Rio Grande (1950)

Written by John Chard on May 29, 2019

More artistry from the maestro.

The final piece of John Ford's cavalry trilogy is a fine portrait of the old west and the soldiers who operated at that time. Much like She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, this film continues with the central theme of human focus, getting close and real to what makes these folks tick, all laid out on Ford's wild frontier portrait.

This offering throws up a number of emotions by splicing Western staple conventions. We have a special war time romance (the excellent John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara), a fair dash of humour (hats off to Ben Johnson), and some delightful tunes brought to us by Sons Of The Pioneers. But ultimately it's the realistic feel to the film that makes it so special. There is no overkill of the subjects, it is painted as hard grind, not all whooping in the air and shooting the enemy - with the camera work from Ford able to bring it all vividly to life. What we ultimately get is a post civil war tale that looks great and beats a sound and true heart. 8/10

Footnote: The whole trilogy isn't for those seeking out good old shoot 'em ups in the Wild West, it is for those looking for involvement into a past that has long since gone, but thankfully one that is kept vividly alive by such directing masters like Ford.