Red River
Sims Reeves: Plantin' and readin', plantin' and readin'. Fill a man full o' lead, stick him in the ground an' then read words on him. Why, when you've killed a man, why try to read the Lord in as a partner on the job?
This is a pretty solid western. Even with the quick wrap up ending that was not initially intended when Hawks made this film. Though, in a way, I can let it by knowing full well how an angry woman yelling at two men in a fight and everyone knows everyone, just how quickly the wind gets knocked out of both men's sails and they go from roaring to mewing, pretty d@mn quick.
But, let's get to the full film itself.
This has all the trappings of a d@mn good, ole time western. Starting with two iconic actors that would become synonymous with Westerns; Walter Brennan and John Wayne and adding on, playing the next generation of "building up something great', Montgomery Clift. Who sets out to, not only prove himself, but to finish the job. His butting heads with Wayne's Dunson as well as the "sizing up" between him and John Ireland's Cherry Valance (f@ckin cool name) that turned into a mutual respect, were some of the best situations in this film.
Add in the tough, seasoned prairie lady, Tess Milay, played with a cagey warmth by Joanne Dru, you have a great cast as well as a strong list of characters to enjoy and get caught up in.
And I was very much caught up in it. From the beginning when Dunson leaves the wagon train and a woman he loves to set out on his own, and finding Clift's Matt, as a tough youngster and together with Brennan's Groot, setting up a ranch of Dunson's own. we move a decade or so later to when he must move his cattle and horse herd a thousand miles to Missouri. With all the conflicts, internal and external that could and would occur. Making for some great western style scenery and scenarios.
A definite Must See for anyone who loves Westerns
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I want to watch a bunch more westerns before the Countdown voting deadline is up. We have two months left now.
