Thursday, January 20, 2011

Red River (1948)

I'd never seen it but noticed it as a freebie on my On Demand. It was terrific, great in every way that a film can be great. It's Mutiny on the Bounty on a cattle drive with John Wayne getting squirrely and his adopted son Montgomery Clift saving the day. The shots of the cattle drive are reason enough to see this film, but then there's tension and humor and romance, of course, with the lovely Joanne Dru (born Joanne LaCock). Does it hedge its bets at the very end by redeeming the near-psychotic Wayne? A little bit but it didn't really bother me. He's swayed by the woman he doesn't even get to marry. Great, great movie.

1 comment:

  1. Oh for sure. I'm surprised you hadn't seen it until now. Oh well, better late than never I always say. :) I love the soundtrack too. And the beginning of the cattle drive montage of yelling cowboys. Love John Ireland. John Wayne looks great in this and acts well, too. I think this, THE SEARCHERS, STAGECOACH and ANGEL AND THE BADMAN are my favorite Wayne films.

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