Overview
MOVIEmeter: 
Down 12% in popularity this week. See
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Release Date:
26 August 1948 (USA)
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Tagline:
Greatest Spectacle Ever!
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Plot:
Dunson is driving his cattle to Red River when his adopted son, Matthew, turns against him.
full summary |
full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars.
Another 1 win
&
2 nominations
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Crew verified as complete
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The River Is Red (USA) (working title)
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Runtime:
133 min
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
During production, many members of the cast and crew caught illnesses and injuries.
Howard Hawks was hospitalized for several days after being stung by a centipede.
John Wayne caught a severe cold.
Joanne Dru suffered from influenza.
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Goofs:
Anachronisms: When they are driving the cattle and go to the aid of the wagon train, a communications mast can be seen on the hill in the background of one shot of the five horsemen. The next shot is a closer view of one rider and the mast can be seen even more clearly.
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Quotes:
[
Groot loses his false teeth to Quo in a poker game]
Groot Nadine:
Now wait a minute, Quo. You really ain't gonna take a man's only set of teeth, are you?
Quo:
Uh huh.
Groot Nadine:
Yeah, but I gotta use 'em for eating!
Quo:
Come grub, you get 'em.
Groot Nadine:
What are you gonna do with 'em.
Quo:
My name now Two Jaw Quo.
Groot Nadine:
Two Jaw Quo. That's what I get for playing with an injun.
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Soundtrack:
Settle Down
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Related Links
I was the "first kid on the block" to purchase a VCR, way back in the late 60's...the RCA VBT200...no timer, no remote, no nothing! Paid $1200.00 for it (Canadian funds!)and ALL my friends told me I was nuts. I TRIED to tell them that, eventually, everybody would own a VCR but was shouted down. In any case, Red River was the first movie I taped and, deleting commercial breaks, I was ecstatic to have a Hollywood movie on hand to watch whenever the urge arose. And WHAT A MOVIE!!! I agree with earlier comments re John Wayne...who usually just played John Wayne. In THIS one, and "The Searchers", however, the director got one helluva performance out of the Duke. Also, the second movie performance by the tragical Montgomery Clift...so "pretty" in the Mohammed Ali sense that I virtually fell in love with him myself, even though I was a "straight" teenaged boy. From the opening credits, with that almost Wagnerian music by Dmitri Tiomkin, this movie (shot in 1946 and held 'til 1948 for release...I forget why)should be compulsory viewing for the brain-dead Hollywood moguls of today. Actually, there are no "moguls" left...they're all bottom-line money men who wouldn't know a good movie if they saw one..."Let's check the demographics, guys, and fill those multiple screen outlets with brain-dead teens (not really their fault as products of our so called progressive p.c. education system)and make a TON of money!" My age is showing...back to the movie. If you haven't seen it, be prepared for a LONG sojourn. This isn't brain candy...it's an allegorical treatise on the impetuousness of youth vs. the inflexible values of pioneer stock. In the end, BOTH are told to cut themselves some slack, by the "gun-totin" Joanne Dru. In summary, a Great Western, and to get back to the Duke, an amazing performance by a 39 year old made up to look like a 60 year old...and he pulled it off! The respect/fear combo of his hired trailhands is almost Shakespearian, and a tribute to the screenwriter/s and director Howard Hawks. If you've never seen it...do yourself a big favour and rent this little classic!