Rio Bravo

1959  NR  WESTERN  2h 21min

CAST— John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, John Russell, Claude Akins, Bob Steele

MUSIC— Dimitri Tiomkin  DIRECTOR— Howard Hawks  BASED ON— Rio Bravo (story), by B. H. McCampbell

     The Duke and Dino unite in this classic Western brimming with action and drama. Sheriff John Wayne captures a young man whose family never forgives, never forgets. Wayne waits for the onslaught, holing up in the jail with a deputy (Dean Martin) who wears another hat: he’s also the town drunk. A plucky, feather-wearing gal (Angie Dickinson) and a young ranch hand (Ricky Nelson) provide backup for Wayne and Martin, as does a mean-spirited, kind-hearted Walter Brennan. Martin and Nelson even get to croon a few during the lonesome hours. Entertaining, though a somewhat melancholy oater. Two remakes followed, both starring Wayne, both from director Howard Hawks. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.

OUR RATING— ***

REMADE AS— El Dorado (1967), Rio Lobo (1970)