Stagecoach, the classic western, and True Grit share many similarities and differences. One of their most important similarities is the fact that they both have a main character who fulfills the role of law-keeper. In Stagecoach, its curly, and in true grit it is cogburn as well as labeouf. In each story, there is a tale of revenge at its core, ringo wants revenge on luke for killing his brother, and mattie wants revenge on chaney for killing her father. However, there are severl differences as well. Stagecoach has the classicly dainty women of the western, but true grit is dominated by the mature and responsible mattie. Additionally, there really is no happy ending to true grit. Mattie loses her arm and LaBeouf rides off with chaney's body, whereas in stagecoach the bad guys die and the loveable outlaw gets the girl.
Unforgiven and True grit also have many similarities and differences. A major difference between true grit and unfogiven is the general tone and style. True Grit, while dealing with serious subject matter, is still in many ways pretty lighthearted and comedic at times. Unforgiven embodies the realistic western very well and is a serious film throughout. Additionally, where true grit has the classic western characters (drunk/ cowboy, ranger, bandit, strong willed woman) unforgiven stars a washed up and aged bandit, fighting to collect the bounty on the heads of two cowboys who had assaulted a prostitute. They share similarities in the strengths of their female leads, mattie from true girt, and the prostitutes from unforgiven. They also have similarly unhappy endings. The bad guys got what they deserved but no ones really happy i the end.
All in all i have to consider true grit more of a classic than revisionist western, based on the themes and icons throughout. It has the classic characters of a western (the ranger, the drunk, the strong willed woman, even a doctor at one point) . Additionally it deals heavily with the idea and pursuit of revenge, a theme found in almost any classic western. There are plenty of impractically won gunfights, and it deals with serious material without taking itself too seriously. I think the coen brothers were trying to do a standard, classic western, with maybe a few revisioonist details, but sticking true to the values of the western at its core. In that respect, they succeeded
