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Actors: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, John Ireland, Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Red River |
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The beef market collapsed after the Civil War in an impoverished south. Those Texas ranchers who emerged from the hostilities with their lives and who survived the carpetbaggers with their land were hard-pressed to eke a legitimate living from the prarie. Few could sell their own cattle, let alone any others they could rustle and rebrand.
The work of a successful rancher involved, first of all, building or rustling a herd large enough to make a 1,000-mile trip to Missouri or some other northern market worthwhile, while establishing the famed Chisholm Trail. That success assumed, secondly, that he could inspire, motivate, or shame enough able-bodied sound-minded armed desperate men, usually single and sufficiently afraid or respectful of him, to hazard the exploit. Third, he would be obliged to negotiate passage through and beyond other bands of cattle herdsmen or rustlers. Many, in fact, would build their notoriety on the efficiency with which they could gun them down for as little reason as possible. Fourth, if that were not enough, he would also have to "negotiate" passage through and beyond plains Indians. Among these, the Comanchee expressed a clear disappointment with his single purpose and presence on their ancestral land, which was right in the middle of the Chisolm Trail. They made the point convincingly in many ways, but their favorite was by shooting cattlemen through with traditionally-feathered arrows from galloping painted ponies while riding bare-back. Fifth, his cattle would be of a herd mentality and would spook at anything, then trample anyone nearby to dust to get -- well, anywhere else at all, specifically in every direction. Sixth, any one of this rancher's men would drop him and the herd like a nail clipping for a pretty girl, a loose woman, or simply a good time, roughly defined as a drop of cheap liquor or a card game with a stacked deck.
Needless to say that after considering all of this, almost everyone qualified [those standing] find the stated proposition attractive enough and signs on for the all expenses-paid possibly one-way trip through Indian territory and cattle poop to glory. In the film, young brides dream of red shoes, their grooms of a shot of Red Eye Whiskey, and their trail bosses of the Red River brand being seered into the flesh of anything nearby that moves [and a shot of Red Eye Whiskey].
Arguably the greatest moment of the film arrives near the very beginning, in a prolonged period of silence, as the camera pans our intrepid decision makers and their four-legged money just about to take their first steps together.
--Lee Kane, Resident Scholar
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RED RIVER is a western directed in 1948 by Howard Hawks. In 15 years, John -Thomas Dunson- Wayne has become the greatest rancher of the southern part of Texas, but to sell his cattle, he must take his 9000 cows to Missouri, a 1000 miles journey through the desert and the indian territories. Soon Dunson, more and more isolated among his own men, must also deal with the rebellion of Montgomery -Matthew Garth- Clift, his adopted son.
A masterpiece.
--Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Red River |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/Era of Movie:
- 19th century
Western
Yes
Kind of western:
- cattle rustling
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- rancher
- cowboy
Age:
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
- white
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
- short/standard wavy (man)
Body type
- average (man)
- muscular (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- sensitive
- aggressive
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard curly
Body type
- very skinny (man)
- average build (man)
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- general circumstances
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 90%-100%
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Texas
- Midwest
Desert?
Yes
Prairie?
Yes
Farm/Ranch?
Yes
Farm/Ranch:
- ranch
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately messy visuals of dead
Movie makes you feel...
- very happy
How many deaths in film?
- 4-8
- 8 or more
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
- kissing
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- guns
Unusual forms of death
- stampeded
Check here if B&W
Yes
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Orchestra/classical
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Lee Kane
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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