During the production of "Hook," Robin Williams tormented Dustin Hoffman
"...as the actor who lost the Oscar to John Wayne." Hoffman and Jon Voight were both nominated for playing lowlifes in "Midnight Cowboy."
Wayne's performance is full of self conscious parody. Yet during the climatic scenes, there is true communication between the movie star and the audience. The quiet scenes between the Duke and Kim Darby have subtle poignancy.
The original "True Grit" is a classic and like "Rocky," the ending celebrates the challenges of life.