Description

Members of an Antarctic research team are killed off by a frozen alien they uncover. ... Read more

Reviews (135)

The Finest Thing Movie Ever!
The Thing From Another World is the mother of all aliens attack the world films. Most people think immediately of John Carpenter's version of this story. It is an unfortunate comparison because the two films could not be further apart in story, style or intent. Where the modern version relies on gory effects and the star power of Kurt Russel to carry the day, the original film has none of that. The great director, Howard Hawks, is probably best remembered for his westerns, and his work with John Wayne. As Producer, Hawks brings a masters touch and a history of being one of the greatest storytellers in American cinema to this film. Even though Christian Nyby directed the film, Hawk's style is evident in the retstrained pacing, crisp banter and short but absolutely stunning action sequences. The viewer barely sees The Thing, played by a younger James Arness except in brief and savage action sequences. We have to wait until finally in the film's exciting finale he is revealed in full. The creature is unlike the modern take on the alien lifeform. The Thing is human in design, with a minimal approach the the make up. No spewing orifices, shooting mandibles or acid blood here. This Thing is a relentless, intelligent being who keeps upping the stakes, staying one step ahead of the heroes in a tense game of cat and mouse, with the fate of the entire world in balance. The cast is one of the great ensembles of all time. The dialogue is terse, witty and sparse. All of the archetypical heroes are here, the brave Army officer, the beautiful ex-girlfriend, the scientist who is so naive and trusting that he would be willing to risk the world in the pursuit of knowledge. The setting, an isolated, weather whipped outpost on the continent of Antartica is a wonderful, eerie backdrop for the grim proceedings to come. There are so many cinematic and entertainment reasons to enjoy this masterpiece that it would be easy to overlook the messages that Hawks delivers with this seemingly straight forward film. Science for science's sake can be destructive. A people must be aware of external threats and be prepared to defend against them. A nation must work together and recognize that strong leadership is necessary when a crisis is looming. All favorite themes of the times when this film was made. It was made at the inception of the Red Scare in America. In a sense it is a facist piece of work, but taken as a whole, it is so exciting and so crisp in execution that one can forgive and overlook the undercurrent of paranoia that permeates the work. Every generation of science fiction fans should be required to see this film, The Innocents and The Bride of Frankenstein so they can see how it was all done first, and in many cases better.

The classic 1950's science fiction film of cold war paranoia
"The Thing From Another World" remains the best of the 1950's black & white science fiction films, avoiding both the fake monsters of "Them," its ideological counterpart, and the piety of "The Day the Earth Stood Still." I still remember the first time I saw this movie and realized that here were characters who talked as fast as I did. I know Robert Altman and "M*A*S*H" get the credit for "inventing" over-lapping dialogue, but that seems a bit absurd to me after watching the conversation and group discussions throughout this film. I am teaching a Science Fiction literature class for the first time this semester and I wanted them to also watch an example of a classic 1950s science fiction film and this film was my immediate choice.

As John Carpenter reminded us in his 1982 "remake," the 1951 version is not even remotely faithful to John W. Campbell, Jr.'s classic sci-fi short story, "Who Goes There?" Campbell wrote of a stranger visitor from another planet who could take on human appearance, so that the problem was that you never knew if the guy sitting next to you was your buddy or the monster. "The Thing" offers a monster from outer space, but with atmosphere, pacing and wit rarely seen on the silver screen. Charles Lederer gets screen credit for the script, but we know know both Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht had a hand in the writing as well (you can find Lederer's original script on line to check out the differences for yourself), and it has been taken as gospel for years that Hawks had some hand in the direction as well (as did Orson Welles according to some). After all, this was Christian Nyby's first screen credit as a director and he went on to direct mostly television series from "Gunsmoke" to "Kojak." Whatever the background of the story, what is important is that this film manages to combine claustrophobia, xenophobia, paranoia and hypothermia into a first rate chiller.

The story is relatively simple. Something crashes in the arctic near a scientific station and Air Force Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) and his crew fly on up to see what is going on. The station is run by Dr. Arthur Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite), who may well be the haughitest scientist on the planet. Just to make things interesting Hendry has a relationship with the good Doctor's secretarial assistant, Nikki Nicholson (Margaret Sheridan, technically the "star" of the film). The group heads out to the crash site, where they find something buried in the ice. In one of the most famous (not to mention inexpensive) special effects shots of all time, the group traces out the shape of the buried object and discover'it is round. When attempts to use thermite to thaw out the space ship only end up destroying it, the crew finds the "pilot" has been thrown clear and frozen in a block of ice, which they obligingly take back to the station and where an electric blanket used so the armed guard does not have to look at that thing in the ice serves as the deus ex machina for getting the creature out and about. Mayhem then ensues. Note: I remember people referring to the Thing (played by James Arness, who avoids monster makeup as the heroic FBI agent in another classic 50's sci-fi film, "Them!") as the "carrot monster" movie because the creature is more like a sentient vegetable than any animal.

Unlike "Them" where the military willingly listens to the nice elderly scientists to get the big bad giant ants, "The Thing" has a more complex socio-political sub-text. Dr. Carrington declares "Knowledge is more important than life" and pontificates about how "There are no enemies in science, only phenomena to be studied." Offering a more objective point of view is Ned "Scotty" Scott (Douglas Spenser), a reporter who came along for the ride and stumbled onto the story of the century, who pointedly asks, "What can we learn from that thing except a quicker way to die?" Thus we have a conflict in the group between the scientists and the military men, although in the end it is Carrington alone who refuses to see the errors of his freethinking ways. But more importantly, Captain Hendry is not the true hero of the piece, and one of the great running gags of this film is that he is always trying to catch up with the plots of his crew, especially Bob (Dewey Martin) the crew chief, whether in regards to finding a way of dealing with the carrot monster or trying to get their captain to settle down with Nikki. Another great thing about this film is that the romantic subplot is one of the most unromantic subplots in movie history, having to do mostly with what may or may not have been said during a drinking engagement on a previous weekend.

This is one of those science fiction films where if you do not love it then you probably have not seen it, although you have probably seen people watching "The Thing" since it pops up in both "Halloween" and "Scream." Not until "Alien" do we have such a superb combination of science fiction and horror, and I would still pick the simple elegance of this 50 year old film over the special effects of Ridley Scott's film. Just compare two scenes from these films to prove by point: the chest-buster scene from "Alien" and the gieger-counter scene from "The Thing." In 2001 "The Thing" was added to the National Film registry, which is a totally appropriate piece of timing. Finally, remember: "Watch the skies, everywhere! Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!"

Terrible
I saw all the wonderful reviews of this "classic" film and decided to go out and buy a copy. Was I dissappointed. Don't let anybody fool you about this film. Perhaps it was good compared to other horror films released in its time but even that is hard to believe. Now, I don't claim to be a maven of the "horror" genre but this film just didn't live up to its expectations. Aside from the fact that I found the plot development to be rather slow and drawn out, the acting really turned me off. I didn't find the acting to be natural as others seem to believe. The acting was so contrived it was disturbing(and not in a horrific way). I felt like the dialogue was rushed and that each character felt they needed to churn out their lines as fast as possible, which really made me nervous listening to it. And in this hurried fashion, the characters interrupted each other often resulting in much of the dialogue being muffled and lost. This was my main concern with the movie. It lacked the emotion and convincing acting necessary to enthrall the viewer in the characters' dillema. One thing's for sure. I'm never watching this movie again.

The scariest movie I have ever seen
This is one movie that really scared me as a kid when I first saw it and still gives me the creeps. I love the actors, dialog, scenery and the story. This movie will give anyone the "willies". Everytime it is on tv I get caught up again watching it. Hollywood cannot make movies like this anymore. The new movies I watch (maybe) once and forget about them. The Thing I can watch over and over. Margaret Sheridan is so cute.

"Keep your eyes on the sky"
The Thing from Another World is a highly entertaining mix of the horror and sci-fi genre with a perfect blend of the two. In the North Pole, a team of scientists reports the crash of an unidentified spacecraft near their base camp. The Air Force sends a team in to investigate what happened. Once there, they find an alien spacecraft, but it is destroyed while they are trying to remove it from the ice. However, the group does find a passenger frozen in ice which they take back to the research laboratories. When the creature accidentaly thaws from the ice, the Air Force pilots and the researchers are in for more than they bargained for. What makes this movie enjoyable is that the Thing is not seen for much of the movie allowing the viewer to imagine what it possibly looks like which makes everything a little more tense and nerveracking. Made on a low budget, The Thing is quickly paced with sharp dialogue that never slows down. A classic sci-fi/horror movies from Howard Hawkes that shouldn't be missed.

Kenneth Tobey stars as Captain Patrick Hendry, the by-the-book, courageous leader of the Air Force team sent in to investigate the crash of the spacecraft. Robert Cornthwaite plays Dr. Carrington, the scientist who wants to preserve the Thing because he holds progress in science above all else. Douglas Spencer plays journalist, Scotty, who wants to break the big news to the world. Margaret Sheridan plays Nikki, the love interest for Captain Hendry. Hendry's crew includes James Young, Dewey Martin, Robert Nichols, and William Self. James Arness of future Gunsmoke fame plays the Thing. The movie also stars Eduard Franz, John Dierkes, Nicholas Bryon, George Fenneman, and Paul Frees. The DVD offers fullscreen presentation and the theatrical trailer. For an exciting, well-made horror/scifi movie, check out The Thing from Another World! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A fun film, with great chemistry between Hudson and Prentiss
My wife loves this film and is a great fan of Rock Hudson. I have long admired Paula Prentiss, so I bought the film on VHS video for my wife three years ago. After watching it twice with my wife since, now that it is available on DVD, I soon plan to add it to our DVD library, as well. It is always great, fluffy and lightweight fun. It seems to improve with each and every viewing and just grows on you. The chemistry between Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss is perfect and she is certainly very easy on the eyes. The supporting cast is also excellent. I can heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a pleasant and entertaining film.

That's a joke, son....
The line, above, taken from the movie, reminds me that often I need to have things explained to me. Let me explain.
I am pretty sure, but not certain, that I saw this movie in high school, when it was released in 1964. At that time, it was simply (and simple) fun. The second time I watched, was MANY years later, out of nostalgia.
However, a strange thing happened as I grew older, continuing to watch it now and again. I became aware of, and appreciative of, how much of the humor in the dialog played against the supposed differences between the way men and women use words, and all that implies. I guess it's not very flattering, but I sometimes think that everything I know about women, I learned from this movie.
Some of the obvious strengths of the movie -- goofy physical comedy, Henry Mancini's droll music, and a fine supporting cast, including the pristine 'Lake Wakapoogee' -- brought me back to this movie a third time. Over time, however, I have come to appreciate the gentle, good-natured fun it pokes at men and women. Did the people involved with this movie intend it to be fun AND thought-provoking? I won't hazard a guess; I'll just be grateful for the joke, and the explanation.
Even if you do not think much of this review, watch the movie anyway, and if you are a curious kind of person that likes to think about things, watch it a second time, twenty years later! (That's a joke son....)

Will someone please give Nancy...
...her medication. I think she may need to up her Zoloft prescription. Try not typing in all capitals Nancy, it makes you look even more unintelligent than you probably are. Of course, on reflection, that may not be possible.

Highly recommended film by the way.

A TALL FISH TALE
A sort of throwback to the screwball comedies of the 1930's. It reminds one of the pairings of Cary Grant and Kate Hepburn such as Bringing Up Baby or The Philadelphia Story. By that as it may, I have watched this film several times over the years and I am repeatedly impressed with the level of comic intensity throughout the narrative. The plot line is simple enough: a fairly solid looking man has great success built on a secret. Rock Hudson has written a well-regarded book on fishing. The secret is Hudson has never been fishing in his life. Along comes Paula Prentiss who corners Hudson into participating in a fishing tournament at her outdoors resort. Of course, in the end Hudson wins the tournament and is exposed for the fraud he is. In spite of being proved to be a fake, Hudson comes out on top and falls for Prentiss as well.

As a story none of this is believable but that is never the point. What we have is a story in which silliness is the point. How we get from beginning to end is where the art is. There is no serious message here which is why this film is as light and appealing now as it was forty years ago. It is also startlingly clean as sex comedies go. There is no foul language and the most "flesh" one sees is a smidgen of panty from an unzipped dress.

We tend to think ourselves as a bit superior about these old movies in that we know Hudson was gay in real life. "Ha Ha Ha. People back then really believed that Hudson would have fallen for Prentiss. .Ha Ha Ha" Well stuff it. Hudson was an actor who wanted to make us laugh. It would be a real tragedy if all we do is laugh at him.

Best Fishes From Rock Hudson
This is a forgotten comic gem from master director Howard Hawks (RIO BRAVO). MAN'S FAVORITE SPORT is a throwback to his early screwball comedies featuring Cary Grant and Kate Hepburn (i.e. BRINGING UP BABY) and even pays homage to '...BABY' recreating a scene from the film. In "...BABY", Kate Hepburn's dress is torn at the back, exposing her undergarments, during a posh dinner party. Cary Grant must walk her out by walking behind her and holding her very close in unison with her every step. Rock Hudson does the same thing with actress Maria Perschy in '...Sport' when her dress is torn and exposing her back undergarments during a fishing lodge dinner party. Rodger Willoughby (Hudson) works at a sporting goods store selling fishing equipment and giving expert fishing advice to patrons and even has "written" books on the subject. However, he has never been fishing and really knows nothing of the sport. He is then entered into a fishing contest at a a resort by the store's publicity director Abagail (Paula Prentiss). When the truth is revealed to her by Rodger, he is entered anyway and must learn the sport along the way and try not to be exposed as a fraud. Naturally, by sheer luck and hilarious comedic circumstances he is able "catch" some fish and win the contest. Hudson, fresh from his bedroom farces with Doris Day is excellent as his character is the victim of all kinds of predicaments brought on by Abagail (Prentiss), who in turn is so annoyingly adorable. Great performances all around with some great support characters, namely Norman Alden (BACK TO THE FUTURE, ED WOOD) as John Screaming Eagle, the so-called lake resort 'Indian' guide, and John McGiver as William Cadwalader as Hudson's boss at the department store. Overall, a film with a funny script,some great sight gags when Hudson is fishing (i.e. the bear on the moped), great cast of supporting characters, great outdoor scenery, and the subject of fishing is a always a plus for any movie. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Timeless comedy
I don't know how many times I've seen this movie since I was a child. And it is still one of my all time favorites. I hope Paramount is making a DVD in the near future, cause my old VHS tape is pretty worn out and won't do it any longer. Although John Wayne is mostly famous for his western movies, he's best in Non-westerns. His exprssion when Martinelli asks him how he likes to kiss is priceless. I LOVE IT!! Howard Hawks was an excellent director and never in the 160 minutes the movie is boring. The action scenes are exciting, the comedy scenes are funny. Don't touch it when you love Stallone or Van Damme, but it is a must when you love Good Old Hollywood!!

How times have changed!
I ran across this movie by accident on late nite TV -- and I loved it! Hatari is East Africa 40 years ago. There's no plot to speak of. John Wayne heads a team that chases down and catches animals to sell to zoos. They carry guns -- but they don't shoot anything; they smoke and drink to excess and eat lots of fatty foods (crab cakes fried in antelope fat!); they drive old beat-up jeeps and land rovers and they don't wear seatbelts -- and when they roll a jeep they pick everybody up and dust them off instead of calling a doctor (or a lawyer); the men are dumb and tough and lovable and honest and the women are smart and competent and sexy and honest -- and they don't have to prove anything to anybody.

There's no way you could make this movie now. These guys lasso real animals -- giraffes and rhinos and zebras -- and wrestle them to the ground and put them in cages. The animals were probably not amused. But Hatari was politically correct in its day. Wayne's team includes a German, a Frenchman, an American Indian, a Spaniard, and an Italian femme fatale and they all get along pretty well. The Africans in the movie are called boys and there's not a hint that they might prefer to be called something else, like Mr. or Sir.

The scenery is marvelous, the photography fabulous, the music cute, the comedy stupid, the love scenes corny, and the animal capture scenes are fascinating. So this is how zoos get their animals....

Hatari is an idealized Africa of Bwanas and boys. Today, I suppose we're safer, happier, healthier, etc., but living in the shadow of Kilimanjaro and chasing animals around sure looks like a lot of fun.

A Duke classic!
Take John Wayne off his horse and put him on the front of a pickup truck, and it's off to the races in this classic film about a group of professional big game hunters in Africa. Wonderful combination of action, comedy and the cast of characters reacting to each other as the storyline develops. The Duke is the undisputed leader of this group of international stars, who are plainly shown to be doing the capture scenes themselves. That adds so much to the film by not using stunt doubles. This is evident in the last capture scene of the rhino as Wayne is plainly shown trying to untangle ropes and move the trapped beast. He stands just mere inches from the horn of the rhino when the beast begins bucking and snorting! Think about this also. Wayne was on the front of the truck doing the capture scenes. That truck could have easily turned over, and the Duke would have been dead 17 years before his time. Raw courage and devotion to his trade! A must see movie for the entire family!

John Wayne Classic
I saw this movie as a kid. I now own it for reasons of it being a good quality dvd and also its significance of it being shot in my home town of Arusha, Tanzania (specially the last scenes).

The comedy is good, though a long movie to watch in one sitting.

The authentic animal chase scenes by John Wayne and team make it worth while including buttons comedy.

Rhinos and Other Horny Beasts in Africa
There's not much this movie doesn't have. Action? Got it. Romance? Yep. Comedy? Check. Wild animals? Naturally. Punching, gunplay, explosions, and rocket blasts? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Hyena bathing and slapstick elephant chases? But of course. Shape-shifting space aliens? Okay, it doesn't have that, but it has everything else and a cast that works well together and isn't overscripted.

The story follows a season in the lives of a team of big game hunters (a catch-and-release group that works for zoos and circuses). A couple outsiders come in and the group dynamic changes; the young girl of the group is suddenly all grown up and a love triangle (later a quadrangle) forms and resolves itself; the group's leader has to choose between letting go of the past or missing the relationship of a lifetime; and then there's the horrible rhino curse that must be broken. In lesser hands, it would all be a "very special episode" of Little House on the Savanna, but Howard Hawks masterfully directs his cast and winds up with some incredible footage of the African plains and its wildlife as well. Add in an excellent score by Henry Mancini, and you are really drawn into the action; the whimsical "Baby Elephant Walk" provides a nice break from the tension - you know nothing bad can happen once the calliope starts up, so just sit back and enjoy the fun.

John Wayne keeps his swagger and drawl mostly in check, but Buttons' physical comedy is a little overeager. Still, the remaining 98% of the film is on target in tone and balance. The scenes between lovelorn Martinelli and Buttons feel genuine, the animal herding and capture scenes feel dangerous, the rhino goring and dislocated shoulder repair feel painful, and your arteries begin to clog at the mention of codfish cakes deep-fried in antelope fat.

This is a great movie to lose yourself in. Just make sure you have a full two-and-a-half hours to spend; once you begin you won't want the action, romance, and comedy to stop for even a minute. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Marilyn's the blonde most gentleman prefer
Not a work of art, but alot of fun, Gentleman Prefer Blondes is one of those movies that is great to curl up with on a rainy day. A comedy with lots of song and dance numbers that show off Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russell to best effect, it is the story of two nightclub performers from Little Rock who set out to snag themselves millionaire husbands. Loralei & Dorothy set sail for France, and become embroiled in on-board hi-jinx, Loralei using her abundant charms to try and entice a rich industrialist to part with his diamonds, and Dorothy dueling with the private detective hired by Loralei's fiancee to keep an eye on her. The usual mishaps ensue, and it all ends happy as would be expected, so don't expect a brain workout, but it is an enjoyable vehicle for the two stars, with lavish costuming and sets all in glorious 1950's colour; and Marilyn & Jane bounce off each other well, getting some witty lines that send up both themselves as sex symbols, and also the maneaters they portray. And of course, there's that classic Monroe moment - the "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" number, which shows Marilyn at her glamourous, iconically beautiful best. Everyone should see that number at least once, and for Monroe fans, Blondes is an interesting example of the dumb blonde roles the studios would have liked to keep her in forever. It's not to everyone's taste - those who don't appreciate Marilyn often find it a bit embarrassing, but perhaps an interest piece for you to try on your own one afternoon if you're curious.

A KISS ON THE HAND.....
An absolute gaudy delight. This wonderful glittering gem of a movie is a Technicolor showcase for the eye-filling talents of Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe as showgirls on the prowl aboard a luxury liner and later in Paris. Based on Anita Loos' story and play, the two ladies work well together and each have showstopping musical numbers---Marilyn's "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" which is now legendary, and Russell's "Ain't There Anyone Here for Love" done around the ship's pool with the "Olympic Drill Team" as background eye candy. They're working out on various equipment and clad in tight flesh colored skimpy shorts that give added lustre to the phrase "Beefcake". How this got past the censors is anybody's guess since it's so homoerotic. Maybe they were too busy keeping an eye on Jane. Anyway, you can't go wrong with this classic. There's not a dull moment to be found. Charles Coburn is a delight as an old rapscallion Monroe takes a liking to because of his diamond mine and a tiara that belongs to his wife that she cons him out of. He's so smitten with her that he's utterly charming. Monroe and Russell are a formidable duo and the film is completely delightful from start to finish. The costumes by Travilla are stunning as well. A must for Monroe and Russell fans. They should have been teamed again. And it's gorgeous on DVD.

Superb production.
Even tough I'm a huge music and film lover. Marilyn Monroe never called my attention and the first time that I saw one of her movies was in 2002 when I saw "How to marry a millionaire" and found it very good and funny. So from that point I started to buy some of her movies. From all her movies my favorites are "How to marry a millionaire" and "Gentlemen prefer blondes".
This movie is fresh and funny. You may think that films from the 50's are boring and well sometimes they are but this movie has that classic effect that makes it remain "young".
The story is about two hot dancers (Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell) that are searching love and money and well Marilyn is desperated also for diamonds.
So on one trip to France by ship they get involved in some problems with men and a diamond tiara.
The movie contains several musical numbers including the classic song "Diamonds are a girl's best friend".

That's Entertainment!
World weary after watching Ted Koppel's reading of the names of all the U. S. soldiers who have died in Iraq-- at least those we have the names of-- I needed a little Christmas in May and found it by watching again this little cotton candy movie. Based on the work by Anita Loos, directed by Howard Hawks and starring Mariyn Monroe and Jane Russell, GENTLEMAN PREFER BLONDES was just what the doctor ordered. With great musical numbers, hooty costumes-- particularly those of Ms. Russell-- and a plot as silly and inane as is humanly possible-- can anyone be so dumb as to think that a diamond tiara goes around her neck-- the film will convince you, if only temporarily, that the world is not going to hell tomorrow in a wheelbarrow. It's interesting to see how much movies got away with in the oppressive 50's as evidenced in the quite sexy number with Ms. Russell and the scantily clad males from the U. S. Olympic Team, her fellow travelers on the boat trip to Paris.

Ms. Russell is no slouch as a comedic actress and gets off some good one-liners here. And Ms. Monroe, though often imitated, will never be equalled for what she was, the epitome of the blonde bombshell. This movie is now over 50 years old and will remain a classic.

Fav
This is my favorite of Marilyn's films. I don't love it just for marilyn as Im a bigger Jane Russell fan and originally got into this film because Jane is in it. But I also like marilyn and find this one of my personal favorites she did. It is a fun film with dazzling cinematography. I love the songs and the whole feel of the film. A MUST buy for any fan of Marilyn or Jane. ... Read more

Description

One deputy (Dean Martin) is a drunk, one (Walter Brennan) is a cripple and another (Ricky Nelson) is an eager, tinhorn kid. But Sheriff John Wayne knows he can count on 'em when the bullets fly. A landmark salute to heroism, directed by Howard Hawks. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

What a bunch of characters
Characters make the movie. Boring character can ruin a good story and interersting characters can make a dull movie fly. Rio Bravo enjoys both a good story, and good characters, with a bunch of fine performances thrown in.

John Wayne gives his usual fine western performance as the Sherif Chance, but it is the people around him that make this movie great. Walter Bermnan as Stumpy does a great job, A very young Angie Dickerson is frankly hotter than she ever was yet she also remains a strong character who stands up for herself and plays off Wayne well. Ricky Nelson is believeable as a young man with more sense than any that has come before him. All of them round the movie well.

Dean Martin as Dude however steals the show. In my opinion this is the movie that makes him a serious player. Dude is clearly the most interesting character of the lot, his own battles with Chance, Stumpy, Burdette and most of all himself makes the movie much more than other westerns. It is clearly superior to El Dorado which takes some doing, and superior to Rio Lobo which doesn't.

Other than his early pairings with Maureen O'Hara I would recommend this picture as the best example of John Wayne in a pure western.

Hawks and the Duke come up with their own "High Noon"
Director Howard Hawks made 1959's "Rio Bravo" because he refused to believe the citizens of a Western town would refuse to help their sheriff protect the town as happened in 1952's "High Noon." So when John Wayne's character of Sheriff John T. Chance needs help in Tucson, Arizona to keep the brother of the local bad guy in jail, he is able to whip up support in the form of his former deputy Dude (Dean Martin), just coming off a two-year bender, Stumpy (Walter Brennan), an ornery old cripple, and Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), a young gunslinger. To add a touch of elegance to the proceedings is Feathers (Angie Dickinson), who knows how to wield a razor and provides the Duke with a little bit of romance. Even though the bad guys capture Dude so they can exchange him for the jailed man, Chance and his comrades are able to save the day, with a little help from some dynamite.

"Rio Bravo" is a significant western in movie history for two reasons. First, this classic film marks the end of the psychological westerns such as "High Noon" and "Shane" which had dominated the 1950s. The point of "Rio Bravo" was to provide entertainment and that it certainly does. Second, it added elements of humor to John Wayne's on-screen persona for the first time. For the rest of his career, most movies with the Duke will find his character having a humorous side (e.g., "McClintlock"). As you can well imagine, there is some singing to be done in "Rio Bravo." Martin does the title tune, sings "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me" with Nelson, who in turn gets to sing Cindy with Brennan. Wayne does not do any singing. In 1967 Hawks and Wayne essentially remade "Rio Bravo" with their film "Eldorado," with Robert Mitchum, Arthur Hunnicutt and James Caan providing the support. While I consider it an enjoyable film, in does suffer in comparison to the original.

Bravo, Rio Bravo
One of the best westerns made at the time. Others have been made more recently that use modern technical skill, but for the time and place, Rio Bravo was the epitome of the western genre and still holds up today. Period!

A Western for everybody.
It seems like I meet a lot of people who don't like John Wayne, and just about as many who don't care for Westerns.

Well, whether you love John Wayne and Westerns, or are lukewarm on both counts, this movie might appeal to you anyway.

A lot of it has to do with Howard Hawks' direction. This classic came from the same guy who gave us "Bringing Up Baby," "The Big Sleep," and "His Girl Friday."

That means quick, witty dialogue, fun characters, and an overall stylishness in the proceedings (the cinematography is alarmingly crisp and colorful).

A cowboy, a crooner and a rockin' teen idol-- these three, Wayne, Dean Martin (in one of his earliest roles after leaving Jerry Lewis), and Ricky Nelson, come together in a way that feels symbolic. To fight off the imminent danger-- and in this film one senses it is hopelessly imminent-- the good guys need to stick close. Dean Martin plays the underdog, a drunk, with just the right touch-- humorous like so many Vegas shows, but with a bit of sadness too. Ricky Nelson looks a little uncomfortable in the saddle, and his lines are a little shaky, but the contrast of his usual persona with this fast-shooting kid makes him fun to watch.

Angie Dickinson is more beautiful than ever in this film and has very good chemistry with John Wayne.

Of course, what really adds the frosting to the cake is the incomparable Walter Brennan, just about the grumpiest old buzzard you'll ever lay eyes on. The spontaneity of Hawks' direction makes him even funnier, and I think Brennan alone moves "Rio Bravo" a notch higher than the successful remake-of-sorts "El Dorado."

I happen to like John Wayne, and a lot of Westerns in general, but I prefer The Duke's persona in this setting rather than those of John Ford. At any rate, it doesn't matter if your favorite film is "The Searchers" or "High Society" (that's mine, actually), "Rio Bravo" is sure to win you over.

Ole Stumpy, The Fellow I Left Behind!
This is, without a doubt, one of John Wayne's best.....the character development just builds and builds throughout the movie until a thrilling climax.
The all-time show stopper in this movie has to be Stumpy (Walter Brennan)...every scene in which he is involved, the scene is essentially stolen from the other players (re-watch and you will see). He is at his best when whining about being stuck in the jail yet always is cowed eventually into doing exactly what Chance (Wayne) wants him to do....except at the end of the movie when he unexpectedly shows up and helps the good guys (hence, the title of this review)!

This is just a fun and feel-good movie pitting good vs. evil and along the way throws in a little humor for relief. This is the first of the trilogy by this director and is the best of the three...but El Dorado is not far behind and Rio Lobo is not anywhere near as bad as it has been depicted. I have all three and when I am needing a John Wayne fix, I can't go wrong with one of these. ... Read more

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Yes, it's true: you can virtually see Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall falling for each other in this Howard Hawks variation on Casablanca but adapted from--as legend has it--Ernest Hemingway's self-declared "worst novel." (The story goes that Hawks told Hemingway he could make a movie of the author's least work, and Hemingway gave him the rights to this story.) The script by William Faulkner and Jules Furthman actually makes this one of Hawks's and Bogart's most interesting and often exciting films. Bogart plays a boat captain who reluctantly agrees to help the French Resistance while wooing chanteuse Bacall. Hoagy Carmichael, wry at the piano, adds a delicious accent to an already wonderful mood. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (53)

HEMMINGWAY'S SAGA HITS THE BIG TIME!
"To Have And Have Not" is the film credited with launching Lauren Bacall's movie career. Under a personal and exclusive contract to director, Howard Hawks - who evidently hoped for a more personal involvement with his young find - Bacall disappointed her mentor by falling for, and eventually marrying, Bogart instead. In the film she plays Marie 'Slim' Browning, a pickpocket and girl about town who crosses paths with Harry Steve Morgan (Humphrey Bogart). He's a sea captain in Martinique who is double crossed by his most frequent fishing patron, Johnson (Walter Sande). However, before Steve can collect on their debt, Johnson is accidentally killed by a stray bullet. But a financial reprieve comes by way of nightclub owner and supporter of the resistance, Frenchy (Marcel Dalio). If Steve can water taxi Frenchy's freedom-fighting friends to safety his pay off will be substantial. Like most of Warner's adventure films of the period, its not the story, so much as the atmosphere that makes up the sum of this film - though in this instance - no less than literary giant, Ernest Hemmingway, was responsible for the framework on which the film's plot is based.

Again, Warner outdoes the competition when it comes to remastering their catalogue of great films for the DVD consumer. The gray scale is outstanding and fine detail is rendered with remarkable clarity. Blacks - for the most part - are black. The stock footage - used during the fishing trip sequence - is obvious, riddled with excessive grain and slightly out of focus rear projection. However, that's to be expected. The rest, as they say, is the stuff that dreams are made of! The audio is MONO but cleaned up and very well balanced.
Warner gives us a featurette that, although short, covers a lot of ground regarding the film's production. There's also a Warner Brothers cartoon and the film's original theatrical trailer.

You can't afford to not have this
I think that the1944 classic "To Have and Have Not", which features one of Humphrey Bogart's best roles as Harry Morgan, the film debut of Lauren Bacall as "Slim" and an excellent supporting role by Walter Brennan as Eddie, Harry's drunk friend, is a great movie. The dialogue in here is sharp and witty, the most famous being said by Slim to Harry: "You know how to whistle, don't you? You just pucker your lips and blow". A personal favorite of mine is Eddie's question to about half the other characters in the film: "Was you ever stung by a dead bee?"

However, while I don't really hold it against this film, a lot of plot elements in here reminded me of "Casablanca" (And, though officially based on Hemingway's novel, some say this was actually a remake of that film). It is mostly in the plot details: Harry Morgan is a refuge from America and refuses to get involved with the work of some Free French fighters. But he eventually decides to but only for the personal needs of himself and another runaway (Slim). Harry, like Ric Blaine, also has to leave at the film's end. The locale of Martinique is a strange and exotic one, much like French Morocco. There is also a club called Hotel Martinique that reminded one a lot of Rick's Café, such as a pianist (A major difference between the two places is that Morgan doesn't own the Hotel and the pianist is caucasian)

But remakes of films are very common and this movie breaks no laws by replicating another movie. I must also say that while this movie is worth watching on video or television, the only one you need to have is the DVD, whenever that'll be released.

An H & H production
The success of this picture was apparently a little embarassing to the legendary director Howard Hawks. He and author Ernest Hemingway cooked it up during a hunting trip, according to Hawks, in trying to make a picture out of the author's novel. They ended up with a story that ends where the novel begins, and a title that has no bearing at all on the movie. Hawks refused to admit the two of them had been influenced by "Casablanca," but that's baloney, the parallels are just too strong. Nevertheless it's a fine picture, like a variation on an earlier theme of music. Bogart and Bacall have their famous meeting, some Vichy French types on Martinique take the gaff, and what is there to say about Walter Brennan, the greatest character actor in American movies? Just another day's incredible work. The real novel was later converted into "The Breaking Point" with John Garfield.

Works because of Bogie and Bacall's chemistry.
In my opinion, this movie's story is not all that interesting or original. As it's been said many times, To Have and Have Not is essentially Casablanca's twin sister, and bares almost no resemblance to the Ernest Hemingway novella. But despite it all, I must say that I prefer this movie as opposed to the other.

What makes this movie so good are three things: the writing, the acting, and the real-life chemistry between the supercouple of the time, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The screenplay has perhaps some of the most clever and memorable one-liners in movie history. In fact, this is the movie that produced the now-cliche saying "You do know how to whistle, don't you...just put your lips together, and blow," as well as the lesser-known but sure-to-bring-chills "It's even better when you help," sdaid after Bacall kisses Bogart. The acting is extremely good, especially since both the leads can be very cold and distant one moment, and very warm and sweet the next. Finally, as this movie will always be remembered for, Bogart and Bacall are clearly falling in love as the story is going, a case of art imitating life. The sexual tension in the beginning can be cut with a knife, while the true love in the middle and end is nothing short of romantic and touching.

To Have and Have Not is a quintissential example of the stars making a subpar story into one of the most romantic films of the era. This is the perfect start in exploring the world of Bogart and Bacall, and perhaps the best of their four films.

The first meeting of this immortal couple
Bogart in his well known of anti hero owner-operator of charter boat in wartime Martinique.
The essential inner values about the freedom however don't tie Bogart with anyone except for himself. The overwhelming presence of Lauren Bacall makes this film a winner match between the growing attraction she awakes in our no land anti hero and the fight against the enemies forces.
This is not precisely a film noir due the happy ending. But the script is dazzling with the Hawks's camera flowing through the viewer.
And instead the fact we are talking about a sixty years movie , this one hasn't got old.
Watch this legendary picture. One of the best works in that year. ... Read more

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The Front Page, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's classic 1928 newspaper play, has had three official film versions and contributed structural DNA to half the movies ever made about professional camaraderie and fierce love-hate friendships. Lewis Milestone's 1931 movie is well respected (Billy Wilder's 1974 version isn't), but this is one case where the remake towers brilliantined head and blocked shoulders above the original.

Howard Hawks had the inspired notion of making Hildy Johnson--the ace newsman whom demonic editor Walter Burns is trying to keep from quitting and getting married--a she instead of a he. What's more, she's not only Walter's star reporter but also his ex-wife. When Hildy (Rosalind Russell) comes to tell Walter (Cary Grant) she's leaving the newspaper business, he bamboozles her into carrying out one last assignment--a death-row interview with a little nebbish (John Qualen) convicted of killing a policeman. It sounds like a snap, but before you can say screwball comedy, the press room of the Criminal Courts Building has become ground zero for all the lunacy a jailbreak, a shooting, an impromptu suicide, a corrupt city administration, and the most Machiavellian "hero" in the American cinema can supply.

His Girl Friday is one of the, oh, five greatest dialogue comedies ever made; Hawks had his cast play it at breakneck speed, and audiences hyperventilate trying to finish with one laugh so they can do justice to the four that have accumulated in the meantime. Russell, not Hawks's first choice to play Hildy, is triumphant in the part, holding her own as "one of the guys" and creating an enduring feminist icon. Grant is a force of nature, giving a performance of such concentrated frenzy and diamond brilliance that you owe it to yourself to devote at least one viewing of the movie to watching him alone. But then you have to go back (lucky you) and watch it again for the sake of the press-room gang--Roscoe Karns, Porter Hall, Cliff Edwards, Regis Toomey, Frank Jenks, and others--the kind of ensemble work that gets character actors onto Parnassus. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Witty and entertaining
(Please note that the DVD version I am reviewing is the Laserlight release that features an additional documentary on the life of Cary Grant as well as an introduction by an even-more-confused-than-usual Tony Curtis.)

With Laserlight you can never predict from the outside case exactly what the quality of the film itself is going to be in. I've watched good quality prints from them in the past, but I've also seen some truly awful releases that aren't worth the plastic that they're pressed on. Fortunately, their version of HIS GIRL FRIDAY is quite excellent, with a crisp picture and a clear soundtrack. Their budget releases are usually worth the risk, and in this case, you end up with a great movie that's quite well preserved and all for a fairly low price.

The movie itself is simply fantastic. The dialogue comes flying at you so fast that'll be afraid to laugh for fear of speaking over the next line. The story itself is also intensely funny, and deceptively dark. What begins as a seemingly light romantic comedy slowly becomes more and more twisted until the final scene, where the reinstatement of the romance subplot reminds us of how far we've come. It's a testament to the skills of the director, Howard Hawks, that the result is not only coherent, but also highly enjoyable. The story flows effortlessly from moment to moment, with each scene being slightly more frantic than the last, yet still together enough to be extremely entertaining.

The acting from the two main leads is also a delight. In the past I had thought of Cary Grant as always playing the same sort of character in every film. Although, you'll see some similarity to other roles that he played, he's incredibly amusing in this film and playing a far more manipulative character than I'd seen him perform. It's a nice change to see the usually easily befuddled Cary Grant actually running rings around the rest of the cast.

As for the DVD extras, they don't distract from the feature, but they won't be the deciding factor in whether you purchase this DVD or not. The included documentary, CARY GRANT ON FILM: A BIOGRAPHY runs about 28 minutes long and consists mainly of random trailers that span Grant's entire film career. It's fairly interesting, although not terribly riveting. The introductory remarks by Tony Curtis are as bizarrely entertaining as always. The film contains Spanish, Japanese and Chinese subtitles, but does not include an option for English, which is a slightly annoying oversight.

In the end, it's not the extras that you should be buying this disc for; it's the wonderful film that's packaged with them. Kick back, relax, and watch the dialog fly across the screen. You'll want to keep the remote control handy so that you can rewind to catch all the great moments that you missed while laughing over them.

which version to buy? There's only one!
OK, we all know that 'His Girl Friday' (aka 'The Front Page') is a terrific movie which belongs in every DVD collection. But there are some really bad, almost unviewable versions out there. Fortunately, I chose the right version, and it's a clean crisp image, tightly-focused sound -- a joy throughout. So if you want 'His Girl Friday', make sure you get the Laserlight DVD version, complete with a Cary Grant biog documentary and an unvelievably hokey intro from Tony Curtis on a bad day. I got the Laserlight disc from Amazon for around $7 -- the really bad dubs other reviewers have complained about from other companies cost more! I've found Laserlight transfers of old films are generally ok -- their cheapie Hitchcock transfers of 'The Lady Vanishes' and 'The 39 Steps' are almost as good as as Criterion in image, though pretty scratchy in sound. For a budget label, they do a good job compared to the absolute garbage put out by Madacy and others. So remember -- 'His Girl Friday' has to be from Laserlight or you're wasting your money and buying something totally unviewable. And no, this is NOT a paid ad! Just trying to steer people towards a good edition of a classic comedy. If Laserlight wants to thank me, they could prepare a DVD edition of my favourite of all Billy Wilder comedies, 'The Major and the Minor' with Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. Love those 1940s comedies!

brilliant film--dreadful DVD
Don't buy this DVD. The sound quality is terrible--a loud hissing noise overshadows the film's trademark fast, witty dialog. $5 seemed a small investment at the time, but I should have saved my money. Surely someday those who own the rights to "His Girl Friday" will release a DVD worthy of this wonderful classic.

Get The Girl
1940's His Girl Friday is a fast-paced comedy from director Howard Hawks that is has brilliant pacing and performances from Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell. The film is based on the play, The Front Page and had been previously made into a film and those versions concern the professional relationship of two men, Walter Burns & Hildy Johnson. In this version they changed the gender of Hildy to a female and the professional tension of the original is replaced by sexual tension. Though it seems tame today, the erotic electricity & innuendo between Mr. Grant & Ms. Russell was quite groundbreaking for the time. The screenplay has been one of the most influential in film history, with Quentin Tarantino citing it as an inspiration for his script's pacing.

VINTAGE SCREWBALL SPARKLES ON DVD FROM COLUMBIA
"His Girl Friday" is Howard Hawk's inspired remake of the award-winning Broadway play and previous movie release of "The Front Page". It's the story of a rapid fire newspaper editor, Walter (Cary Grant) and his star reporter and ex-wife, Hildie Johnston. Hildie has decided to retire to the country with her soon to be new husband (Ralph Belamy). But when a prison break captures the imagination of a troupe of cutthroat reporters, all rabid for the real scoop, Hildie sets aside marital bliss for one last hurrah behind the desk as a cub reporter.
THE TRANSFER: BEWARE OF THIS DVD! There are no less than 12 bootlegged versions of this film being sold through various vendors on DVD. In all but one case the image quality looks as though the entire print had been fed through a meat grinder. The version you want is the one from Columbia Tri-Star Home Video. Its packaging features a disclaimer that reads "mastered from the original camera negative." This version of "His Girl Friday" exhibits - in short - exemplary video quality. The B&W picture has been completely restored. Age related artifacts are nonexistent. The gray scale, black and contrast levels are perfectly realized. Fine detail will astound. There are no digital anomalies. The audio is mono but very nicely cleaned up.
EXTRAS: This version also includes some very nice - if all too brief - featurettes on the careers of stars Rosiland Russell and Cary Grant and the making of the film. There's also the original theatrical trailer.
BOTTOM LINE: This girl is worth seeking out! ... Read more

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Any short list of the all-time greatest Westerns is bound to include this 1948 Howard Hawks classic about an epic cattle drive. Red River features one of John Wayne's greatest performances. Like his Ethan Edwards in John Ford's 1956 masterpiece The Searchers, the Duke plays an isolated and unsympathetic man who is possessed by bitterness. Wayne is Texas rancher Tom Dunson, who adopts a young boy orphaned in an Indian massacre.That boy, Matthew Garth (played as an adult by Montgomery Clift in his screen debut), becomes Dunson's assistant and heir apparent--until Dunson's temper gets out of control during a long cattle drive and Matt intervenes to stop him.From that moment on, Dunson swears he will kill Matt.Red River has everything a great Western ought to have: a sweeping sense of history, spectacular landscapes, stampedes, gunfights, Indian attacks, and, of course, Walter Brennan as Dunson's crusty old cook and comic sidekick, Nadine Groot.As a special bonus, the film also features the legendary Harry Carey (upon whom Wayne would base some of his gestures in The Searchers) and his son Harry Carey Jr., who became a fixture in Ford and Hawks Westerns.Red River is essential for anyone who loves Westerns, or movies in general.This one's a real beaut.--Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (41)

THE cattle-drive movie
Having weighed-in on _The Culpepper Cattle Company_, I have to genuflect at the altar of THE cattle-drive movie-- _Red River_.

This film pre-dates _The Searchers_ by about eight years. The lead character, Tom Dunson, is a sort of prototype for Ethan Edwards. This is John Wayne without sentiment or schmaltz, until the final scene which differs from the story on which the film is based, and which jars a bit.

That being said, _Red River_ still stands as the definitive cattle-drive movie. Wayne/Dunson builds an empire but then must head the herd north on a drive that simply _has_ to get through-- despite conflicts with nature, rustlers, Indians, and between Dunson and his men, including his adopted son, Matthew Garth.

Wayne is cast against his own stereotype as Dunson and comes across as a hard and unlikeable character. Walter Brennan as his sidekick, Groot, nearly steals the show just as he did (again) in Hawk's _Rio Bravo_. Montgomery Clift does a passable job as Matthew Garth, but is outclassed by John Ireland as Cherry Valance, the gunfighter turned cowhand.

The rest of the cast is outstanding. You need only look at the cast list to appreciate the fine ensemble company that Howard Hawks put together for this movie. This is also on of Dimitri Tiomkin's finest musical scores.

Finally, I agree with Maltin on this point: beware edited and abridged copies of this film. Anything less than a 133 minute running time should not be bothered with.

"Take `em to Missouri, Matt!"

A Flawed Western
For an hour and 20 minutes or so, Red River is a great western (even with such embarrassing moments such as Wayne killing the Indian and discovering the bracelet he had given his girl, the stuttering cowboy who is killed in the stampede, etc.). It boasts a stunning Dimitri Tiomkin score, terrific B&W photography by Russell Harlan, a wonderful performance from Montgomery Clift, a powerful (if typically one-note) performance from John Wayne ... and then Joanne Dru enters the story and it basically falls apart from this point on. She is so completely incompetent that she manages to almost sink the film! Her dialogue is, admittedly, terrible (Hawks bragged that he wrote most of it!), but her line readings are so terrible that it just makes the awkward dialogue even more awkward. The ending is absurd, a complete build-up to a deadly collision and it ends up a rather weak fist-fight. Perhaps, had Wayne's performance included emotional shadings, the ending might have worked, but since he is so one-note hard and uncompromising throughout, not for one moment do I believe the final sequence. In the original Borden Chase novel, the character dies at the end. It should have happened here, also (same major flaw in Wayne's The Searchers, too). On top of which, the John Ireland character is built up as a major challenge to Montgomery Clift, but this is simply dropped halfway through. Indeed, the Ireland character is allowed to fizzle out. The auteur theory is what keeps critics from analysing this film from a more objective viewpoint. But it is very watchable and its strengths certainly outnumber its weaknesses.

Black and white sensation!
John Wayne's Red River is one of the most exciting and classical westerns of our century. So, if somebody hates black and white, screw them, it's their problem. Don't even review the product, genius! Alongside The Searchers, this is one of the Duke's landmark films. Also, John Wayne was our ultimate hero, prevailing in every gunfight and every story. His acting AND his strength certainly prevail here. Also filled with action packed gunfights and suspenseful scenes. The ending is fine.
The DVD transfer is nothing special, and somewhat grainy at times. MGM DVDS are not known to be the best DVD makers on the market. To shape up this classic western, expect a Criterion Collection re release and enjoy!

An American Treasure
In the rich history of American film, this piece of work by Howard Hawks makes the short list. It has been used as a template for any filmmaker wishing to make a Western, and further, it is one of those rare pieces of culture by which a society defines itself. If you needed to demonstrate to a foreigner what the American character is all about, you could show them this movie.

As a Western, it certainly has it all: cowboys killing Indians, men leaving women for the call of the trail, gunfights, stampedes, love, betrayal, and finally redemption. It is also gorgeously filmed, beautifully written, and well acted throughout. And finally, it stars John Wayne, an actor that towers over today's crop of male actors like an oak over weeping willows.

This film also stars Montgomery Clift as the surrogate son that eventually challenges Wayne for control of the drive. In terms of acting styles, Clift and Wayne were about as different as two actors could be: Wayne seemed always to act on instinct and charisma, while Clift was one of the young Turks through the 40's and 50's, a proponent of a new style of acting - the method developed by Lee Strasburg (one can easily imagine Wayne giving his crooked sarcastic grin over the very idea of a "school" where young people learn acting). Yet, casting these two together works. By all reports, the two hated each other at the beginning of the production, but had developed an actor's respect for one another by the end of filming. Wayne, after watching Clift in one of his scenes, was quoted as saying something like "damn, that little queer sure can act."

John Wayne, for his part, goes toe-to-toe with the new school of internal acting and more than holds his own. His portrayal of a powerful, unbending man who slowly descends into bitterness and hate is a real treat to watch. His performance was, to use a phrase Wayne would have hated, multi-layered and very, very skillful.

Other performances to watch: the ever-faithful Walter Brennan, one of the greatest character actors of all time, is perfect as Wayne's partner/friend. It is in watching Brennan's reaction to Wayne's increasing dementia that we see how far off track he's gone. John Ireland also is a standout as Cherry Valance, the pistoleer, who is full of casual grace and menace. As if all the above wasn't enough, the great Harry Carey is onboard briefly as Mr. Melville, radiating authority.

Every film lover should own this film and watch it at least once annually.

Every American should treasure it as a source of national pride.

One note: this is one film that simply demands a better DVD treatment. The picture and sound isn't bad, but it isn't widescreen, and there are absolutely no special features. C'mon, Criterion Collections, where are you? --Mykal

Mutiny on the plains
Howard Hawks' 1948 RED RIVER is an ambitious, sprawling, epic western. It's on a number of top-100 lists, and it belongs there.
The movie tells the story of cattle rancher Tom Dunson and the first drive along the fabled Chisholm Trail. It's based on Borden Chase's "The Chisholm Trail"
The movie hits the ground running. Within the first five minutes there's a romantic leave taking, an indian attack and a burning wagon train. The romantic parting of Dunson (John Wayne) and his intended is a key incident in the development of this bitter and hard-driven character. Dunson and Groot Nadine (Walter Brennan), who left the wagon train with Dunson, are joined by a survivor of the massacre, Matt Garth - who, fourteen years later, will become the quick-drawing Montgomery Clift. The shocked boy is leading a cow, Dunson and Groot have a surviving bull, and with this bovine first couple they make for the open land south of the Red River.
Fast forward 14 years and Dunson has 10,000 head of cattle and a depressed, post-Civil War southern economy that can't afford to buy them. They must drive them to Missouri and sell them to the more prosperous northerners or face ruin. During that drive Dunson descends to near insanity and Matt ascends as a moderating influence and, apparently, becomes the only one who can successfully lead the men and cattle to market. Without giving too much away, something happens on the drive that will drastically change Dunson's and Matt's relationship and jeopardize both of their lives.
It's pretty heavy stuff, and John Wayne is rock solid great as the troubled Dunson. This is one of the greatest roles in the career of a sometimes under-rated actor. Montgomery Clift is fine in his screen debut.
Walter Brennan's Groot is a marvel. That guy was such a good actor. Like all good sidekicks, and Brennan was the best, Groot is part court jester and part moral barometer. It helps that he plays most of the movie without his upper teeth in, too. Brennan was always better when his mouth was half empty.
There are some images that will stick with you for a while. Thousands of cattle crossing the Red River, a midnight stampede with a couple of hair-raising rescues. And there's a neat little bit with an angry John Wayne striding down a long street crowded with cattle - Wayne doesn't break stride, of course, and the cattle move out of his way like a longhorn Red Sea parting for an angry Moses.
For the most part the script is well written, and there's enough amusing scenes (usually including Brennan) to keep the whole thing from collapsing under it's own weight.
For instance, when Dunson and Matt are deciding who's to go along on the drive, Dunson excludes Groot (bum leg.) Groot mutters to himself like a live-action Popeye while Dunson and Matt continue their conversation. A distracted and exasperated Dunson finally says:
Dunson: What are you saying? I can't understand you. Where's your store teeth Matt bought you?
Groot: They're in my pocket.
Dunson: Well, why don't you use them?
Groot: 'Cause they whistle. I use them for eating.

Then there's the Joanne Dru character, Tess Millay. It doesn't help that her first appearance occurs in the third scene. One hour and forty-one minutes into the 2:20 movie, by my clock. My guess is the scriptwriters didn't want to clutter up the action with a romantic subplot until absolutely necessary. Fair enough, but it means that Millay's and Matt's romance has to be telescoped severely. Basically they meet, fall in love, and part in a day. It stretches an audience some. Worse, Dru as an actress simply wasn't right for the part.
One of her character traits, as written, is to talk and keep on talking when something worries or frightens her. She does this to negligible effect. It's a role that seemed to have been custom written for Jean Arthur, who always could blabber on to good effect, who could always drop her voice down to a husky purr or have it emit an abrupt squeak for maximum dramatic effect. Unfortunately Arthur was nearly fifty when this movie was made, so I guess casting her as a romantic lead opposite the young Clift would have, uh, added an strange and unwelcome dimension to the movie. Dru, in one of her earliest roles, just doesn't have the chops to carry off the role convincingly. All things considered, I think this piece of miscasting is more Hawks' fault that anyone elses. Anyway, I shaved a point off because of it.
I don't normally notice bad transfers, but there are a few dark night scenes in RED RIVER that look like someone lit a Fourth of July sparkler. And, less forgivable, my new factory-sealed-from-a-reputable-national-outlet retailer did NOT contain the advertised four page booklet. Finally, I've played the movie twice so far, and each time the start up menu screen doesn't appear until AFTER the movie is over. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

A GREAT 1960'S WAYNE WESTERN!
Paired with Robert Mitchum, El Dorado is essentially a remake of Howard Hawks' earlier Rio Bravo (with writer Leigh Brackett updating her own script). John Wayne, instead of sheriff, plays an aging gunman, who is getting too wise for the game. Robert Mitchum, as the drunken sheriff, takes over the role of the drunken Dean Martin, and James Caan is the fresh faced greenhorn last played by Ricky Nelson (thankfully, Caan doesn't sing). Hawks and Brackett take their time in setting up this story, giving Wayne and Mitchum plenty of backstory, before the stand-off in the town of El Dorado.

In this movie, Thornton is offered a job by land grabber Ed Asner to take out the Sheriff of El Dorado and run the rightful landowners off their land. Thornton refuses and instead goes to El dorado to help his friend against the other gunmen Asner hired led by Nelse McCloud played by regualr Wayne Co-Star Christopher George.

Caan plays Mississippi a young man who cannot use a gun and is given a sawed off shotgun as his weapon. Arthur Hunnicut plays Bull and essentially takes over the role that Walter Brennan played in "Rio Bravo".

The movie has a great deal of action as well as humor as Wayne and Caan and Hunnicutt attempt to sober up the sheriff. Wayne and Mitchum had great chemistry together and even though the Duke was aging, still commands the screen in this movie.

Lots of fun.

The best Wane flick
This is my all-time favorite John Wayne flick. Most lists I see list "The Searchers" as the best, but I disagree. This is essentially a reworking of "Rio Bravo", but you get better co-stars here with Robert Mitchum and James Caan. Plus you don't have the unrealistic sing-a-long that occurs in the middle of "Bravo"

In this movie Cole Thornton (Wayne) is a hired gunman in town to help out in a range war. Before he goes out to meet his new boss, Bart Jason (Ed Asner), he meets his old buddy J. P. Harrah (Mitchum). Harrah convinces Thornton that he'd be fighting for the wrong side.

Later, Thornton is in another town, where he meets up with Nils McCloud (Christopher George), who is off to El Dorado to take the job Thornton turned down. McCloud tells Thornton that Harrah is now a hopeless drunk, so of course, this being a Wayne flick, Thornton has to ride to the rescue.

Along the way he is accompanied by Alan Bedillian Traherne ("Yeah, that's why most people call me 'Mississippi'.") and Bull (Arthur Hunnicut). The end is a shootout worthy of the name.

A Very Entertaining Western
EL DORADO has a lot of good elements such as an interesting story, gripping suspense and above all excellent acting. Besides John Wayne in the role of a professional gunfighter and Robert Mitchum as the sheriff of El Dorado, the film has a strong supporting cast which includes James Caan, Charlene Holt, Paul Fix, Arthur Hunnicutt, Michele Carey and John Mitchum. The latter is the younger brother of Robert Mitchum. In this movie John plays a bartender. He has more than 200 movie and TV appearances to his credit as well as stints as a singer and song writer.

Robert Mitchum can play a drunk trying to cope with a hongover as well as anybody in movies. Howard Hawkes is best remembered for his direction of SERGEANT YORK.

I always thought that EL DORADO deserved a high rating even though it failed to receive any Oscar nominations in 1967. The Academy award competition in that year was dominated by BONNIE AND CLYDE, THE GRADUATE and IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.

ONE OF WAYNE'S BETTER 1960'S WESTERNS
El Dorado is basically a remake of 1959's Rio Bravo with Robert Mitchum playing the Dean Martin Role and James Caan playing the Rick Nelson role as a young gunman. The Trio are joined by Mitchums deputy "Bull" in trying to protect a family of rancers from an evil land baron trying to run them off their land.

It's classic Wayne with lots of humor mixed in with the action. Wayne and Mitchum were very good together and Mitchums scenes playing the drunken sheriff are very funny.

Ed Asner plays the evil land baron with Christopher George as his hired gunslinger who wants to challenge the older Wayne to see who is faster on the draw.

Not as good as Rio Bravo but better than Rio Lobo which was basically yet another re-make of the same plot.

Decent remake
I got the feeling that Hawks was sitting around one day wondering what movie to make next when he happened upon the Rio Bravo script and, as a joke, suggested making it all over again. The movie execs, sniffing money, said why not and so El Dorado was born.

Wayne reprises the Wayne part, Mitchum the Martin, Caan the Nelson and Hunnicutt the Brennan. Wayne is noticeably older and paunchier and doesn't quite have the chemistry with Mitchum that he had with Martin but it's not a bad effort. Hunnicutt's deadpan delivery is almost as amusing as Brennan's moaning and shrieking. James Caan is a better actor than Nelson if perhaps not so easy on the eye.

Buy both movies, watch both and love both. ... Read more

Description

L.A. private eye Phillip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case...and a trail peopled with murderers, porographers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more.Humphrey Boart plays Raymond Chandlers' legendary gumshoe and director Howard Hawkes serves up snappy character encounters (particularly involving Lauren Bacall), brisk pace and atmosphere galore in the certified classic. ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Not To Be Missed!
If you haven't already seen THE BIG SLEEP, buy this DVD now! If you have, but don't own this DVD release, buy it now! Why? Both the 1946 classic and the pre-release 1945 edit are on this disc. The differences are quite interesting. The 1946 version shows Bogart (as Philip Marlowe) as the epitome of "Cool" in every situation, even when he has a gun pulled on him or is getting beaten up. Lauren Bacall comes off much better in the 1946 version as well, as she shows the spark that was seen in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT. The 1945 version has a few scenes cut from the 1946 version which are quite good, and is actually a little easier to follow. Whichever version you watch, THE BIG SLEEP is one of the greatest movies ever in the "Film Noir" or detective "Murder Mystery" genres. The disc also includes a documentary on the making of the film, and the differences between the two versions, which is very interesting. The picture and sound quality are actually quite good, as any flaws in the picture are so minor that they would not be noticed unless you're watching for them, and not watching the movie itself. As stated before, if you don't already own this DVD, BUY IT NOW! It's a classic movie and an outstanding package!

A Detective Masterpiece
This film is absolutely mesmerizing, a masterpiece full of sharp dialog and a plot so complex not even Raymond Chandler could tell you who commited one of the murders. Bogart is Detective Philip Marlowe and from the moment he arrives to talk to General Sternwood and gets mixed up with his daughters this is a film classic.

Bacall is the sultry older sister, but it is sexy and thumb sucking little sister Martha Vickers he meets first. As he tells Sternwood, "Yeah, we met. She tried to sit in my lap and I was standing up". This is all about gambling debts and murder, all of which leads to Eddie Mars and Carmen (Vickers). But there are more twist and turns here than a rollercoaster, and it moves just about as fast. If you blink, you better rewind this tape and start over.

Howard Hawks made a masterpiece here. It is the finest straightforward detective novel ever put on celluloid. William Faulkner adapted Raymond Chandler's greatest literary achievement for Hawks and the whole thing is filmed as a fast moving dream of dialog and images hard to forget. One critic likened it to a huge hangover. That is a perfect description of this film.

Bogart's Marlowe has his hands full trying to keep Carmen out of trouble she may already be in to deep to get out of, and the sparks between he and Bacall may just ignite if he can figure out a way to keep the fast rising body count from getting any higher while keeping himself alive. Bacall has never been more beautiful or inviting than when she is slumped down in the seat of Bogart's car, just waiting for him to kiss her.

You have to see this film to really appreciate it. You'll never see anything else like it in American cinema. Pick up this one as soon as you can.

Wild and Cool
A movie so relentlessly all over the map and incomprehensible, it has to be seen to be believed. Closely adapted from Chandler's equally confusing private eye noir thriller. Bogart and Bacall are just plain cool. The flick captures the time and place perfectly. Every word, every inflection, every move, the clothes, the cars, the places and attitudes are all just right and utterly cool. Buy this and The Maltese Falcon and put em right next to each other on your shelf. Gotta have this on DVD.

Smokey Style
Raymond Chandler's LA was peopled with the flotsam of human kind, a white kind. Though there may have been black or Mexican-Americans in LA in the forties,I didn't see any in this otherwise interesting film. There seems to be an almost stylish,white, even literary criminal class wandering Laurel Canyon Drive. The bad ladies are dressed and the men are suited. Ties are knotted and tight. Even the head gangster seems to be a sensitive soul. Drugs, murder, and classy dames, shut your trap! The film's a classic and so is Bogey.

Side A Has the Sizzle. Side B Has the Steak.
What a rare treat. To have both the theatrical release of The Big Sleep as well as the pre-release version on one DVD is a film-lover's dream.

If you're not familiar with the story behind these two versions, there's a nice documentary on the DVD that explains it. Briefly put, Lauren Bacall is at her sultriest on Side A of the disc (the version that made it into theaters); Side B has some scenes that do a better job at fleshing out the plot, but at the expense of some of Ms. Bacall's glamour.

My advice is watch the pre-release first: It fills in a couple of gaps left open by the inclusion of re-shot Bogie & Bacall scenes in the official release. Then you don't have to worry about anything distracting you from their on-screen chemistry.

There is some film degradation present in this release. While it is nice to have this preserved on DVD, hopefully AFI or some other group will make preservation and restoration of this movie a priority.

In a future release of The Big Sleep it would be nice to have a hybrid version of the movie. That way we could have the re-shot Bacall scenes from the theatrical release along with the more expository scenes from the pre-release (Marlowe searching Geiger's house, Marlowe meets the D.A., etc.). It would be a slightly longer film, and film purists might disagree, but I think it would truly be the best of both worlds.

In the meantime, get this DVD. You'll love it you're a movie-history or -trivia buff, and if you're not maybe it'll make you one. The worst it could do is class up your DVD collection a notch or two. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

I can't give you anything but love, Baby!
Number 19 on AFI's Top 100 Comedies?? Are you joking? This is the best screwball comedy in the history of film. The dialogue is amazingly fast; the movie demands multiple viewings to get all of the jokes. Of course, Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are very nice to look at and play their parts perfectly (Hepburn's voice and LAUGH did annoy me the first time I watched it, but she grows on you). The supporting characters are hilarious - they're all old pros, and you can tell. Walter Catlett, who taught Hepburn slapstick timing, especially stands out as Constable Slocum.

Buy or rent this movie to experience the perfect screwball comedy.

MADCAP SCREWBALL COMEDY...
This is a terrific, old fashioned, madcap, screwball comedy. Deftly directed by Howard Hawkes, the pace is frenetic from the get-go and never lets up. Starring Cary Grant, as a straight-laced paleontologist, and Katherine Hepburn, as an impulsive and beautiful heiress, this film is simply about as good as comedy gets.

The plot itself is simple. David Huxley (Cary Grant), a noted paleontologist, is trying to get a philanthropical grant of money for his museum from a wealthy donor. In his quest for this charitable gift, he runs into Susan (Katherine Hepburn), who, unbeknownst to him, is the niece and prospective heiress to his potential philanthropist's fortune. Once David meets up with this madcap heiress, his life will never be the same.

The film is noted for its highly improbable situations, its rat-a-tat-tat, stacatto delivery of lines, its frenetic pacing, and impeccable comedic timing. Toss in a missing dinosaur bone, a little dog with a fondness for such, a domesticated leopard (if there is such a thing), a not so tame leopard, a great cast and script, and voila, one ends up with a great film!

Cary Grant is marvelous as David Huxley, the straight-laced, befuddled man of science who is drawn into improbable situations by Susan. Katherine Hepburn is sensational as Susan, the airhead heiress whose hair-brained ideas just lead to trouble. Of course, Susan falls for David, and the games begin. In addition to Cary Grant and Katherine