Rio Bravo

'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!

According to a trailer on my Quiet Man VHS and Maureen O'Hara's memoirs Rio Grande was a negotiating chip that Republic Pictures studio president Herbert J. Yates used in order to get John Ford to work for his studio. John Ford had wanted to make The Quiet Man for years and the major studios turned him down. Republic was the last stop he made. Yates agreed to let him shoot The Quiet Man at Republic, but first he wanted a guaranteed moneymaker.

Fort Apache and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon were both done at RKO and made money. So Yates said give me another cavalry picture with John Wayne and you can shoot The Quiet Man afterwards.

James Warner Bellah who had written the short stories that the other two were based on fortunately had a third one published. And that boys and girls is how Rio Grande came into being.

Good thing too because of studio politics we got ourselves a western classic. And a family classic as well. John Wayne who is once again playing a character named Kirby Yorke has two families, the United States Cavalry to which he's devoted and a wife and son from whom he's been estranged. How he repairs the relationships between wife Maureen O'Hara and son Claude Jarman, Jr. is the key to the whole story.

As Maureen toasts at a dinner scene with J. Carrol Naish as General Philip H. Sheridan, "to my one rival, the United States Cavalry."

Young Jefferson Yorke has flunked out of West Point and has joined the army as an enlisted man. Through none of his own doing he's assigned to the frontier post commanded by his father. Mom then comes west to try and spring him from the army, but young Jeff doesn't want to be sprung.

In fact to his father's surprise the young man proves himself to be an able cavalryman without any assistance from Dad. And when Maureen comes west, old love rekindles between Wayne and O'Hara.

All this is against the background of some Apache hit and run raids across the Rio Grande. Topped off by them attacking a party escorting dependent women and children away from the post. Young Trooper Yorke rides for help there, hence the title quote.

A lot of John Ford's stock company fills out the cast to give it that familiar look of Ford films. Some bits from previous films were used like the training Roman style of the new recruits. They prove a more able bunch than the ones from Fort Apache.

Some traditional melodies were used as they are in John Ford period pieces, but unusual for a Ford film, several new songs were written for the film, done by the Sons of the Pioneers. One of them written by Dale Evans entitled Aha San Antone. She was employed at Republic studios also.

A fine classic western with a nice story about family relationships and responsibilities one incurs in life.

This is the last outing in John Ford's trilogy cavalry continuing ¨Fort Apache and She wore a yellow ribbon¨ based on writings by James Warner Bellah.It's the first John Wayne-Maureen O'Hara-John Ford's three movies together along with ¨Quiet man and Wing of eagles¨.It's a powerful retelling of the wild Indians wars at the Southwest US. It concerns about an US cavalry unit on the Mexican frontier and nearly to Rio Grande.The commander of the far outpost is ruled by Lieutenent Colonel Kirby(Wayne)leading an unsuccessful campaign against the Apaches.Kirby is under command of General Philip Sheridan(J.Carroll Naish).A grumpy sergeant(Victor McLagen)is in charge of training of new recruits,one which is the Kirby'son(Claude Jarman Jr).His mother Kathleen(Maureen O'Hara) arrives looking for her son Jeff ,she and Kirby are separated for fifteen years,but the marriage broke when Kirby fired a plantation of her ancestors during Civil War ,however now they fall back in love.Meanwhile the marauding Indians attack the outpost and Kirby taking on his toughest fight to redeem his honor.

This excellent film featuring a magnificent performance by complete casting.Awesome John Wayne in a larger-than-life role.Gorgeous Maureen O'Hara in a sensible role with sensational performance.The film develops usual John Ford's themes: The friendship,sense of camaraderie,a little bit of enjoyable humor,the familiar feeling,sentimental nostalgia and the glorification of the cavalry,besides a sensible songs in charge of Son of Pioneers with Ken Curtis and music score by Dimitri Tiomkin.Touching scenes when they're singing between the marriage Wayne-O'Hara with sweet glances.Spectacular scenes when the Apaches Indian-Chiricagua and Mezcaleros-spontaneously attack the outpost and sensational riding races with Roman style,someone did their own stunts.In the movie appear all habitual Ford's friends ,Chill Wills,Ben Johnson,Grant Withers,Jack Pennick,Ken Curtis and ,of course,Victor McLagen .Even appears Patrick Wayne,but his father John Wayne persuaded to Ford for an uncredited cameo role. Appropriate photography by Bert Glennon as sensational as the Ford's usual, Winston Hoch.The movie is produced by Ford's Argosy Production Company ,Republic Pictures and Merian C. Cooper(King Kong).The motion picture is magnificently directed by the master John Ford.

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.

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.