Supposedly John Ford agreed to make this film in exchange for the go ahead on "The Quiet Man" that followed, also starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara and Victor McLaglen. For my money, Ford was right--"The Quiet Man" is the better film, by far.
But "Rio Grande" is not a bad film. It is somewhat formulaic--like many of its type. The usual formula is: *Establishment of story within a western fort that house cavalry, surrounded by savage Indians. The fort is run by a strict officer and includes an Irish Sergeant. *A woman is introduced to the story, with subsequent romantic involvement. *Action scenes involving conflict with the Indians, preferably set in the environs of stark and beautiful terrain that is now a national park.
"Rio Grande" has all that. It also includes enough music that this film might be classified as a musical. The fort, luckily, has its "regimental singers" and a military band that could rival a philharmonic.
Colonel Kirby Yorke's (John Wayne) son is played by Claude Jarman, Jr., only four years removed from his emotional, rookie role in "The Yearling". He holds his own and even performs his own horse riding stunts.
One thing this film has going for it is horsemanship. Tragically, two stuntmen drowned while filming a river crossing, but the riding in this film is second to none.
The acting, in general, is good. Wayne seems in his prime and O'Hara shines, though the film is in B&W.
But "Rio Grande" is burdened by a script that is sometimes disjointed, that treats Indians as little more than evil nuisances (as most westerns do), and includes a number of anachronisms.
Watch "Rio Grande" for its sentimental ballads and lusty folk songs, its majestic cloud formations, and one interesting plot twist regarding why the two lovers split some fifteen years before.
This movie is a mixed bag, so I can only rate it 6/10.
But "Rio Grande" is not a bad film. It is somewhat formulaic--like many of its type. The usual formula is: *Establishment of story within a western fort that house cavalry, surrounded by savage Indians. The fort is run by a strict officer and includes an Irish Sergeant. *A woman is introduced to the story, with subsequent romantic involvement. *Action scenes involving conflict with the Indians, preferably set in the environs of stark and beautiful terrain that is now a national park.
"Rio Grande" has all that. It also includes enough music that this film might be classified as a musical. The fort, luckily, has its "regimental singers" and a military band that could rival a philharmonic.
Colonel Kirby Yorke's (John Wayne) son is played by Claude Jarman, Jr., only four years removed from his emotional, rookie role in "The Yearling". He holds his own and even performs his own horse riding stunts.
One thing this film has going for it is horsemanship. Tragically, two stuntmen drowned while filming a river crossing, but the riding in this film is second to none.
The acting, in general, is good. Wayne seems in his prime and O'Hara shines, though the film is in B&W.
But "Rio Grande" is burdened by a script that is sometimes disjointed, that treats Indians as little more than evil nuisances (as most westerns do), and includes a number of anachronisms.
Watch "Rio Grande" for its sentimental ballads and lusty folk songs, its majestic cloud formations, and one interesting plot twist regarding why the two lovers split some fifteen years before.
This movie is a mixed bag, so I can only rate it 6/10.