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Title: Red River (1948)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| John Wayne | ... | ||
| Montgomery Clift | ... | ||
| Joanne Dru | ... | ||
| Walter Brennan | ... | ||
| Coleen Gray | ... |
Fen
(as Colleen Gray)
|
|
| Harry Carey | ... |
Mr. Melville
(as Harry Carey Sr.)
|
|
| John Ireland | ... | ||
| Noah Beery Jr. | ... | ||
| Harry Carey Jr. | ... |
Dan Latimer
|
|
 |
Chief Yowlachie | ... |
Quo
(as Chief Yowlatchie)
|
| Paul Fix | ... |
Teeler Yacey
|
|
| Hank Worden | ... | ||
|
|
Mickey Kuhn | ... |
Matt - as a Boy
|
|
|
Ray Hyke | ... |
Walt Jergens
|
|
|
Hal Taliaferro | ... |
Old Leather
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Tom Dunson builds a cattle empire with his adopted son Matthew Garth. Together they begin a massive cattle drive north from Texas to the Missouri railhead. But on the way, new information and Dunson's tyrannical ways cause Matthew to take the herd away from Dunson and head to a new railhead in Kansas. Dunson, swearing vengeance, pursues. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
Taglines:
In 25 Years, Only Three! "The Covered Wagon", "Cimarron" and now Howard Hawks' "Red River" See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
17 September 1948 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The River Is Red See more »Box Office
Budget:
$3,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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See more »
(a.k.a. "The Cowboy's Lament")
Traditional American ballad
Instrumental version is heard during burial scenes
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Ranked #5 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Western" in June 2008. See more »Goofs
The trail would not go near any mountains. See more »Quotes
Sims Reeves: Well, I don't like to see things goin' good or bad. I like 'em in between.See more »
Soundtracks
"Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie"(a.k.a. "The Cowboy's Lament")
Traditional American ballad
Instrumental version is heard during burial scenes
See more »
Dimitri Tiomkin's thunderous score sets the tone for this rousing story of cowboy ranchers in nineteenth century Texas headed north, with a thunderous herd of cattle in tow. It's the archetypal story of the American West, with its strong, ethical male leader, Thomas Dunson (John Wayne), and his pursuit of a big dream, set in an era when men were men, times were tough, hardships were inevitable, guns ruled, and Native Americans were the bad guys. What a saga ...
What makes "Red River" such a grand adventure is its high quality. Its story is simple, direct, exciting, and well told, with complex characters, interesting and sympathetic because they show weakness as well as strength. Dunson is a good man, but he's stubborn and headstrong. His semi-adopted son, Matt (Montgomery Clift), is good with a gun but a little softhearted. Dunson's chief sidekick is Groot (Walter Brennan), a cantankerous old buzzard who has problems with his teeth.
It's the relationship between these three men that is the heart and soul of "Red River". Trouble ensues along the way, you can be sure. And how that trouble unfolds and plays out presents viewers with engaging human drama, and humor, centered on these three main characters. The lonesome High Plains, with all its inherent risks, adds grandeur to the epic story.
At strategic points in the film, the page of a book appears on screen with text that briefly summarizes upcoming events. It's like we, the viewers, are reading a book about some long ago trailblazers. It's a technique that could have been intrusive. But here, it is handled with such finesse that it actually helps the narrative, by functioning as a transition from one sequence to the next.
The acting is fine. John Wayne is more than convincing as Dunson. Walter Brennan is characteristically funny. And Montgomery Clift is terrific. Had he maintained his looks, and if real-life circumstances not intervened, Monty could have been one of the truly top actors through at least the 50s and 60s.
If the film has a weakness, it might be the cinematography. Not often, but at times, the actors appear to be standing in front of a canvas, an effect that renders a shallow depth of field. Maybe this was the result of technical limitations of photography at the time the film was made.
There are few film westerns that can compare in quality with "Red River". And I don't know of any other cinematic cattle drives that are this good. So, the next time you herd your cattle to market, this is the film to watch. Even if you have no cattle, "Red River" is still a wonderfully entertaining cinematic experience.