The English Department Film Series will show the Oscar-nominated movie “True Grit” at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15 in the CEMC Lowrimore Auditorium.
Starring Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges, Josh Broslin and Hailee Steinfield and directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, the 2010 film is based on the 1968 Charles Portis novel of the same name.
Following the murder of her father, 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfield) seeks to capture the killer and avenge her father’s death. She hires the toughest U.S. marshal she can find, Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). Joined by Texas Ranger LeBeouf (Matt Damon), the trio set out on an adventure and finds several dangers and surprises along the way.
Assistant Professor of English Dr. Shawn Smolen-Morton, who coordinates the film series, said that the 2010 version of “True Grit” is much closer to the novel.
“It emphasizes the daughter’s role more than the remake of the 1969 version with John Wayne did,” Smolen-Morton said.
Smolen-Morton believes that showing these films to students serves various functions academically.
“Showing films may be to serve a film or literature course, bring students into contact with films they wouldn’t normally see on their own or to make them think differently about the film,” Smolen-Morton said.