Wayne's character Dunson foreshadows his Ethan Edwards character in "The Searchers". One might say "Red River" goes one better by showing how Dunson's dark side develops.
I can't believe how many reviews complain about the ending of "Red River". The ending of "The Searchers" is very similar right? Yet no one complains about that ending.
Possible Spoiler:
Other reviewers have wondered how is it possible that Dunson kills Cherry just before his showdown with Garth and no one, not even Garth seems to care. I wondered about that too. In a careful viewing of the gunfight between Dunson and Cherry, Cherry is wounded but not killed! He is propping himself on the ground and others come to his aid. They are still around him in the background as Dunson tries to provoke Garth.
I think "Red River" is one of Wayne's best. It's remarkable when you consider that it was filmed in 1946. Compare it to the film Wayne did just before it; the mediocre "Dakota".
"Red River" was really the film that made John Wayne, not "Stagecoach". John Ford didn't give Wayne meaty starring roles till after "Red River". Wayne's great movies like "Wake of the Red Witch", "The Quiet Man", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" & "The Searchers" all came after "Red River".
The cast in "Red River" was uniformly great. You expect good acting from Montgomery Clift, John Ireland and Walter Brennan. but look at the little roles; the Indian with the false teeth, the Irishman with his funny hat; even that tall geek who started the stampede by stealing sugar. He never made another movie but he nailed his little part.
I thought Joanne Dru was fine. Her big scene where she offers to bear Dunson a son was well done. If I'd been Dunson, I would have given up the revenge thing right there.
One cliché that's always bothered me is the Indian attack on the wagon train. In every movie I've seen of a wagon train attack, the Indians always gallop in a circle shooting into the wagon train. Wouldn't they run a risk of shooting a fellow brave on the opposite side? And why do they always gallop clockwise?
I can't believe how many reviews complain about the ending of "Red River". The ending of "The Searchers" is very similar right? Yet no one complains about that ending.
Possible Spoiler:
Other reviewers have wondered how is it possible that Dunson kills Cherry just before his showdown with Garth and no one, not even Garth seems to care. I wondered about that too. In a careful viewing of the gunfight between Dunson and Cherry, Cherry is wounded but not killed! He is propping himself on the ground and others come to his aid. They are still around him in the background as Dunson tries to provoke Garth.
I think "Red River" is one of Wayne's best. It's remarkable when you consider that it was filmed in 1946. Compare it to the film Wayne did just before it; the mediocre "Dakota".
"Red River" was really the film that made John Wayne, not "Stagecoach". John Ford didn't give Wayne meaty starring roles till after "Red River". Wayne's great movies like "Wake of the Red Witch", "The Quiet Man", "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" & "The Searchers" all came after "Red River".
The cast in "Red River" was uniformly great. You expect good acting from Montgomery Clift, John Ireland and Walter Brennan. but look at the little roles; the Indian with the false teeth, the Irishman with his funny hat; even that tall geek who started the stampede by stealing sugar. He never made another movie but he nailed his little part.
I thought Joanne Dru was fine. Her big scene where she offers to bear Dunson a son was well done. If I'd been Dunson, I would have given up the revenge thing right there.
One cliché that's always bothered me is the Indian attack on the wagon train. In every movie I've seen of a wagon train attack, the Indians always gallop in a circle shooting into the wagon train. Wouldn't they run a risk of shooting a fellow brave on the opposite side? And why do they always gallop clockwise?