Red River (1948)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Directors:

Howard Hawks
Arthur Rosson (co-director)

Writers:

Borden Chase (screenplay) and
Charles Schnee (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 August 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Western | Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Greatest Spectacle Ever!

Plot:

Dunson is driving his cattle to Red River when his adopted son, Matthew, turns against him.

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Kansas | Cattle Drive | Texas | Deserter

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

John Wayne	...	Thomas Dunson
Montgomery Clift	...	Matt Garth
Joanne Dru	...	Tess Millay
Walter Brennan	...	'Groot' Nadine
Coleen Gray	...	Fen (also as Colleen Gray)
Harry Carey	...	Mr. Melville (as Harry Carey Sr.)
John Ireland	...	Cherry Valance
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Buster McGee
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Dan Latimer
Chief Yowlachie	...	Quo
Paul Fix	...	Teeler Yacey
Hank Worden	...	Simms Reeves
Mickey Kuhn	...	Matt, as a boy
Ray Hyke	...	Walt Jergens
Hal Taliaferro	...	Old Leather (as Hal Talliaferro)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lane Chandler	...	Colonel (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Mr. Meeker (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Dunston Rider (uncredited)
Paul Fierro	...	Fernandez (uncredited)
George Lloyd	...	Rider with Mr. Melville (uncredited)
Pierce Lyden	...	Colonel's Trail Boss (uncredited)
John Merton	...	Settler (uncredited)
Ivan Parry	...	Bunk Kenneally (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Gambler (uncredited)
William Self	...	Sutter - Wounded Wrangler (uncredited)
Glenn Strange	...	Naylor (uncredited)
Tom Tyler	...	The Quitter (uncredited)
Dan White	...	Laredo (uncredited)
Shelley Winters	...	Dance Hall Girl in Wagon Train (uncredited)

Directed by
Howard Hawks
Arthur Rosson		(co-director)

Writing credits
Borden Chase		(screenplay) and
Charles Schnee		(screenplay)
Borden Chase		(The Saturday Evening Post story)

Produced by
Howard Hawks	....	producer
Charles K. Feldman	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Russell Harlan		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Christian Nyby

Art Direction by
John Datu		(as John Datu Arensma)

Makeup Department
Lee Greenway	....	makeup artist
Dotha Hippe	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	production manager (as Norman Cook)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William McGarry	....	assistant director
Arthur Siteman	....	assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard DeWeese	....	sound
Larry Gannon	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Donald Steward	....	special effects
Allen Q. Thompson	....	special photographic effects (as Allan Thompson)

Stunts
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ben Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Kennedy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Danny Sands	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Thompson	....	grip (uncredited)

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	musical director
Vinton Vernon	....	music recorder
Lucien Cailliet	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jester Hairston	....	choral director (uncredited)
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Howard Hawks	....	presenter
Sid Davis	....	stand-in: John Wayne (uncredited)
Bobbie Sierks	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Charles K. Feldman Group (uncredited)
• Monterey Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists Corporation (1948) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1948) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1948) (Canada) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1948) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1948) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

The River Is Red (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Sweden:15 (cut) | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Norway:16 | USA:Unrated | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Elgin, Arizona, USA

Company:

Charles K. Feldman Group

Trivia:

Upon completing this movie, Howard Hawks gave John Wayne a belt buckle that featured the Red River D logo (Wayne later wore this as part of his costume in El Dorado (1966)). Wayne later returned the favor and gave Hawks a twin buckle.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When they are driving the cattle and go to the aid of the wagon train, a communications mast can be seen on the hill in the background of one shot of the five horsemen. The next shot is a closer view of one rider and the mast can be seen even more clearly.

Quotes:

Mr. Melville: There's three times in a man's life when he has a right to yell at the moon: when he marries, when his children come, and... and when he finishes a job he had to be crazy to start.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "American Masters: Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Settle Down

One of the finest movies ever--and I don't like Westerns

Although I have never been a huge fan of Westerns nor of John Wayne, this movie was truly excellent. My father is a true-to-life cowboy from that era and could vouch for how accurate this movie portrayed the life of a cowboy in those days. What really makes this movie is the stellar performance of Montgomery Clift as Matt Garth, brilliant though forgotten actor of the late 40's thru the mid 60's. The depth of John Wayne's acting in this movie was very refreshing. In short, this movie deserves a viewing by even the most avid loathers of Westerns.