It’s been almost a week since I saw True Grit and my family and I are still speaking to each other in Mattie Ross’s deadpan, contraction-less style of dialogue. The movie is wonderful—Jeff Bridges was made to play Rooster Cogburn and Hailee Steinfeld was made to play Mattie Ross. I hope True Grit sweeps the Oscars! (Seriously.)
If you want more from Charles Portis after seeing the movie, here’s a bit of exciting information: three producers (including Bill Hader) have an option on The Dog of the South, Portis’s 1979 release about a man who chases down his wife after she runs away with another man (not to mention his Ford Torino and his American Express card). Happily for us, Overlook Press has re-released The Dog of the South in paperback, along with Portis’s over four novels.
Has the Coen brothers’ adaptation of True Grit inspired you to seek out more books by Portis?
What’s been your favorite movie of the holiday season?
I’m dying to read (and see) True Grit. I think Overlook, in general, has some great titles on their list. Sadly I’m not much of a movie-watcher, at least not until available on Netflix, so I haven’t seen a single movie this holiday.
Loved, loved, loved the book! Mr. Portis lives in my neighborhood — I’m thinking of becoming a groupie!
I must say, though, I read Dog of the South two years ago, and just didn’t get it. Maybe it was a “guy” book.
I was very surprised to read that Portis was still alive(according to Wikipedia).I swear that I read that he passed a few years ago.I remember reading a portion of True Grit somewhere in 1968 in the Saturday Evening Post
and I was very excited to see that it was being made into a motion picture(no mention of Wayne).Wikipedia mentioned that he was a recluse so if people thought he was dead that’s good for him.ger