About 7 months ago, Daily Helping reported on the Coen Brothers upcoming western,  “True Grit.”  Immediately one envisions the fat, one-eyed icon made famous by John Wayne, in the sunset of his career.  This won’t be a remake of the Duke’s classic, for the Coens are looking to stick to the original novel which has some of the original’s storyline, but is apparently more engaging and character driven.

The Coen’s have put together quite a cast. (One can imagine that most A-listers line up to get a part in their efforts). Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Barry Pepper and Hailee Steinfeld  as a young girl who secures the expertise of old, oft-drunk U.S. Marshal, Rooster J. Cogburn (Bridges) and young Texas Ranger, La Boeuf (Damon) to track down her father’s killer, Tom Chaney (Brolin), who has taken to a gang led by “Lucky” Ned Pepper (Pepper).

Apparently Matt Damon hadn’t seen the John Wayne version and hadn’t realized his part was played by Country and Western star, Glen Campbell, in what would be his first and  last dramatic role.

He told Entertainment Weekly: “The only reason I know I’m playing Glenn Campbell’s old part is that people keep asking me if I’m going to be singing in the movie. But our movie is totally different. Joel & Ethan just stumbled upon the book and were like, ‘Oh God, this is terrific. The dialogue is just fantastic!’ ”

There’s nothing more enjoyable than a well-scripted western. From Deadwood to The Unforgiven, this is something to look forward to on December 25th, (other than Christmas).