River of No Return (1954)

Matt Calder, who lives on a remote farm with his young son Mark, helps two unexpected visitors who lose control of their raft on the nearby river. Harry Weston is a gambler by profession ... See full summary »

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

Frank Fenton (screenplay), Louis Lantz (story)

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Marilyn Monroe, Rory Calhoun

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Mitchum	...	Matt Calder
Marilyn Monroe	...	Kay Weston
Rory Calhoun	...	Harry Weston (Gambler)
Tommy Rettig	...	Mark Calder
Murvyn Vye	...	Dave Colby (Prospector)
Douglas Spencer	...	Sam Benson (Prospector)

Storyline

Matt Calder, who lives on a remote farm with his young son Mark, helps two unexpected visitors who lose control of their raft on the nearby river. Harry Weston is a gambler by profession and he is racing to the nearest town to register a mining claim he has won in a poker game. His attractive wife Kay, a former saloon hall girl, is with him. When Calder refuses to let Weston have his only rifle and horse, he simply takes them leaving his wife behind. Unable to defend themselves against a likely Indian attack, Calder, his son and Kay Weston begin the treacherous journey down the river on the raft Weston left behind.

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Plot Keywords:

river | gambler | raft | saloon | wilderness | 

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Taglines:

Reckless, Roaring, Adventure of the Great Northwest Gold Rush Days!

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Genres:

Adventure | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 April 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fluß ohne Wiederkehr

Filming Locations:

Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Otto Preminger and Marilyn Monroe were forced to do the film against their will, due to contractual obligations. They both expressed their frustration over the script which they considered below par. However, the film was a box office hit upon its release and remains a popular classic western.

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Goofs

The chords Kay plays on the guitar do not match the chords necessary for that particular song.

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Quotes

Kay Weston: I supposed you never made a mistake.

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Connections

Referenced in Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (1987)

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Soundtracks

"I'm Gonna File My Claim"
(uncredited)
Performed by Marilyn Monroe
Lyrics by Ken Darby
Music by Lionel Newman

User Reviews

One of Monroe's most natural and appealing performances...

Cinemascope was at the height of popularity when Fox decided to cast Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum in a story set against the scenic splendor of the Rockies. Marilyn even gets to sing a few fetching song numbers (her saloon song atop a bar is a standout and she delivers a totally professional job). Sleepy-eyed Mitchum makes a good partner for Monroe and little Tommy Rettig scores as the adoring little boy who watches wistfully as Monroe strums a song on her guitar.

Into the story, slight as it is, is an Indian attack while Mitchum and Monroe battle the rapids. It's all very routine going, for the most part, but the chance to see Monroe strut her stuff in a tight pair of jeans and Mitchum give a sturdy, likeable performance is enough to make the movie a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

Nothing great here, but a very satisfying performance by Marilyn who does a more than competent job on her less than inspired songs. And the scenery helps.

Otto Preminger's direction is not as taut as it should have been for a tale of this sort--in fact, the whole film has a lumbering pace that seems to make some parts of the story seem more like filler material than anything else. And poor Rory Calhoun has little to do.