When the news first hit that the Coen brothers wanted to do a remake of "True Grit," the classic John Wayne western that won the Hollywood hero his one and only Oscar win, the movie buffs revolted. For western fans, it was akin to remaking "Citizen Kane" with Jack Black in the title role.



The movie and Charles Portis novel's dark hero, U.S. Marshal Ruben "Rooster" Cogburn, is a classic, eclectic Western hero, a gruff, tough speaking, warm-hearted, trigger happy lawman who doesn't mince words but always looks you in the eye if he's aiming to blow you away.

And even though the stories and characters are still here in the new version that hits theaters last Friday, Jeff Bridges' take on the character makes for an interesting experience whether you've seen the original or not. Of course, what matters most to us here at Asylum is which one is more of a badass? That's not an easy question to ask, especially since the original badass John Wayne could probably rise from his grave and strangle us just for asking such a question, but we're willing to endure the risk in the name of cinema science.

Measuring someone's level of "badassity" isn't just some arbitrary concept. It's a very precise and scientific series of calculations and examinations. So to answer this important question, we'll be examining Bridges' and Wayne's characters according to the four chief criteria of the "Scale of Manly Movie Hardness" (don't laugh at science): looks, words, deeds and guns.

Looks
The original Rooster Cogburn that Wayne brought to the screen back in 1969 had more of a stylized Hollywood look of a western, the kind of appearance that Doc Brown thought the Old West really looked like before he sent Marty back to 1885. Of course, we're talking about The Duke, a guy who looked like he could kick your ass even if he were wearing a Sunday dress and Little Bo Peep pigtails.



The eye patch is also a nice touch on both ends of the spectrum. Hardcore fans of the original will notice that Wayne wears the patch over his left eye and Bridges over his right. The book never mentions Cogburn wearing one, even though he was missing an eye.

Bridges' outward appearance in the Coens' version definitely feels like he's been down more than a few dusty roads or dragged behind a couple of horses in his lifetime. His dust coat is covered with an untold number of layers of the Earth's fine brown powder. His trademark cowboy hat is ruffled and torn open at the top indicating he's probably taken it off more than a few times to duel with some young whippersnapper in the muddy streets. His teeth are yellow and worn to a fine round nub, brought on by years of eating wild game down to the bone and smoking an untold number of unfiltered, hand-rolled cigarettes. Wayne might be a tough son-of-a-bitch, but he looks like the Ford Mustang floor model compared to Bridges' well used, 150,000 mile Toyota pickup.

Advantage: Jeff Bridges

Words
It's very difficult to compare the two movies' dialogue because they are practically identical. The difference isn't what they say, but how they say it.



Bridges gives Cogburn a very gravelly voice that sounds like he's coughing up pebbles in every syllable with a distinctive "Sling Blade"-ish quality. It's a rather ingenious way of portraying the character because he still gets to say the same iconic lines in a new way. In fact, it's quite comical to watch Bridges react to a lifeless corpse collapsing to the ground as if it were just another snowflake daintily drifting toward the Earth.

Wayne's gruff and even exterior, the demeanor that alone made him a Hollywood icon, edges out him out over Bridges' badassness because, well, he's John effing Wayne. Bridges might knock one out of the park every time he utters those same iconic lines and scores some big intentional laughs, but he would never have gotten the opportunity to utter those iconic lines if weren't for Wayne. Plus, no one dared laugh at the Duke. He could punch you through the movie screen.

Advantage: John Wayne

Deeds
"True Grit" is about all sorts of complex human emotions: revenge, sorrow, devotion, anger, the thrilling feeling of shooting two guns at the same time while riding a horse head-on into a wave of oncoming bullets.



Above all things, it is a story about the kinships and devotion that develop from acts of extreme selflessness and empathy. Cogburn takes the job of hunting down the killer of Mattie's father for the money, but his relationship with Mattie develops as her stubborn toughness becomes endearing and drives him to move the ends of the Earth for her.

Both movies follow the same story, but Wayne takes his actions and deeds a bit further than Bridges. Wayne has a short temper, but he develops a steadfast patience with his client over the course of the trip that seems to develop from the moment he takes on the job in the back of that dingy Chinese grocery store.

He's also less trigger-happy than Bridges' Cogburn. The final showdown between Cogburn and Cheney's gang speaks volumes about the differences between the two characters. Wayne might want just as much blood as Bridges, but he is willing give them a chance to give up peacefully to avoid putting another notch on his kill belt.

Advantage: John Wayne

Guns
Hardcore hardware doesn't make or break the value of a man, but it sure as spit don't hurt.



Bridges' Cogburn sticks to two trusty pistols for most of the movie, but Wayne comes out swinging like a bat out of hell with boxing gloves with both his trusty revolver and a huge repeater rifle, which get starring roles in the movie's final showdown.

They both look pretty bad-ass sporting double sidearms as Cogburn thunders down the field and pumps bullet after bullet into Cheney's men, but Wayne just edges out the win for having the brass coated balls to do it with a giant, thick thunderstick (again, don't laugh at science).

Advantage: John Wayne

Conclusion
Both Wayne and Bridges should be applauded for their portrayals of one of the biggest badasses to ever endure the soreness of a Western style saddle. Bridges brings an impressive duality of cold indifference and begrudging devotion to a man who finds a new reason to have faith in humanity. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if come Oscar time, Bridges finds himself stepping into Wayne's cowboy boots.

However, Wayne wins with room to spare. He's complex and cold, but also caring and kind . And in the callousness of the Old West, it takes a mighty big man to find a reason to care about anyone or anything other than a quick buck, a strong horse or a bottle of "double rectified Busthead."