What was playing at the Lorain Drive-In 50 Years Ago Today?

Fifty years ago today on September 3, 1971, two aging entertainment giants were sharing the bill at the Lorain Drive-In Theater. Even though both performers probably did their best work in the 1950s, they were still hanging on and hugely popular with their fans.

I’m talking about the Duke – John Wayne – and the King – Elvis Presley.

Together, they made one heck of a double bill at the Lorain Drive-In. First up was John Wayne and Richard Boone in Big Jake (1971), followed by the Elvis Presley documentary That’s the Way It Is (1970) at 10:35 p.m. 

 Here’s a color version of the Big Jake movie poster.

In the movie, “Big Jake" McCandles (John Wayne) is enlisted by his estranged wife (played by still-beautiful Maureen O’Hara) to rescue his kidnapped grandson “Little Jake” from some outlaws holding him for ransom. Little Jake is played by John Wayne’s youngest son, Ethan Wayne. Richard Boone (TV’s Paladin of Have Gun Will Travel) plays the head of the outlaw gang.

Big Jake heads out to save his grandson accompanied by his dog (named “Dog”), his trusty Apache Indian companion Sam Sharpnose (played by Bruce Cabot), and his two adult sons (one of which is played by one of John Wayne’s other sons, Patrick Wayne).

Most of what little humor there is in the movie comes from the abrasive relationship between Big Jake and his resentful adult sons, one of whom sarcastically calls him, “Daddy.” Big Jake spends some time punching both of them.

Although the movie was a big hit in 1971, Big Jake is not one of my favorite John Wayne movies. Why? Because of violence and disturbing characterizations. 

I remember watching it at Amherst Theater with my family, and being somewhat upset seeing Dog and Sam Sharpnose both get brutally killed by a big, bearded galoot with a machete. Both victims seem to be forgotten at the movie’s inevitable ‘happy ending’ when Little Jake is rescued.

Two longtime members of John Wayne’s movie ensemble are also in Big Jake and don’t fare much better. John Agar – so good in Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon – has about two minutes of screen time before he is shot and killed in one of the opening scenes. And Harry Carey Jr., who appeared as a good guy in some of John Wayne’s best movies (The Searchers, Red River, 3 Godfathers, Rio Grande, etc.) plays one of the scumbag kidnappers.

The movie review that appeared in the Journal on September 3, 1971 wasn’t exactly glowing.

Want to judge for yourself? Big Jake is on tonight on GRIT TV at 8:00 p.m. So get some popcorn ready!