Some weeks ago, Steven den Beste of Chizumatic fame suggested that I take a look at the classic Western starring John Wayne entitled Big Jake (1971). He said that there was an interesting selection of firearms displayed in the film and at least one exotic pistol was featured.
The plot is pretty thin, but this is a Western. A pack of outlaws shoot up a wealthy ranch, killing a fair number of the staff and kidnapping the young grandson of the owner. Unfortunately for them the owner is the title character, a legendary gunfighter who is estranged from his family. With the young boy's life on the line, the gunfighter agrees to lead the effort to get him back alive.
The firearms used are mostly single action sixguns that are familiar to anyone who watches Westerns. To the credit of the prop department, the finish of the pistols show a fair amount of wear. This is to be expected if the firearms were actually working tools carried by cowboys, instead of show pieces that are kept in a vault on the studio lot until it is time for the cameras to roll.
(Please click on all pictures to see if a larger image is available.)
I like that last shot. You can see the tips of the cartridges in the cylinder.
The long guns are mostly lever action Winchesters and double barreled shotguns with external hammers, but both the bad guys and the good guys have something fancy.
Those rifles look amazingly similar, don't they? That's because they are probably one and the same. There are supposed to be two scoped rifles, one for each team, but you never get to see both of them in the same frame. Looks to me that the same type of scope is on each rifle as well.
Just as soon as they get the boy away from the kidnappers, John Wayne decides to give the kid the means to defend himself.
Only two shots, but it would probably sting if the kid manages to hit a tender spot.
There is one piece of gear that sets the movie apart from most other Westerns, and that is an autoloader one of the good guys favors. Instead of discussing the gun in this already too long post, I decided to start another essay. Look for it right above this one.
Oh, and about the film? Big Jake is entertaining enough, and it features a great cast, but there really isn't anything there that we haven't seen in countless other Westerns. Worth a rental if you are trying to see every movie John Wayne ever made, and you will enjoy it well enough, but it won't be a tragedy if you don't get around to it.