I have read the user's comments about Rio Bravo. Frankly I can't understand how is it possible that most of them say this is a "Masterpiece" or "Hawk's Best" or "Great Movie" or "Still One of the Best" and a lot of similar opinions.
The story is rather interesting and could have done a great movie, but it has so many terrible flaws that turns into a B western (and that being generous). Lets see:
1) John Wayne is always John Wayne. He doesn't really act (except perhaps in his two best westerns "Stagecoach" and "The Shootist") both really good. 2) Sheriff John T. Chance looks always as if he knew the script is on his side and he'll come out well no matter what. 3) Ricky Nelson looks exactly like a comic magazine cowboy, totally out of place and surely someone told him about the happy ending too. And we also are forced to listen to his singing! 4) The movie is too long and with plenty of hard to believe sequences. 5) Most of all the final shooting that is really incredible and impossible. Wayne, Martin and Nelson engage in a shooting contest hitting small dynamite bars not only when static on the floor but moving rapidly through the air far from them. Wayne does it with a rifle (difficult enough) but Martin hits them with a six shooter without even aiming!! I can assure you also that dynamite bars don't blow off when hit by a bullet, a spark is always needed. The whole sequence is absolutely ridiculous, more proper of a "spaghetti" western and definitely sinks the film to the bottom.
My 4 points rank for Rio Bravo comes out of acceptable setting and good performances by Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan and Dean Martin (shortly after breaking his comedy partnership with Jerry Lewis). Fine music too. But that aside, nothing at all to match the great westerns of the 50's we enjoyed through the decade (High Noon, Shane, 3:10 to Yuma, Gunfight at OK Corral, The Gunfighter and so many others). In fact, I think Hawks himself realized the movie was really poor and spoiled, so he made "El Dorado" within a short period of time; though almost a remake of Rio Bravo and not a top western either El Dorado has not the terrible flaws and ridiculous sequences we saw in Rio Bravo and is a far better movie.
Don't you agree?
The story is rather interesting and could have done a great movie, but it has so many terrible flaws that turns into a B western (and that being generous). Lets see:
1) John Wayne is always John Wayne. He doesn't really act (except perhaps in his two best westerns "Stagecoach" and "The Shootist") both really good. 2) Sheriff John T. Chance looks always as if he knew the script is on his side and he'll come out well no matter what. 3) Ricky Nelson looks exactly like a comic magazine cowboy, totally out of place and surely someone told him about the happy ending too. And we also are forced to listen to his singing! 4) The movie is too long and with plenty of hard to believe sequences. 5) Most of all the final shooting that is really incredible and impossible. Wayne, Martin and Nelson engage in a shooting contest hitting small dynamite bars not only when static on the floor but moving rapidly through the air far from them. Wayne does it with a rifle (difficult enough) but Martin hits them with a six shooter without even aiming!! I can assure you also that dynamite bars don't blow off when hit by a bullet, a spark is always needed. The whole sequence is absolutely ridiculous, more proper of a "spaghetti" western and definitely sinks the film to the bottom.
My 4 points rank for Rio Bravo comes out of acceptable setting and good performances by Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan and Dean Martin (shortly after breaking his comedy partnership with Jerry Lewis). Fine music too. But that aside, nothing at all to match the great westerns of the 50's we enjoyed through the decade (High Noon, Shane, 3:10 to Yuma, Gunfight at OK Corral, The Gunfighter and so many others). In fact, I think Hawks himself realized the movie was really poor and spoiled, so he made "El Dorado" within a short period of time; though almost a remake of Rio Bravo and not a top western either El Dorado has not the terrible flaws and ridiculous sequences we saw in Rio Bravo and is a far better movie.
Don't you agree?