isk el ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Trib une ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁ 2 ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁ 4 ▁and ▁wrote , ▁" With ▁a ▁little ▁bit ▁of ▁rest raint , ▁the ▁latest ▁John ▁Wayne ▁Western , ▁' Big ▁J ake ,' ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁veter an ▁star ' s ▁recent ▁best . ▁The ▁most ▁obvious ▁excess , ▁and ▁this ▁is ▁unusual ▁for ▁a ▁John ▁Wayne ▁film , ▁is ▁violence ." ▁Arthur ▁D . ▁Mur phy ▁of ▁Vari ety ▁wrote ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁had ▁"[ a ] n ▁above - aver age ▁script , ▁plus ▁excellent ▁direction ▁by ▁v et ▁George ▁Marshall ▁and ▁superior ▁phot ography ▁by ▁William ▁Cl oth ire ▁on ▁Mexican ▁locations ," ▁but ▁was ▁" gr at uit ously ▁violent ▁far ▁beyond ▁the ▁legit imate ▁requirements ▁of ▁the ▁action ▁plot ." ▁Kevin ▁Thomas ▁of ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times ▁stated , ▁" To ▁say ▁that ▁' Big ▁J ake ] ▁is ▁a ▁typical ▁John ▁Wayne ▁western ▁is ▁pretty ▁much ▁to ▁say ▁it ▁all . ▁His ▁fans ▁should ▁be ▁well - s atisf ied ▁with ▁its ▁tried ▁and ▁true ▁combination ▁of ▁action ▁and ▁comedy . ▁' Big ▁J ake ' ▁is ▁scarcely ▁distinguished ▁but ▁is ▁certainly ▁enjoy able ." ▁Gary ▁Arnold ▁of ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁called ▁it ▁" a ▁rather ▁ins uffer able ▁sort ▁of ▁' typ ical ' ▁Wayne ▁vehicle " ▁with ▁" an ▁under current ▁of ▁v ind ict iveness ▁that ▁spo ils ▁the ▁ost ens ible ▁humor . ▁It ' s ▁obvious ▁that ▁young ▁actors ▁are ▁needed ▁to