Rio Bravo

Starring: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, John Russell
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Western, Drama
1959

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) must protect the town jail from being stormed by a gang to release the captive brother of one of the bad guys.

Review:

Tim: Without a doubt, this is one of the best (and quite possibly The Best) Western of all time. This is an absolutely terrific movie. It is one of the most enjoyable films I've ever seen. I loved every second of it.

Director Howard Hawks has a near-perfect script to work with, and assembles a flawless cast, all of whom give knockout performances. Has John Wayne ever been better than Sheriff John T. Chance? Sure he's had more to do, but this role required restraint and the ability to interact with an impressive cast. The Duke pulls this off marvelously. Dean Martin gives the best performance of the film, and one of my all time favorites. He is so likeable and so enjoyable, every second of screen time is like a gift. Ricky Nelson adds in a good but small performance, and Walter Brennan flirts with stealing every scene from the rest of the cast.

I think I love this movie so much because it is so different from the wide, sweeping epic Westerns that we are so used to seeing. This is a small, beautiful film that uses its size to its advantage. This is not some monumental epic, but a small tale of a sheriff, his alcoholic deputy, a cripple deputy, and an unproven newcomer, who stand up to evil men when it counts. This is one of the greatest Westerns of all time, and it would be unheard of for anyone not to enjoy this film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: El Dorado, Rio Lobo