What a classic!

Man, this has got to be one of the best Westerns I've ever seen. In fact, with the exception of one weak scene involving Joanna Dru (who I actually liked up until her final speech), this perfect film is as good a candidate as any for the title "Best Western Ever Made".

Even by modern standards, Red River still works, and the story and performances are timeless. John Wayne is so often stereotyped as a "bad" actor and I (for one) am really sick of it. He's incredible in this movie, as is Montgomery Clift and the wonderful Walter Brennan (noone will ever play a lovable old coot like he did). The direction is exceptional, with many brilliant uses of montage to emphasize the excitement and danger of cattle drives.

This film is a joy from start to finish, its a shame the message board is virtually empty. This movie deserves much more attention...I love The Searchers dearly, but while that film may be one of the best FILMS ever made, Red River is in many ways the more complete, satisfying WESTERN.

In any case, you'd be hard pressed to find a Western that is "better" than Red River. The reason for this is simple: there isn't one. This is the gold standard.

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