In 1878 Lincoln County, New Mexico, a bitter struggle over land and water is tearing the community apart. John Chisum, a successful and even-tempered cattle baron, is drawn into the dispute when Lawrence Murphy and his partner James Dolan try to seize much of the land and businesses in the area by unscrupulous means. Together with his men and a group of allies, including Billy the Kid, Chisum tries to protect what he has built and the community that depends on him, as the violence spreads across the territory.

How it was made

The film grew out of a screenplay by Andrew J. Fenady called Chisum and the Lincoln County Cattle War, a project first set up at 20th Century Fox. When Fox's production schedule was full, the project moved to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts in August 1969, largely because John Wayne wanted to make it that year. His son Michael Wayne served as executive producer, feeling the story captured his father's political views. Andrew V. McLaglen directed, and the picture was shot in Durango, Mexico, with cinematographer William H. Clothier capturing the landscapes in Panavision and Technicolor. The cast brought together many familiar faces from earlier Wayne westerns, including John Agar, Forrest Tucker and Richard Jaeckel.

Reception and legacy

With a budget of around 4 million dollars, the film took in roughly 6 million, a modest but profitable result. During filming, Wayne learned he had been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for True Grit, a notable moment in a late stage of his career. Its historical interest lies in the way it changes details while recreating the Lincoln County War with real figures such as Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and Alex McSween, which makes it a common reference point among westerns about that conflict.