanising drinker but underneath a good natured man with a heart of gold.He is tolerant of his daughter's choice of husband (a hard working but penniless young dirt farmer)He is also determined that the local native Americans have a square deal even though he has had some dust ups with them in the past.He enjoys a game of chess with the Jewish store keeper,a much valued friend who in the past gave McLintock and his then young family credit to survive a bad winter.If the film reflects Wayne's politics its done with a good humour.Unusually for a Wayne western nobody gets killed.Apart from a few punch up bruises the only injuries suffered are several punctured posteriors courtesy of Maureen O'Hara's hatpin.The plot concerns McLintock's estranged wife coming home to collect their daughter and to get a divorce.Like"The Quiet Man" the issue is settled by Wayne's character chasing our Maureen all around the town causing all sorts of mayhem then giving her a good spanking.He did the same to Elisabeth Allen in "Donovan's Reef".Oh well,if it works go for it,I wouldn't try it on my darling wife mind you.Old favourites Chill Wills and the delectable Yvonne de Carlo make welcome appearances,likewise the cameo from Leo Gordon was sublime.Gordon was one of the great western badies nobody had more shades of villainy,not even Lee Marvin.His previous appearance with Wayne was in "Hondo"He really surpasses himself,a loathsome horrible piece of work.Here he plays more stupid than bad as the worried father concerned with his daughter's whereabouts.Trying to hang the native American he holds responsible is not a good idea.She then turns up with a young cowboy in tow all fluttering eyelashes and feigned innocence.The rest is pure magic.Wayne grabs Gordon's shotgun repeatedly poking him in the stomach with it saying the immortal words 'Pilgrim,you've caused me considerable inconvenience,I haven't lost my temper in forty years,there was a time I would have hit you,I'm not going to now,the hell I'm not'The rest is history.With a nod to political correctness I'll give it eight stars,the hell I will make that ten.