Red River

Media:	DVD
Directed by:	Howard Hawks, Arthur Rosson
Starring:	John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joanne Dru
Release date:	01 May, 2001
List price:	~~$14.95~~
Our price:	$12.72 that is 15% off!

Red River

Average rating: Stars

One Of John Wayne's Finest Performances In A Classic Western

For those that always believe that John Wayne can only ever play "John Wayne", on screen, a viewing of Howard Hawks's truly great 1948 western classic "Red River", is absolutely essential. Never has the Duke delivered a more controlled and subtle performance than in this magnificent movie which I had the great pleasure of screening only for the first time recently. John Wayne's lengthy film career is of course littered with many memorable films however this one is varies often from the usual Wayne formula in showing a flawed man who is often wrong but who has enough gumption to realise his faults and change matters. Teaming up here with the sensational new comer Montgomery Clift in his much heralded film debut "Red River", has a unique theme in depicting very poignantly the real bond, growing affection, and indeed love that develops between men living on the great frontier and how both obtain their inner strengths and qualities from the example of the other. The up and down relationship between the characters played by Wayne and Clift is the chief catalyst for most of the drama and action in this fascinating story and both men, the rugged older John Wayne with his eighteen years of movie work behind him, and the more gentile younger Montgomery Clift fresh from his New York acting training combine surprisingly well. I truly is a classic story of men's attempts to hold onto what they value and to improve their lives no matter what the cost. It's these two performances so perfectly etched and non sentimentalised that have made "Red River", rightly one of the most respected westerns to be produced in Hollywood's Golden Age.

Based on a Saturday Evening Post story titled "The Chisholm Trail", "Red River", stars John Wayne as rancher Tom Dunstan who along with ever faithful side kick Groot Nadine (Walter Brennan), decides to branch out on his own from the wagon train he is travelling with to open up his own stretch of land. Leaving his lady love Fen (Coleen Gray), behind until he is settled she and the rest of the Wagon Train team are massacred by Indians with the exception of a young boy Matt Garth (Mickey Kuhn/Montgomery), who teams up with the two men and settles on some undeveloped land to begin cattle grazing. Matt becomes like a son to Tom and as the years progress Tom gradually builds up a thriving cattle ranch. However times change and when the price of cattle falls dramatically and Tom's income dries up he decides to take all his stock on a cattle drive to where the markets are better. The long drive along the dangerous Chisholm Trail however proves to be an endurance test for everyone as thirst, natural disasters, and eventually even mutiny threaten to destroy Tom's livelihood. Determined to protect his hard earned livelihood Tom begins to become more and more aggressive and dictatorial towards the men as the drive continues and when an unfortunate mistake by one member of the team costs the life of another Tom decides to punish the man with a whipping. The men object and even Matt now stands up to him and takes over command of the men. Together with backup from cowboys Cherry Valance (John Ireland), and Buster McGee (Noah Beery Jr),Matt takes on responsibility for the herd he has to now get to the market. Tom swears revenge on Matt and heads off to gather a new group of men who will help him reclaim his herd. Meanwhile Matt continues on with the drive and despite being fearful of Tom's revenge manages to find time along the way to romance fiesty Tess Millay (Joanne Dru), a woman who he saves when another wagon train is attacked by Indians. Continuing on to the market Matt barely has time to celebrate getting almost all of the herd safely through and getting a good price for them when a show down occurs with Tom who has caught up with the cattle drive and vows to kill Matt. However when the final confrontation occurs between the two men Tom realises that by killing Matt he would in reality be killing part of himself and the two put aside their differences to resume the life they enjoyed together previously as de facto father and son. The conclusion also sees Matt now also set to wed Tess who through her quick thinking was able to make both stubbborn men realise how much they actually loved each other before it was too late.

Despite their very different acting backgrounds and approaches to their work John Wayne and Montgomery Clift have a magnetic chemistry in "Red River", and since this is a very human story about the conflict between two men who deep down have great affection for each other this chemistry makes this story even more compelling than it ordinarily would have been. Howard Hawk's direction here is also first rate and he shows a real understanding of the bonds that grow up between men that aren't often expressed in words but instead in actions. Hawks was responsible for giving Clift his break in the star making role of Matt and he never looke dback in Holywood after this role. Veteran character actor and three time Oscar winner Walter Brennan as the crusty old salt of the earth "Groot', also thrives under the sure directing hand of Howard Hawks becoming almost the moral conscience to John Wayne's character. He also enjoys an equally special chemistry with the two lead actors creating something of a trinity at the centre of the story. The supporting cast contains many interesting performances both large and small with the up and coming John Ireland as "Cherry" Valance, who is part nemesis and part attraction for Matt , and Noah Beery Jr who most would probably still remember from his long running role on "The Rochford Files", with James Garner as Buster McGee, being the standouts. "Red River", contains many other features that make it a standout classic western from the interesting idea of showing the diary pages with highlighted paragraphs leading the audience into the next piece of action, through to Russell Harlan's absolutely spellbinding exterior photography along the Chisholm Trail. The legendary Dimitri Tiomkin also supplies another one of his rousing musical scores that were so well suited to the western and swashbuckler genres.

Many complaints are usually centred on the quite sudden and unexpected conclusion to the story when Tom and Matt reconcile at the big shootout but somehow this finish based on raw emotion and a realisation of just what they feel for each other despite their differences is totally appropriate. "Red River", contains a sprawling story filled with spectacular scenery, wagon train attacks, shoot outs and romance and has truly earned its place in the annuals of Hollywood as one of the greatest westerns ever produced. To see John Wayne at his absolute peak in a role that really makes demands on him is reason enough to see "Red River", however it should be in the collection of every person who loves great stories set in America's old West. A true cinematic treasure.

Red River - John Wayne, Montgomery Clift and more

One of the Greatest Westerns Ever Made

This 1948 movie, one of the canons of the Western genre, was a turning point in John Wayne's career. Legend has it that when director John Ford saw it, he said (with his usual veiled sarcasm): "I didn't know the big S.O.B. could act!" Here he plays Tom Dunson, a ruthless cattle baron who builds up the largest herd in the state of Texas. After the Civil War, there's no market in Texas, so he has to bring his cattle up North with the help of his foster son Matthew Garth. While Dunson is one of those larger than life characters who settled the West their own determination and force of will, he's also a flawed character. As he drives the men and cattle mercilessly, he provokes a mutiny and turns Garth against him. This was a new sort of role for Wayne, a more nuanced portrayal than he had given in any of his previous roles. Dunson, quite literally, doesn't wear a white hat. He's obsessive, hard-bitten and vengeful. (In some ways he is a forerunner of Ethan Edwards in "The Searchers.") He thinks nothing of killing his own men for trivialities, refuses to consider a different route for the drive, and he even sets out to kill his foster son. Eventually he does bend, and in a sort of "Deus Ex Machina" ending, he and Matt are reconciled. Some argue that this is a flawed movie, that Dunson should have been killed at the end of the movie, that the whole movie points in that direction. Whatever its flaws (and they are very few), this is a big, powerful movie with some great scenes, one that should not be missed, and which is dominated by John Wayne's powerful presence. This truly is one of Wayne's finest performances. (Trivia: (1) This film features Harry Carey Junior and Senior's only film together, although they do not appear in the same scene. (2) In the traditional Western, the villain usually wears a holster string, whereas the hero does not. This was seen as cheating, giving the bad guy a faster draw. At the start of the film, Wayne's gun is tied to his leg, the only grade A Western in which he is this attired. (3) The opening of the cattle drive in "City Slickers" is a homage to the classic corresponding scene in "Red River.") See it if you haven't!

John Wayne, Montgomery Clift and more - Red River

Thanks for the honesty

of the reviewer who wrote re the quality of this DVD. I own a VHS copy....while watching it recently...heard a lot of static toward end of film. Assumed (wrongly) that this classic would have been restored/remastered, etc., for a DVD edition. Thanks for saving me from wasting money on a poorly done DVD!!!