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{{quote|''"They wanted gold. He gave them {{spoiler|lead instead}}!"''|'''
A 1971 [[The Western|Western]] movie starring [[John Wayne]], [[Richard Boone]], and [[Maureen O'Hara]]. In 1909, a gang of brutal ruffians led by John Fain (Boone) violently kidnaps the grandson of Martha McCandles (O'Hara), who runs a large and lucrative cattle ranching operation. When the thugs demand a ransom, Mrs. McCandles decides it is time to call in her long-lost husband, Jacob McCandles (Wayne) - a [[Badass Grandpa|rough and unpleasant man]], to do a rough and unpleasant job.
Not one of [[John Wayne|The Duke]]'s most famous Westerns, it is an interesting treat for dedicated fans. Made relatively late in the careers of most of those involved, Wayne and his colleagues brought their many years of experience in making Westerns to bear on '''''Big Jake''''', resulting in a competently-made, easygoing, consistently entertaining film. In addition to older, experienced Western actors, the film also featured two of John Wayne's [[Nepotism|real-life sons]], as well as the son of [[Robert Mitchum]]. [[Crowning Music of Awesome|The score was pretty good too]].
Set in [[The Edwardian Era|1909]], rather than the 19th century
{{tropelist}}
* [[Affably Evil]]: A rare example that manages to combine this with [[Complete Monster]]. Richard Boone's character is happy to have a nice, polite, friendly conversation with you... right before pulling out a gun and murdering your [[Children Are Innocent|children]] in cold blood without even flinching.
* [[Ape Shall Never Kill Ape]]: When Sam asks Jake what they were hunting, Jake says "men". Sam then explains that he refuses to kill ''Apache'' (he has no problem killing other kinds of men if need be). Upon hearing the situation Sam is willing to jump aboard. He does not ask if any of the kidnappers are Apache; perhaps he thinks any who might be have [[Moral Event Horizon|disqualified]] [[No True Scotsman|themselves.]]
* [[Apron Matron]]: Martha McCandles
** With more then a bit of [[Iron Lady]] as well.
* [[Badass Boast]]: Several, but one in particular sticks out-
{{quote|
'''James:''' "No. ''Three'', counting you." }}
* [[Badass Family]]: The McCandless' are tougher then the Texas Rangers apparently
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* [[Cool Old Guy]]: Jake McCandles is one, his Indian companion, Sam, is another. Both of them suffer from poor eyesight, fading hearing, and slower reflexes than they used to have, but they make up for it with skill and experience.
* [[Crowning Music of Awesome]]: The score is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-arLiOBDxOI classic Western-movie stuff], by the great [[Elmer Bernstein]].
* [[Deliberate Values Dissonance]]: An inn at a town they are passing says that Jake's friend cannot come in because he is an Indian. Also at the McCandle ranch a number of the servants were black. This is more subtle, as there is no reason a free black cannot have a job as a domestic and the servants are well treated. But it does seem disproportionate.
* [[A Dog Named "Dog"]]
* [[Every Car Is a Pinto]]: At least one automobile explodes abruptly into flames.
* [[Evil-Detecting Dog]]: Jake's dog, simply named "Dog".
* [[Friendly Sniper]]: Michael. The oldsters look skeptically at his gun and think they have their prejudices confirmed when he proves incompetent. Except that it's a ''pistol'' he's bad with. With his ''rifle'' he can perform feats that amaze them.
* [[Gory Discretion Shot]]: Several, particularly involving [[Machete Mayhem|the machete]].
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: {{spoiler|Sam and Dog}}.
* [[Hot Mom|Hot Grandma]]: Maureen O'Hara.
* [[I Just Shot Marvin in
* [[I Have No Son|I Have No Husband]]. Said by Martha McCandles at one point... just before she decides to call on her husband.
* [[I Have Your Wife|I Have Your Grandson]].
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* [[Kensington Gore]]: The blood in this film is bright red, and doesn't seem to come from any obvious wound.
* [[Kick the Dog]]: Several. In one instance, a member of lynch mob gratuitously kicks a young boy, prompting Big Jake to get involved in the situation, when previously he had viewed the situation as [[Somebody Else's Problem]]. There are also several examples involving the gang of kidnappers, the most egregious of which belong to the machete-wielding [[Fat Bastard|overweight]] kidnapper. One of these {{spoiler|involves an actual dog}}.
* [[Let's Fight Like Gentlemen]]: O'Brien has his gun pointed at James' back, but instead of just shooting him, he {{spoiler|lets James turn around so they can have [[Quick Draw|a quick-draw contest]]... [[Duel to
* [[Machete Mayhem]]: By the most odious and [[Obviously Evil]] of the kidnappers.
* [[Made of Iron]]: The machete-wielding kidnapper is {{spoiler|attacked by an angry dog (twice!), shot with a pistol (also twice), stabbed in the stomach with a knife, and finally dies after being stabbed in the stomach with a pitchfork}}.
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* [[Papa Wolf]]: Big Jake.
* [[Parental Abandonment]]: Big Jake abandoned his wife and children many years before, and his son James is still sore about it.
* [[Phrase Catcher]]: "I thought you was dead". Possibly alluded to by ''[[Escape
* [[Rancher]]: The [[Mc Candles]] ranch is run over by a gang of cutthroats.
* [[Retired Badass]]: Jake McCandles appears to be this, though what, exactly, he is doing before his wife calls on him is not made entirely clear.
* [[Somebody Else's Problem]]: "I haven't interfered in anybody's business since I was eighteen year old... and it damn near got me killed".
* [[Thicker Than Water]]: When little Jake is kidnapped, his grandfather and two of his uncles are the ones to come rescue him.
* [[Throw
* [[Twilight of the Old West]]: Takes place in 1909 when automobiles are used to chase the bad guys.
* [[Underestimating Badassery]]: Like nearly everybody else in the movie (see [[Phrase Catcher]] above), the kidnappers assume that Jacob McCandles is ''dead''. It naturally never crosses their minds that he might be [[Determinator|the one coming after them]]. Had they known he was alive, it's very likely they would have kidnapped ''somebody else's'' grandson. This may be a piece of [[Fridge Brilliance]], actually, since it isn't until the very end that John Fain confirms that he, too, thought McCandles was dead.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Index of Film Westerns]]▼
[[Category:Films of the 1970s]]
[[Category:Big Jake]]
[[Category:Film]]
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