This is a John Wayne western set in one of the western territories, in the town of McLintock. The town is named after the long time resident and cattle baron George Washington McLintock, played by John Wayne. The striking Maureen O’Hara who spices up this role plays GW’s wife Kathereen McLintock. Kate is returning to town because their daughter Rebecca played by Stefanie Powers is graduating from school and coming home. GW gives a speech to the sod busters about the weather, the Mesa Verde plateau that doesn’t like the plow, and the government should know that you couldn’t farm land above six thousand feet.
The first scene with GW and Kate together takes place in the hotel and both of their egos and a whole bunch of pride gets in the way of them reconciling. The whole situation carries over to the ranch house after dark as Kate comes in and takes over control, of the ranch house with little resistance from GW. Earlier in the day he hired Develon Warren one of the sodbusters without a homestead claim, played by Patrick Wayne. He is hired to be a ranch hand and his mother Mrs. Warren, played by Yvonne DeCarlo, is hired to be a cook because of her great biscuits.
Things are tense as Kate lays down the law and everyone backs away from confronting her. GW just ups and mounts his horse and heads to town. He meets Jake a long time friend as he is going into the saloon and is mentally persuaded to go to the store to play chess, a game in progress. Kate comes to town to confront GW but is derailed by the big stall tactic.
The next morning arrives and a major problem rears its ugly head, a settler’s daughter is missing. We end up with a defused problem that bubbles over into a fistfight involving all of the settlers, the ranch people, and the people from the town. It turns into a comedy of sliding down the muddy hill into a mud hole. When the Indians leave everything is over.
A home coming party is carried out with many funny scenes and happenings. Becky begins to fall for Develon and the next morning after the party she rides out to see GW who is hunting and asks many serious questions and is rebuffed on her questions about the problems between her mom and dad.
As the movie winds down we have a staged Indian uprising; a silly scene with GW, Mrs. Warren, Kate, and Drago; a fourth of July celebration; a chase of Kate around town by GW and finally the success of a long time love story being realized.
I loved the characters and the actors but I felt it was to silly to be a real western classic. I would still recommend this movie to all of those John Wayne fans and others who like a light western love story.
