Rio Bravo

"Rio Grande" was the last of John Ford's cavalry trilogy, which also included "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Fort Apache". Like the latter, this film was filmed in black and white. All three films were based on short stories by James Warner Bellah.

In this film John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara first played the romantic roles that they played later in films like "The Quiet Man" and "McLintock". There is real chemistry between these two stars. Their relationship is a major thread that weaves the plots and subplots of this film together. Both of their characters have depth. O'Hara is more than her usual fiery Irish self. She is sensitive, sometimes humorous and occasionally aristocratic. She has difficulty hiding her continued affection for her estranged husband Wayne despite the fact that he was responsible for burning the family plantation. Wayne is the tough commanding officer of the remote outpost. His toughness masks a softer side. This shows clearly when he stands outside the hospital window of his son, who has a black eye from a "soldier's fight". At the end of the film he takes a father's pride in his son's courage in battle.

There is more going on in the film than in the usual Western. There are relationships. Wayne is disappointed in his son who flunked at West Point and enlisted in the cavalry as a trooper. His mother wants to buy him out of the cavalry. The son wants to prove himself. All of this contributes to some real human moments in the film. Subplots include Trooper Tyree's sometimes humorous attempts to escape the law and the sometimes unwilling help provided by others. And of course there are the Apaches.

The river is a major theme in the movie. It is a barrier which the cavalry cannot cross in their pursuit of the Apaches. This is demonstrated in the opening credits. The cavalry and Mexican soldiers meet at the river in a scene from later in the movie. When captured chiefs escape across the river Wayne meets a Mexican officer in the middle of the stream. He offers to place himself under Mexican command. The Mexican officer declines, saying he must defend the border "at all costs". Wayne responds, "With three men.. .Your dedication to duty is to be commended. I too have my orders." At the end of the film Wayne risks his career with the complicity of General Sheridan (played by J. Carroll Naish) and crosses the river to rescue the children captured by the Apaches.

The supporting cast does a wonderful job with this film. Many are regular faces in John Ford films. Ben Johnson and Harry Carey, Jr. play friends of Wayne's son (played by Claude Jarman, Jr.). Victor McLaglen plays the role of top Sergeant. He played the same role in all three films in Ford's trilogy. Chill Wills is around and is much better than usual as the doctor who helps Trooper Tyree escape from a Texas sheriff. The Sons of the Pioneers are also on hand to sing songs.

The Victor Young score includes elements which will appear later in the "Quiet Man". Many of the songs are dumb and inappropriate. There are too many Irish ballads that would have been much better used in "The Quiet Man". The few songs by Stan Jones are the best of the lot. At one point in the film the cavalrymen are walking their horses to the lyrics "twenty-four miles on beans and hay".

Photographically this film is less impressive than "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon", but the usual shots of Monument Valley are still impressive. There is an appropriate dark quality to this movie that is missing in the other films in the trilogy, even in "Fort Apache", which was also filmed in black and white. The scene at the deserted church is memorable. The black and white photography accentuates the shadows and the threat of death to the children as the Apaches dance the night away.

This film is based on a historical incident. In 1874 Colonel McKenzie led the 5th Cavalry across the Rio Grande to destroy a Kickapoo village in Mexico. The Kickapoos had been raiding quite successfully in Texas and efforts to punish them had been quite fruitless. This forgotten incident was used by Ford in this film. The Indians now are Apaches, but whoever heard of Kickapoos?

This fine Western is worth seeing for its rich characterizations and fine story. It can be enjoyed on many levels.

'Rio Grande', the last of director John Ford's 'unofficial' Cavalry Trilogy, has often been unfairly judged the 'weakest' of the three westerns. Certainly, it lacks the poetic quality of 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon', or the revisionist view of a thinly-disguised reworking of the events surrounding the death of George Armstrong Custer ('Fort Apache'), but for richness of detail, a sense of the camaraderie of cavalrymen, an 'adult' (in the best sense of the word) love story, and a symbolic 'rejoining' of North and South conclusion that may have you tapping your toe, 'Rio Grande' is hard to beat!

It is remarkable that 'Rio Grande' ever got to the screen; Ford hadn't planned to make it, but in order to get Republic Pictures to agree to his demands for 'The Quiet Man' (he wanted the film to be shot on location in Ireland, and in color), he had to agree to do a 'quickie' western that would turn a quick profit for the usually cash-strapped studio. This is, perhaps, a reason why the film is held in less esteem than it deserves. 'Rio Grande' may have not been born with high expectations, but with John Ford in the director's chair, and John Wayne and the Ford 'family' in the cast and crew, the potential for something 'special' was ALWAYS present!

A few bits of trivia to enhance your viewing pleasure: Yes, that IS Ken Curtis, singing with The Sons of the Pioneers, in the film...while uncredited, he made a favorable impression with Ford, and soon became a part of his 'family'...Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr, and Claude Jarman, Jr, actually did their own stunts while performing the 'Roman Style' riding sequence (Carey said in interviews that they were all young, and didn't think about the danger of it; a production would lose their insurance if they 'allowed' three major performers to do something as risky, today!)...Did you know that O'Hara, playing Jarman's 'mother', was barely 14 years older than her 'son', and was only 29 at the time of the filming?...Harry Carey barely had any lines in the script; most of what you see in the film was ad-libbed!...the popular ditty, 'San Antoine', sung by Jarman, Carey, Johnson, and Curtis, was, in fact, written by Mrs. Roy Rogers, herself, Dale Evans!

Whether you're viewing 'Rio Grande' for the first time, or have sat through many viewings, the film has a richness and sense of nostalgia for a West that 'may never have existed, but SHOULD have'. It would be a proud addition to any collector's library!

This is an excellent film. Not usually a western fan, I am now a true-believer -- fan of the genre, of Wayne and O'Hara, and even, reluctantly, John Ford. Rio Grande captures the spirit of heroism that colors most of John Ford's best work. Strong personalities pursuing their values with a philosophical issue dividing them: it has an excellent, concise plot, well-developed characters, and boasts fantastic acting. Ford even shies away from allowing the scenery to star in the picture, which is a welcomed departure. With monuments like Wayne and O'Hara one does not need Monument Valley (this writer humbly submits.)

There is a profoundly moving scene in which Kirby and Kathleen York's entire relationship is summed up in the mere singing of a song (by the unforgettable voice of Ken Curtis) and O'Hara and Wayne's excellent acting -- hardly any dialogue, no flashbacks. It has to be cinematic moment for the history books... it is at least in mine.

By the way, avoid the colorized version if possible. Among other distractions, it makes John Wayne's hair look like instant brownie mix.

Director John Ford's third and last film about the U.S. Cavalry (the others being 1948's "Fort Apache" and 1949's "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon"), "Rio Grande", was initially a minor project, done only to please the head of Republic Films, Herbert Yates, who wanted a marketable western before allowing Ford to make "The Quiet Man", a movie that in Yates' mind showed no promise (Of course, time would prove him wrong anyway). However, instead of delivering a throwaway film just to please his producers, Ford final "Cavalry film" was another step in his own evolution of the genre, as it included a new dimension to his Westerns by adding the family element to the picture.

"Rio Grande" stars John Wayne as Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke, a Union officer who has spent his time after the Civil War battling apache rebels in an Outspot in the Rio Grande. Suddenly, the life of this lonely man gives a 180° spin as he discovers that his son Jeff Yorke (Claude Jarman Jr.), whom he hasn't seen in 15 years, has joined the Cavalry and is assigned to his post. Things get even more complicated as his wife Kathleen (Maureen O'Hara) arrives too in order to get her son back, and in some way, recover the family she lost when the Civil War made her husband (a Northerner) her enemy. In the middle of this family drama, troubles arise as an Apache bandit is using three tribes to create chaos, and Yorke will have to decide between his two loves: the Cavalry or Kathleen.

Like the previous two Cavalry stories, "Rio Grande" was based on a story by James Warner Bellah, and despite sharing many elements with the past two films (like members of the cast and some character names), the three stories are not tied together and are basically stand alone films joined by a common theme. The story is more oriented to drama rather than to action, although it still gives the characters a chance to show off their riding skills. The element of the family adds a new dimension to Wayne's character, and the theme of division between families because of the Civil War is a nice touch that adds to the sexual tension between the main characters. The tag line reads "John Ford's Greatest Romantic Triumph" and this time it doesn't lie, this Western is a powerful melodrama that plays a different tune than other westerns.

Despite being a "minor" project, John Ford shows off his great talent turning this small modest movie into a wonderful film of epic proportions. His trademark cinematography shines in all its splendor and portrays Monument Valley with an unnatural beauty, and he keeps his film as historically accurate as possible (despite the use of some recently composed songs). The portrayal of the Native Americans, so demonized this days, it's actually realistic for its time, and Ford makes sure that it's stated that the Apaches are not evil per se, but leaded by a criminal rebel. His familiar themes like honor, sacrifice and responsibility (and being torn by them), are all present here, making a powerful and entertaining Western that even non-fans of the genre can appreciate.

I'm not very familiar with John Wayne, but in my opinion his performance was very good. His character is torn between the love he feels for his country and the love he feels for his family, and the guilt he feels for his actions during the Civil War makes him even more interesting; as if behind the macho image were a loving man tied by his duties. Maureen O'Hara is wonderful as Kathleen, and makes the perfect match for Wayne's troubled hero, my only complain would be that she looks a bit too young for the part. Ford regulars like Victor McLaglen, Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr. also appear in supporting roles and have remarkable scenes (specially Johnson).

"Rio Grande" is a remarkably well-done film, mixing drama and action it definitely makes up for an entertaining evening. Most people (me included) have a certain prejudice towards pre-60s Westerns; while it's true that Westerns used to portray Native Americans in a bad light, one has to judge the films according to the times when they were done, and John Ford's Western are no exception (in fact, he seems to portray them in a relatively fairer way than other directors). While maybe outdated by today's standards, "Rio Grande" is definitely a masterpiece of the genre that deserves a chance before passing judgment over it.

Before watching "Rio Grande" I was not really familiar with John Ford's career (or John Wayne's), so I'm not biased towards the man and his work. "Rio Grande" has some problems, its true, but it's miles ahead of other Westerns of its time and is definitely a must-see for anyone interested in the history of cinema. 8/10

For some reason, over the years I failed to see this particular John Ford western, thinking it was probably just another cavalry yarn and I'd seen so many of them I figured I'd let this one pass.

Wrong. It's now among my favorite John Ford westerns with both JOHN WAYNE and MAUREEN O'HARA giving really heartfelt performances as a husband and wife separated for some time, their only son (CLAUDE JARMAN, JR.) having just joined the regiment as a soldier under his father's command at an outpost being menaced by Apaches.

There's a jaunty, rollicking score by Victor Young that captures ballads of the Old West to provide some colorful background music, wonderful scenes of soldiers training under VICTOR McLAGLEN (at his crustiest and endearingly funny), BEN JOHNSON (wonderful as a man on the lam), and the breezily confident HARRY CAREY, JR. It's even got a story that has more than one theme running through it--the personal conflict between father and son, husband and wife, and how the young son (played extremely well by Claude Jarman, Jr.) has to prove himself to his fellow soldiers.

The final shootout occurs when the Apaches kidnap some children and hold them prisoners in a church. It sets the stage for the final encounter, just one of several skirmishes with the Indians that is masterfully staged and photographed.

Pictorially, it's one of the handsomest of all the John Ford epics and should definitely have been filmed in Technicolor, although the B&W photography is indeed impressive. MAUREEN O'HARA gives one of her most sensitive portrayals and JOHN WAYNE is at his best.

Summing up: A solid western well worth watching whether you're a John Ford fan or not.