Red River
1948 · Movie · 133 min · ★ 7.3 · 98% critics
After the Civil War, a stubborn rancher pushes to lead a dangerous cattle drive from Texas to Missouri. As the journey grinds on, his adopted son challenges his harsh control, turning endurance into a tense clash of wills.
Also known as Blazing Guns on the Chisholm Trail · The River Is Red
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Details
- Years
- 1948
- Release date
- 1948-09-17
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 133 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 98/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (592 votes)
- Budget
- $2,700,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy Red River if you want an epic, tense Western about a cattle drive and a battle of control, with big action and strong performances; Not for you if you dislike long, grueling journeys or want an ending that feels fully earned like The Searchers or Rio Bravo.
Pros: epic cattle-drive tension; standout Wayne-Clift clash; memorable action setpieces | Cons: uneven story focus; divisive conclusion; pacing can lag
Themes
- texas
- kansas, usa
- cattle drive
- revenge
- black and white
- cattle
- adopted child
- cattle empire
- 1850s
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Story · 1949 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Film Editing · 1949 · nominated
Cast & crew
John Wayne
as Thomas Dunson
Montgomery Clift
as Matthew Garth
Joanne Dru
as Tess Millay
Walter Brennan
as 'Groot' Nadine
Coleen Gray
as Fen
Harry Carey
as Mr. Melville
John Ireland
as Cherry Valance
Noah Beery Jr.
as Buster McGee
Harry Carey, Jr.
as Dan Latimer
Chief Yowlachie
as Quo
Directed by Howard Hawks