CHISUM (1970) Movie Poster, Australian One Sheet, Western, John Wayne
Condition Very Fine / Near Mint (9.0)
Size AU One Sheet (27" x 40")
Chisum (1970) Australian One Sheet Movie Poster - Starring John Wayne, Forrest Tucker, Ben Johnson - Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen is in Very Fine/Near Mint Condition. Movie Poster and...
Chisum (1970) Australian One Sheet Movie Poster - Starring John Wayne, Forrest Tucker, Ben Johnson - Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen is in Very Fine/Near Mint Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This poster is in Very Fine-Near Mint Condition, unused One Sheet, folded as issued, minor storage and handling wear, Poster is clean with bright colours, this is an excellent example. This Authentic Australian One Sheet Poster from the original 1970 theatrical release represents a pristine piece of cinema history from the golden age of Western films. The vibrant artwork captures the essence of this classic John Wayne Western, making it a highly sought-after collectible for fans of the genre and the legendary actor's work.
Movie Synopsis
Chisum is a sweeping 1970 American Western epic directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, one of Hollywood's most respected directors of Western films and a known disciple of the legendary John Ford. The film stars John Wayne in his 200th starring role, delivering one of his most commanding performances as the real-life cattle baron John Simpson Chisum, a powerful and principled rancher who built an empire in the unforgiving landscape of New Mexico Territory.
Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous Lincoln County War of 1878, the film chronicles the conflict between the kind-hearted but formidable Chisum and the ruthless land developer Lawrence Murphy, brilliantly portrayed by Forrest Tucker. Murphy, a civilised yet utterly amoral businessman, has systematically bought up most of the land and businesses in Lincoln County, installing his own corrupt sheriff and employing hired guns to intimidate honest ranchers. When Murphy sets his sights on Chisum's vast cattle empire, an explosive confrontation becomes inevitable.
The exceptional supporting cast includes Ben Johnson as James Pepper, Chisum's loyal and quick-witted sidekick; Geoffrey Deuel in his debut role as Billy "The Kid" Bonney, portrayed not as a psychotic outlaw but as a hot-headed young man given a chance at redemption; Glenn Corbett as the legendary lawman Pat Garrett; Christopher George as the villainous Dan Nodeen; Patric Knowles as the philanthropic British rancher Henry Tunstall; Richard Jaeckel as the dangerous Jess Evans; and Bruce Cabot as the corrupt Sheriff Brady. The film also features Andrew Prine as lawyer Alex McSween and Lynda Day George as Chisum's niece Sallie, who arrives from back east and captures Billy's heart.
The screenplay, written by Andrew J. Fenady and adapted from his own short story "Chisum and the Lincoln County War," takes creative liberties with historical events but captures the spirit of the Old West during a time when civilisation and lawlessness clashed on the frontier. The film explores themes of justice, honour, and the inevitable march of progress into the untamed territories of America. One of the film's most memorable aspects is Chisum's philosophical stance that "no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law, and sooner or later they find God's already been there" – a reflection of Wayne's own political views, which his son and executive producer Michael Wayne felt were perfectly embodied in this story.
Filmed in stunning Panavision and Technicolor by the legendary cinematographer William H. Clothier (who had previously shot Ford classics like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Cheyenne Autumn), the production captured breathtaking vistas in Durango, Mexico, and at the J.W. Eaves Movie Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The picturesque landscapes and sweeping panoramas give the film an epic quality that perfectly complements its grand storytelling ambitions. Director McLaglen, who had previously worked as assistant director on Ford's The Quiet Man, called Chisum one of his favourite films and praised the screenplay's scholarly approach to the Lincoln County conflict.
The film's rousing musical score by Dominic Frontiere features a memorable theme song with lyrics by Fenady himself, voiced by the distinctive William Conrad, which perfectly captures the weary yet determined spirit of the frontier. Interestingly, John Wayne was on the set of Chisum when he received news of his Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in True Grit (1969) – an award he would go on to win, cementing his status as one of cinema's greatest icons.
Despite being made in 1970, during a period when revisionist Westerns like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were challenging traditional genre conventions, Chisum proudly embraces the classic Western formula whilst delivering thrilling action sequences, including an epic climactic showdown that showcases Wayne's enduring physical prowess and screen charisma. The film features the cast of familiar faces from earlier Wayne vehicles, including actors from Sands of Iwo Jima, creating a sense of camaraderie that translates beautifully on screen.
Originally set up at 20th Century Fox, the project moved to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts in August 1969 because Wayne wanted to make the film that year. The production represents one of the last grand-scale traditional Westerns Hollywood produced, standing as a testament to the genre's enduring appeal and Wayne's unmatched star power during the final decade of his remarkable career.
To find out more about Chisum (1970) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.