{"id":8316,"date":"2009-07-16T12:42:33","date_gmt":"2009-07-16T19:42:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=8316"},"modified":"2023-09-16T10:13:59","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T17:13:59","slug":"rio-lobo-1970","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=8316","title":{"rendered":"Rio Lobo (1970)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;What you did was an act of war; but selling information &#8212; that&#8217;s treason, rotten treachery for money.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Poster-161x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"161\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-59279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Poster-161x300.jpg 161w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Poster-69x128.jpg 69w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Poster-145x270.jpg 145w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Poster.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 161px) 100vw, 161px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nShortly after the Civil War is over, a Yankee colonel (John Wayne) joins forces with two Confederates (Jorge Rivero and Chris Mitchum) in confronting a corrupt rancher (Victor French) who betrayed his platoon during the war.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Howard Hawks Films<\/li>\n<li>John Wayne Films<\/li>\n<li>Ranchers<\/li>\n<li>Revenge<\/li>\n<li>Westerns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nHoward Hawks&#8217; final film is traditionally viewed as the informal &#8220;third part of [his John Wayne] trilogy&#8221;, preceded by <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=13027\"><em>Rio Bravo<\/em> (1959)<\/a> and <em>El Dorado<\/em> (1966) &#8212; and while Peary argues that it&#8217;s &#8220;still quite entertaining&#8221; despite not being &#8220;as strong or complex&#8221; as either of these two earlier films, I disagree. Immediately after a rousing, finely crafted opening sequence &#8212; in which a team of Rebs carry out an elaborate act of sabotage against a gold-carrying Union train by creatively using hornets, smoke, and rope &#8212; the film quickly becomes rather boring &#8220;good guys against bad guys&#8221; western fare, with some obligatory romance and broad humor thrown in. Making matters worse is that none of the supporting actors are particularly convincing or interesting: former-model Jennifer O&#8217;Neill (playing a vengeful, hot-spirited townswoman) is simply annoying: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-1024x570.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"356\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-59282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-1024x570.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-1536x855.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-485x270.png 485w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-ONeill.png 1821w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and Jorge Rivero is surprisingly uncharismatic as her French-Mexican love interest and Wayne&#8217;s right-hand man. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-1024x568.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"355\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-59283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-1024x568.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-1536x852.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-487x270.png 487w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Rivero.png 1829w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Wayne (who was already suffering from the cancer that eventually killed him) seems to be mostly walking through his scenes. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-1024x573.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-59286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-1024x573.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-1536x859.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne-483x270.png 483w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Wayne.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In his review, Peary spends a substantial amount of time analyzing Wayne&#8217;s character, who he notes comes across as &#8220;less of a superman&#8221;, &#8220;less dominant than in early films, and mellower&#8221;, &#8220;more of a father figure than a leader&#8221; &#8212; but it&#8217;s difficult not to interpret these characteristics as merely symptomatic of his personal exhaustion, and perhaps a weariness with the type of cliched roles he was being asked to play again and again (throughout his lengthy career, he starred in nearly <em>250<\/em> movies &#8212; of which no less than 36 are listed or discussed in Peary&#8217;s book!). Howard Hawks completists and\/or fans of Wayne will likely be curious to check out this rather pedestrian western, but all-purpose film fanatics needn&#8217;t bother. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The initial train sabotage sequence<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-1024x577.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"361\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-59284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-1536x865.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2-479x270.png 479w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Train2.png 1827w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-1024x572.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-59285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-1536x857.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography-484x270.png 484w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/Rio-Lobo-Cinematography.png 1815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; despite its historical significance as Hawks&#8217; last film, this one isn&#8217;t must-seeing viewing. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0066301\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/rio-lobo-1970\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/18943\/rio-lobo#articles-reviews?articleId=158619\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/rio-lobo\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What you did was an act of war; but selling information &#8212; that&#8217;s treason, rotten treachery for money.&#8221; Synopsis: Shortly after the Civil War is over, a Yankee colonel (John Wayne) joins forces with two Confederates (Jorge Rivero and Chris Mitchum) in confronting a corrupt rancher (Victor French) who betrayed his platoon during the war. Genres: Howard Hawks Films John Wayne Films Ranchers Revenge Westerns Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: Howard Hawks&#8217; final film is traditionally viewed as the informal &#8220;third&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=8316\"> 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":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8316","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=8316"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91668,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8316\/revisions\/91668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}