McLintock!

George Washington McLintock is a seasoned rancher who has built a colossal cattle empire and expects life to run on his terms. When a flurry of interest from government officials and neighboring tribes threatens his land, he must juggle allies and rivals with his usual blunt pragmatism. Into this messy mix steps his wife Katherine, who disappeared two years earlier. She returns not for love but to press for custody of their daughter Becky, stirring up old loyalties and grievances. Amid the chaos, McLintock keeps his cool and uses humor and grit to balance family, business, and the wandering interests that orbit his ranch. Becky's presence heightens the clash between old school manners and frontier modernity, as schemers circle the property and the town watches the affair.

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen with a screenplay by James Edward Grant, McLintock! arrived in 1963 as a glossy Western comedy featuring John Wayne opposite Maureen O'Hara, built from an original Grant story that aims for broad humor and action.

With a budget of 4 million dollars, the film grossed about 14.5 million worldwide, making it a solid performer for its era and helping cement Wayne as a box office anchor. Its international performance reflected the era's appetite for light hearted Westerns.

McLintock! helped cement John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara as a dynamic screen pairing in Westerns that mix humor with frontier grit. Its lively set pieces and rough hewn charm echoed a shift toward family friendly frontier comedies that still kept political and social tensions in view for the era.

Reception labeled it a brisk crowd pleaser, balancing action with domestic tensions. The themes of pride, independence, and reconciliation sit inside a playful Western frame, giving room for humor without sacrificing frontier stakes. Critics noted its spirited performances and a lively pace.