Rio Lobo (1970)

After the Civil War, Cord McNally searches for the traitor whose treachery caused the defeat of McNally's unit and the loss of a close friend.

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Burton Wohl (screenplay), Leigh Brackett (screenplay)

Stars:

John Wayne, Jorge Rivero, Jennifer O'Neill

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	Col. Cord McNally
Jorge Rivero	...	Capt. Pierre Cordona
Jennifer O'Neill	...	Shasta Delaney
Jack Elam	...	Phillips
Christopher Mitchum	...	Sgt. Tuscarora Phillips
Victor French	...	Ketcham
Susana Dosamantes	...	María Carmen
Sherry Lansing	...	Amelita
David Huddleston	...	Dr. Jones
Mike Henry	...	Sheriff Tom Hendricks
Bill Williams	...	Sheriff Pat Cronin
Jim Davis	...	Riley
Dean Smith	...	Bide
Robert Donner	...	Whitey Carter
George Plimpton	...	4th Gunman

Storyline

Colonel Cord McNally, an ex-Union Officer teams up with a couple of ex-Confederate Rebels to search for the traitor who sold information to the South during the Civil War. Their quest brings them to the town of Rio Lobo, where they help recover this little Texas town from ruthless outlaws who are led by the traitor, for whom they were looking.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | traitor | texas | colonel | civil war | 

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Taglines:

Give 'Em Hell, John.

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Genres:

Adventure | Romance | War | Western

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

18 December 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

San Timoteo

Filming Locations:

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$9,265,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema Center Films,Batjac Productions,Malabar

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final film of Howard Hawks.

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Goofs

When McNally is carrying Shasta, Cordona is leading the way to the stairs. When the camera angle changes, McNally is in front of Cordona.

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Quotes

[Phillips is irritating everyone by playing a jaw harp]
Cord McNally: Dammit, Mr. Phillips! Don't you know any other songs?
Phillips: I don't know this one. That's why I keep practicin'.
[McNally and the others open bottles of beer]
Phillips: Don't I get a beer?
Cord McNally: Not as long as you're playin' that harp.
Phillips: I'll put it up!
[Phillips throws harp in the trash can]
Phillips: What about Ketchum? He don't get no beer, does he?

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Connections

Featured in Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo (1970)

User Reviews

A Bit Complicated, But Good

After the Civil War, Cord McNally (John Wayne) searches for the traitor whose perfidy caused the defeat of McNally's unit, a shipment of gold to be stolen, and the loss of a close friend.

I loved the beginning with the train robbery. Every part of it was executed perfectly, and the first ten minutes or so are probably the highlight of the film. And then the idea that the yanks and rebels could be friends was questionable but nice... and the shift from the war and the heist to tracking down a traitor, great. But it seemed to have a good deal of turns and subplots that were not quite necessary.

The worst was Jennifer O'Neill, who played Shasta. I would gladly give this film another star if it was not for her. Every line was delivered so poorly. I guess Howard Hawks feared John Wayne was too old for the role... I thought Wayne was great. It was O'Neill that was the weak link. She just has no acting ability to speak of.

Also, a special nod to Jack Elam, who was the comic relief. His wit and delivery (almost) make up for O'Neill, and on that count I have revised my 6 stars in 2015 to 7 stars in 2016 upon a second viewing. This may not be the best known Hawks-Wayne collaboration, but it certainly has its strong points.