{"id":42366,"date":"2019-02-01T22:56:54","date_gmt":"2019-02-02T05:56:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=42366"},"modified":"2024-06-30T12:38:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-30T19:38:08","slug":"rio-grande-1950","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=42366","title":{"rendered":"Rio Grande (1950)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;To my only rival &#8212; the United States Cavalry.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Poster-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Poster-1-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-42369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Poster-1-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Poster-1-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Poster-1.jpg 661w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA cavalry officer (John Wayne) placed on the Texas frontier to defend the state against Apache attack is distressed to see his son (Claude Jarman, Jr.) &#8212; recently denied entry to West Point &#8212; showing up as a recruit. Trooper Jeff (Jarman, Jr.) is followed by Wayne&#8217;s estranged wife (Maureen O&#8217;Hara), who has come to bring her son back home &#8212; but events quickly lead to both her brave men being needed on the front.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ben Johnson Films<\/li>\n<li>Cavalry<\/li>\n<li>Father and Child<\/li>\n<li>John Ford Films<\/li>\n<li>John Wayne Films<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Maureen O&#8217;Hara Films<\/li>\n<li>Native Americans<\/li>\n<li>Victor McLaglen Films<\/li>\n<li>Westerns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis third entry in John Ford&#8217;s unintentionally conceived &#8220;cavalry trio&#8221; &#8212; after <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=111\"><em>Fort Apache<\/em> (1948)<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=52846\"><em>She Wore a Yellow Ribbon <\/em>(1949)<\/a> &#8212; features John Wayne and Maureen O&#8217;Hara in the first of their five on-screen pairings, followed most memorably by their rocky romance in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32128\"><em>The Quiet Man<\/em> (1952)<\/a>. Things are already pretty contentious in this earlier film, however, with the craggy environment mirroring Wayne and O&#8217;Hara&#8217;s strained marriage &#8212; apparently caused by Wayne&#8217;s extreme commitment to his career, as well as the fact that a sergeant (Victor McLaglen):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1397\" height=\"1031\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen.png 1397w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen-1024x756.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen-768x567.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-McLaglen-366x270.png 366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1397px) 100vw, 1397px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; under Wayne&#8217;s command set torch to O&#8217;Hara&#8217;s property in Shenandoah during the Civil War (!?). None of this quite makes sense as a reason for the couple&#8217;s long-standing challenges, especially when it&#8217;s so obvious they really love each other:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple-768x569.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Couple-365x270.png 365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Indeed, the entire storyline feels like simply an excuse to show off some cool horsemanship moves and to regress into once again presenting Indians as faceless, alcoholic warriors ready to be killed off <em>en masse<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians-768x569.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Drinking-Indians-365x270.png 365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The cinematography is gorgeous, though, especially in Blu-Ray. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Maureen O&#8217;Hara as Kathleen (nominated as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in Peary&#8217;s <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-OHara.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-OHara.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-OHara.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-OHara-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-OHara-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-OHara-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>John Wayne as Lieutenant Colonel Yorke<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Wayne.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Wayne.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Wayne.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Wayne-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Wayne-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Wayne-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Bert Glennon&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography4.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography4-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography4-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography4-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography3.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography3-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography3-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography3-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography2.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography2-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography2-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography2-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grande-Cinematography-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fun footage of Cavalry horsemanship<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grand-Horsemanship.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grand-Horsemanship.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"972\" height=\"720\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-42374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grand-Horsemanship.png 972w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grand-Horsemanship-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grand-Horsemanship-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Rio-Grand-Horsemanship-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; this one is only must-see for Ford completists. <\/p>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0042895\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/classic\/riogrande.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s3918rio.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;To my only rival &#8212; the United States Cavalry.&#8221; Synopsis: A cavalry officer (John Wayne) placed on the Texas frontier to defend the state against Apache attack is distressed to see his son (Claude Jarman, Jr.) &#8212; recently denied entry to West Point &#8212; showing up as a recruit. Trooper Jeff (Jarman, Jr.) is followed by Wayne&#8217;s estranged wife (Maureen O&#8217;Hara), who has come to bring her son back home &#8212; but events quickly lead to both her brave men&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=42366\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42366"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98190,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42366\/revisions\/98190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}