Rio Bravo (1959)

A small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a cripple, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Jules Furthman (screenplay), Leigh Brackett (screenplay),

Stars:

John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Sheriff John T. Chance
Dean Martin	...	Dude ('Borachón')
Ricky Nelson	...	Colorado Ryan
Angie Dickinson	...	Feathers
Walter Brennan	...	Stumpy
Ward Bond	...	Pat Wheeler
John Russell	...	Nathan Burdette
Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez	...	Carlos Robante (as Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez)
Estelita Rodriguez	...	Consuela Robante
Claude Akins	...	Joe Burdette
Malcolm Atterbury	...	Jake (Stage Driver) (scenes deleted)
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Harold (scenes deleted)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sheb Wooley	...	Cowboy (scenes deleted)

Storyline

The sheriff of a small town in southwest Texas must keep custody of a murderer whose brother, a powerful rancher, is trying to help him escape. After a friend is killed trying to muster support for him, he and his deputies - a disgraced drunk and a cantankerous old cripple - must find a way to hold out against the rancher's hired guns until the marshal arrives. In the meantime, matters are complicated by the presence of a young gunslinger - and a mysterious beauty who just came in on the last stagecoach.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | small town | deputy | gunfighter | gunslinger | 

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Taglines:

The fought back to back...No quarter given...No quarter asked...No way in...No way out...of Rio Bravo

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

4 April 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo

Filming Locations:

Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$5,750,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Armada Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

More or less remade as El Dorado (1966).

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Goofs

After Dude is captured the first time, and Burdette's men ride up the street, the shadows change direction between shots of them approaching and Chance standing out in front of the Hotel with Colorado. These shots were obviously filmed at different times of day.

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Quotes

[first lines]
John T. Chance: Joe, you're under arrest.

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Connections

Referenced in Graceland: Goodbye High (2013)

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Soundtracks

Rio Bravo
(as Original Songs)
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Sung by Dean Martin (uncredited)

User Reviews

Brilliant cast in brilliant western

What a brilliant western! I was caught in my couch for more than two hours as John Wayne (Sheriff John T. Chance), Dean Martin (Dude), Ricky Nelson (Colorado) and Walter Brennan (Stumpy) try to keep a crook in jail for a week until the US Marshall arrives in town. The bad guy in question has contacts (his brother) and they will do what they can to set him free.

Dean Martin was second to none playing a deputy with drinking problems. He had a lot talent. John Wayne wasn't that bad either. Undoubtly something special about him, although I can't put my finger exactly on what it might be. Personally I don't think he's a great actor, but there is this special cool around him.

Anyway, if you haven't seen this movie I urge you to do. It takes a while for it to sort of take off but it's worth waiting for. Great acting and an interesting plot. It has everything a great western should have. Recommended!