Red River (1948)
Part of the The Star and Shadow Goes West
| Director: | Howard Hawks |
|---|---|
| Certificate: | BBFC 15 |
| Length: | |
| Format: | 35mm |
| Language: | 133 mins |
| Country: |
No Western season would be complete without the great John Wayne. Giving here one of his finest performance, “Red River is one of the greatest of all Westerns.” Chicago Sun Times. And Great direction from the action specialist Howard Hawks (Scarface).
JOHN WAYNE – THE PLOT
It’s impossible to explore the western genre without a John Wayne movie, and Red River features one of his finest, and most dour, performances.
It’s a classic tale of one mans determination to get the job done, in this case driving a herd of cattle to a newly-founded ranch hundreds of miles away, and the conflicts and calamities that he must strive to overcome along the way.
DIRECTOR: HOWARD HAWKS
Hawks was a war hero, a pioneering race driver, even a pilot at one point, but his notoriety as a creative force was sealed when he directed the gangster epic Scarface in 1932. A common theme in Hawks’ works is that of the man who strives against all odds to become master of his own world, and Red River is no exception.
BOVINE EXODUS
Witnessing this bovine exodus on a silver screen is simply magical. Hawks (okay, and Rosson) brings the sheer scale of such a venture to life, and the viewer can almost feel the dust on their lips as the story slowly unfolds. Red River captures the absolute majesty of the wild west plains and simply cries out for the full big screen experience.
Coupled with a strangely nuanced performance by John Wayne, Red River is a testament to a very singular breed of man.
WHAT THE CRITICS SAY
“Any viewer, not just a western fan would enjoy this film, as it has all the elements that add up to a great viewing experience… John Wayne does his most convincing performance as ramrod-straight Tom Dunson. Superior work by action specialist Howard Hawks.” George Chabot
“Red River'' is one of the greatest of all Westerns.” Chicago Sun Times
“Hawks' direction of the film itself is nothing short of amazing, especially in the many scenes of the huge numbers of cattle, all done in the days without the easy out of CGI… it still holds up after 60 years.” Edward Copeland
Other films in the The Star and Shadow Goes West:
13
Film: Blood On The Moon (1948)
13 Jan 2011, 7:30 p.m.
A film noir Western in which Robert Mitchum delivers his usual immaculate stoned performance as a reluctant hired gun, and Bel Geddes engages him in erotic gun play.
16
Film: Rancho Notorious (1952)
16 Jan 2011, 7:30 p.m.
Fritz Langs last Western, a moral tale of revenge with Marlene Dietrich presiding over an empire of crime.
23
Film: The Missouri Breaks (1976)
23 Jan 2011, 7:30 p.m.
One of the truly great Westerns of the 70's. Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando strip all the cute whimsy out of their acts to deliver a dark commentary on death. Arthur Penn directs with a clean vision of the historical role played by fear and violence in the development of the West.