Rio Grande

I could watch those riding scenes all day long. While the romantic segments between Wayne and O'Hara don't pack a lot of emotional depth and end up feeling superfluous, this is - for the most part - a well-directed, sweeping Western. Loved Young's score, the exciting battle scenes and in my case, it served as a welcome introduction to Wayne's immortal ruggedness. This movie needed more mustaches.

"Rio Grande" is so empty, pointless and devoid of thrills that calling it a formulaic Western would be an overstatement. There are more singing scenes than action, the characters are entirely hollow (to the point where the potential of them ending up unharmed, wounded or dead doesn't make any difference) and of course white folks are good and the natives should all die horrible deaths. Why this film is considered remotely good is beyond me. Avoid.

Lightweight Ford has its moments like most Ford's from the period, but it's weighed down by a dull romance and soporific humour that's guaranteed to grate the nerves of those who have been fortunate enough to not develop a taste for it. Wayne does his usual thing, and it's handsomely mounted, but that's to be expected. Suffice to say, it's an entertaining but relatively undistinguished piece of pro-calvary sentiment that borders on propaganda with only Ford's craft ensuring its watchability.Yep.

An excellent film from the Ford/Wayne combo. Ford makes especially good use of Maureen O'Hara, and allows her presence to complicate the world of the cavalry post in ways that women have not done so in the other cavalry films (or military films, for that matter). This is the first Ford film I've seen that paints the Indians as blatant savages--generally Ford provides them nobility and honor, even as they fight against the White settlers. Here though we begin to see a balancing of that portrayal.

An occasionally successful cavalry movie; at the very least I think it's convinced me I enjoy Western music a lot more than I thought I did. Both Victor Young's music and the Sons of the Pioneers songs are the film's best quality, and they especially complement the slower, more contemplative scenes quite wonderfully. O'Hara and Wayne are fantastic; everyone else is less so (enough with Victor McLaglen!). The humor mostly falls flat, and that's unfortunately a large chunk of the running time.

Another great John Ford/John Wayne western. There's awesome characters - the usual faces - a good and honest story, good visuals and music, excellent pace. What more is there? It's another tale of strong, courageous and honourable men fighting the good fight, doing the best they can to do the right thing and to protect and look after their own, to enact righteousness and to speak the truth. Cinema used to be so much better than the self-indulgent pubescent drivel it is nowadays.

This is the best I've seen of John Wayne, plus he gets a mustache bonus.

This was the safe movie Ford made to offset The Quiet Man. For a cavalry unit they sure spent a lot of time sitting around camp doing laundry. Wayne makes a dashing officer in his uniform. More melodrama than action. The characters are all very nice and memorable. McLaglen depicted his tormented past well. O'Hara packed a lot for a quick trip to pick up her son. Then the action started and there's only so much horse riding I could handle. Fav scene: O'Hara looked very beautiful at the dinner.

# 843

Western classic

A generally exciting western. The plot is taut and well developed but the romance plot between Wayne and O'hara is difficult to stomach and the comedy moments are cringe worthy at best. Wayne is surprisingly good here, perhaps even the highlight of the film.

Wayne shows much vulnerability here, and he and O'Hara have great chemistry in their first appearance together. (Their expressive faces during the serenade of "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" is one of the high points of the film). The plot is strictly 19th Century melodrama (Indians kill women, kidnap children), the comic relief is mostly unsuccessful, but McLaglen is subdued for once and Carey and Johnson--both good actors--are allowed more room than usual and take advantage of it.

I have watched this out of the place as its part of the John Ford's "Cavalry trilogy" so despite liking it already, I better watch the first two. But I will add - John Wayne's mustache is worthy of praise alone.

759

Solid horse action. The rest is a bit aimless.

73.500

watched: 2016, 2023

Wayne is okay in this, less brutish and cocky than usual. The cinematography is fine as always. And the overarching plot is generally well put-together. But the comic relief moments, although thankfully pretty scarce, are terrible, and often punctuated by some goofy musical cue. Speaking of the music, that's wretched too. And then there's the portrayal of Native Americans as ruthless savages. I just didn't give a shit about most of it. It's all so sentimental in a way I find very disagreeable.

Generally well-made, but nothing new here.

Great film.

835

Like with Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy, Rio Grande (1950) is more about the life of men in the cavalry than the battles they fought. While Rio Grande might be the weakest of the trio, it does touch a sentimental note with its focus on a career army man and how it relates to family. The distance between a husband and wife, not to mention child, when one has dedicated one's life to the uniform. It's actually well-acted.

Who'd have thought white supremacy could be this entertaining... :D

I can never get behind Ford's politics, but the movie is still enjoyable in spite of it.

#877

It feels kind of slight to be honest. There's an idea of a story but it just sort of trundles along. Waste of a cast to be honest, although Wayne and O'Hara do their best.

Mercifully, 40% musical.