Saturday, February 2, 2008

Red River


Just saw one of my all-time favorite films: the 1947 "Red River," starring John Wayne in an usual roll.

Montgomery Clift makes his film debut here, presaging a remarkable career cut short by poor health.

If you like cowboys, this is it, and if you want to see Wayne in a very dark role, check this one out.

Watch for the start of the drive - one of the most delightful moments in film making, reminding me of Frederick Remington's sculpture, "Coming through the Rye."

Filmed in b&w, directed by Howard Hawks, it's a fine piece of work, failing only with its music - sadly, the score never seems to be connected to the film, sounding more like a musical than a drama. Aside from that, however, this remains on top of my list for great Hollywood westerns.