That's the main reason why some are western authentic lovers may not prefer this one compared to for instance THE SEARCHERS, another masterpiece, directed by John Ford, and set in superb settings, as a real western would suppose to be. But RIO BRAVO remains an outstanding character study and symphony, a terrific atmosphere, and a very good Dimitri Tiomkin score, but unfortunately with a unsurprising scheme, that could easily be written on a subway ticket, and of course a more than expected ending. Yes, most scenes of this Howard Hawks feature take place indoors, except some street sequences. That may disturb western lovers, because most of westerns give breathtaking settings. This one, not. But that remains a must see for every movie buff. And that's not Quentin Tarantino who will tell the contrary. Nor John Carpenter. The most performance of Hawks was to make a so captivating film, with such a simple topic, and fill the two hours and twenty minutes without any boredom for the audiences, simply with the characters presence. Forget the villains, who are totally useless here. A classic anyway.
Review of Rio Bravo
