Tag: Red River
-
Howard Hughes’ Lost Battle: The Oscar-Nominated John Wayne Western That Defied Suppression
Although John Wayne starred in many of the greatest Westerns of all time, Howard Hawks’ 1948 epic Red River stands chief among them. Although Red River featured stunning visuals that made it enthralling on an aesthetic level, the film was significant because of its darker analysis of capitalistic greed, toxic masculinity, and the inherent violence…
-
Red River’s Intriguing Dynamics: Montgomery Clift’s Debut Amidst Affection and Guns
In 1946, when he was cast opposite John Wayne in Red River (the film’s release would be delayed until 1948), Montgomery Clift was 26 years old. As was common in those days, Clift spent years making a name for himself onstage, appearing on Broadway from the age of 15. Red River was his first movie…
-
John Wayne’s Rescue: How His Role in ‘Red River’ Averted a Filmmaking Disaster
While the story about Tom Dunson, a determined rancher who turns into a horse-riding Captain Ahab during a harrowing cattle drive from Texas to Missouri, was crammed with action and intrigue, it proved tonally problematic for Hawks’ star. Gary Cooper had made several films with Hawks and many Westerns prior to “Red River,” but he…
-
How Did John Wayne Describe the Movie, and Why Did He Compare It to “Alcoholic Orgies”?
In the dusty world of the films of the old west, there’s one leading man who possesses the sheer prowess to dominate all those who would come to take his mantle: the towering and inimitable John Wayne. With some of the most memorable star performances Hollywood has ever known, Wayne is a true icon of…
-
Red River: How Howard Hughes Battled John Wayne’s Oscar-Nominated Masterpiece
Howard Hughes Accused Howard Hawks of Plagiarism Hawks is one of the most significant Western directors, and Red River challenged preconceived notions about heroism with its subversive depiction of a major historical event. The film examines America’s first cattle drive through the perspective of the Texas rancher Thomas Dunson (Wayne) and the trail hand Nadine…
-
Spaghetti Western Revolution: Clint Eastwood’s Gritty Transformation Under John Wayne’s Watch
Movie star John Wayne was no stranger to Westerns. He starred in some of the greatest films ever to grace the genre, but he also starred in his share of war and drama movies. Wayne talked about the importance of Westerns to moviegoing audiences when the genre was at its peak. Fans of all ages…
-
Lost in Time: The Unseen Twist in a John Wayne Western’s Alternate Ending
No Western onscreen feud surpasses the fiery father-son conflict between John Wayne’s tyrannical Thomas Dunson and Montgomery Clift’s groundbreaking performance as independent-minded Matthew Garth in Howard Hawks’ 1948 masterpiece, Red River. But nestled within the film’s enduring legacy there is a secret in its saddlebag — an alternate ending lost for years and only recovered…
-
Scandalous Beginnings: John Wayne’s Start in ‘The Big Trail’ and the Shocking Label of ‘Alcoholic Orgies’
In the dusty world of the films of the old west, there’s one leading man who possesses the sheer prowess to dominate all those who would come to take his mantle: the towering and inimitable John Wayne. With some of the most memorable star performances Hollywood has ever known, Wayne is a true icon of…
-
The Struggles of Hondo: John Wayne’s Stormy Temperament and the Harsh Realities of Filming
Through his starring roles in westerns and war movies during the golden age of cinema in America, John Wayne became a cultural icon. His performances in the epic western The Searchers, as well as Rio Bravo, True Grit, and Red River, are probably what the actor is best known for, but Wayne also had a…
-
Untold Stories: The Shocking Episode of John Wayne’s On-Set Bullying During ‘Hondo’ Production
Through his starring roles in westerns and war movies during the golden age of cinema in America, John Wayne became a cultural icon. His performances in the epic western The Searchers, as well as Rio Bravo, True Grit, and Red River, are probably what the actor is best known for, but Wayne also had a…