i think it's one of the best westerns john wayne made. this opening theme is the best opening themes for any western. the scene where john wayne gives the money back to ed asner and makes his horse walk backwards is freaking amazing. there wil never be westerns as amazing as the 50's,60's and 70's
No greater opening song to ANY movie than El Dorado + in the lyrics, some great words showing us a path through this world we find ourselves in. "There's much more to life than the things we can see," so it is a worthwhile endeavor to "keep searching to find El Dorado." *also, great artwork by Olaf Wieghorst!
brings me back to the time i was young i watched this with my father who was a great John Wayne fan, still after all this years one of the best westerns ever made thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When thinking about being old makes you sad, remember that you were here for this kind of quality, integrity, humanity, expressed as a matter of course, in a Duke film.
El Dorado , golden city, that's heaven and the people that search for it and find it are saints. "Much more to life than the things we can see" I like that line. Thank you!
This is the finest matched theme song to a western I've ever heard. Love this movie, music, actors etc. Thanks so much for the posting and the memories. I wish Hollywood would get back to basics and produce this type entertainment again!
When I hear the words, "My daddy once told me what a man oughta be, there is much more to life than the things we can see! But the godliest mortal you ever will know, is the one with a dream of El Dorado!" I think of my dad and how he felt about things. He used to say, "Boy, you should be remembered for your deeds and not how much money you were worth!" He died broke, but proud. He had over 600 people show up for his funeral visitation, too.
It's funny how a song will take you to a time and place in your life when you were much younger, the world was a brand new place and your whole life was right in front of you. The same can be said for a movie, I suppose. Whenever I see this movie my mind goes back to 1981 in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. I was about 5 days from my ETS date and I was coming back to the Continental US (CONUS). I had just gotten back from prayer service when this movie was playing in the break room around midnight. It was at the part where John Wayne (Cole Thornton) was talking to Nils McCloud about Sheriff JP Harrah (Robert Mitchum) and how he had been reduced to the town drunk. Ah...The memories.
Love the song and the movie. Since I have it, I put it on every so often to watch it. The paintings done by Olaf shown with the song are magnificent. Thank you so very much for sharing.
mtnmanquin you are so right. i'm 46 yrs old and have always loved and admired john wayne since i was little. i'm trying to get my 13yr old son into john wayne and westerns but the young kids today are different. but i'm gonna keep on tyring
There were/are TWO really wonderful things about this Howard Hawks movie. The oh-so-lovely Miss Michelle Carey, and the hauntingly beautiful song, "El Dorado". IN THAT ORDER!
Fun Fact. Leigh Brakett the famaous SF author, who had written this movie´s script after the short story, also had helped Georg Lucas to create the final script for STAR WARS.
LOVE James Caans gamblers hat, wish i could get one. also loved the character of the saloon keeper and his wife. he was so funny especially the explination of The Black Eye
incredible movie, especially with michele carey, john wayne, robert mitchum, james caan, charlene holt, arthur hunnicut and edward asner..great cast in a great movie.
I saw this movie on the big screen and it was something else to enjoy it will a room full of John Wayne and western fans. Howard Hawks' movies always had a particular style that movies no longer have these days.
@Splenda: I´m 19 and I love this Movie ... I love Johny Wayne. He is one of my favourite actors. I also thank my parents that I grew up with those movies! (Sorry for my bad Englisch . I´m a german Girl )
I love this movie... I'm not as old as peteboy.. I'm 22, but thanks to my parents I grew up with those actors and I miss them... I miss seeing all the good clean movies.. Now it's like if there's no blood, it's worthless... i don't think that and I can't believe this generation does...
A great movie and cast! All the original pantings shown at the start of the movie were done by the gunsmith in the movie by Olaf Wieghorst. One of my favorite movies too! Tony Trotta
You need lyrics!!!! Here they are!! George Alexander & The Mellomen (Soundtrack Recording) - 1966 In sunshine and shadow, from darkness till noon Over mountains that reach from the sky to the moon A man with a dream that will never let go Keeps searching to find El Dorado So ride, boldly ride, to the end of the rainbow Ride, boldly ride, till you find El Dorado The wind becomes bitter, the sky turns to grey His body grows weary, he can't find his way But he'll never turn back, though he's lost in the snow For he has to find El Dorado So ride, boldly ride, to the end of the rainbow Ride, boldly ride, till you find El Dorado My Daddy once told me what a man ought to be There's much more to life than the things we can see And the godliest mortal you ever will know Is the one with the dream of El Dorado So ride, boldly ride, to the end of the rainbow Ride, boldly ride, till you find El Dorado
I'm sure it sounds corny, but with every John Wayne movie I see, I think of my Dad. John Wayne was about the only actor he would set in a theater to see. I sure miss'em both.
I got interested in these westerns after i played red dead redemption, now don't hate me i love lots of things from the early 1900s but i live in NY so i was into the stuff there now I love this western stuff! I Wish I lived in this time.
Mr. "Big" John Wayne used to be my familiar movie star When I was a high-school student. I remember I was much attracted by the song. Thank you for posting! From Japan.
The guy that did this art work was a Dane who jumped ship in NYC in '16, joined UC Cav and was sent to AZ (just in time for Pancho Villa); then worked for 20yrs in the mounted unit of the NYC PD! Then retired in El Cajon, CA, and began doing very well as an artist for 40 yrs; something he had been working on since he was a teen. Great American story most don't have a clue about. A self-made man who did well with no safety net; just his wits and nerve and luck. Yeh, I guess he was illegal!
When i watched this movie for the first time and i heard this song in the titles,i got a wonderful feeling and i said to myself,this will be a brilliant movie.Brilliant it was
Exactly. And this is such a trademark of Howard Hawks movies: El Dorado, Rio Bravo, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hatari!, Man´s favorite Sports? Howard Hawks movies open so kind of special you´re in from the first moments. Wonderful man and one of the best director-producers ever.
I dont want to give away my real age but lets just say im under 16 and I love tcm and old movies and last night I discovered John Wayne and I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!
I'm younger than Splenda (not yet 20) and I love these movies too. When I was (more of ) a kid my older brother would babysit my sister and myself by sticking a John Wayne movie in, it worked so very well. When we watched El Dorado he'd put captions on at the beginning so we could Kareoke the song.
Best..Movie...Ever!! This is my absolute favorite movie ever and is one of the few movies I have memorized word for word! "Alan. Badilion. Trahurn." "well no wonder he carries a knife" XD
Gaily bedight, A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado. But he grew old- This knight so bold- And o’er his heart a shadow- Fell as he found No spot of ground That looked like Eldorado. And, as his strength Failed him at length, He met a pilgrim shadow- ‘Shadow,’ said he, ‘Where can it be- This land of Eldorado?’ ‘Over the Mountains Of the Moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride,’ The shade replied,- ‘If you seek for Eldorado!’ Eldorado by Edgar Allen Poe
+Ben Barton A great movie and cast! All the original pantings shown at the start of the movie were done by the gunsmith in the movie by Olaf Wieghorst. One of my favorite movies too!
Always The Cinematography Ist followed by Soundtrack and Song.Stays with you.forever And Action of course!! John Ford. Winnie C Hock~aThunderstorm IN 'She wore A Yellow Ribbon ' 1952/3. London. Age 84!
This is 1 of 5 of my Favorite Movies. Number one is 1959 Rio Bravo. Wayne was a very fun man to work with. It was said that he was a funny one on the set of his movies and if he had a change in the script, it was changed!
This is my favorite John Wayne movie and the song was pretty good too,although too bad "The Duke" never made sequals to his movies like a 2nd movie of this :3 Movie's like this made the Duke a Legend :3
A bit of trivia with this movie. Olaf Wieghorst did the art work for the opening. He also had a bit part in the movie as well. He was the gunsmith who sold the cut down shotgun to Mississippi.
That way I got to Science Fiction. But yes, I love this western too. It has so much emotional depth. No wonder, when you think that Leigh Brackett had been responsible for the script, the same woman who has been an acclaimed SF Writer herself , who also wrote several successfull scripts like that of STAR WARS. Lucas is a man with visions and someone doing a movie but for the Detail work he always relaidayed on others. Eldorado had been one of her best works.
