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Red River

Red River

Western · Drama · Adventure · 1948

Following the Civil War, headstrong rancher Thomas Dunson decides to lead a perilous cattle drive from Texas to Missouri. During the exhausting journey, his persistence becomes tyrannical in the eyes of Matthew Garth, his adopted son and protégé.

Movie details

Red River

1948 Western · Drama · Adventure 2h 13m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

Following the Civil War, headstrong rancher Thomas Dunson decides to lead a perilous cattle drive from Texas to Missouri. During the exhausting journey, his persistence becomes tyrannical in the eyes of Matthew Garth, his adopted son and protégé.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Red River?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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El Dorado

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Howard Hawks

Written by

Borden Chase · Charles Schnee · Howard Hawks

John Wayne

John Wayne

Thomas Dunson

Montgomery Clift

Montgomery Clift

Matthew Garth

Joanne Dru

Joanne Dru

Tess Millay

Walter Brennan

Walter Brennan

'Groot' Nadine

Coleen Gray

Coleen Gray

Fen

Harry Carey

Harry Carey

Mr. Melville

John Ireland

John Ireland

Cherry Valance

Court is in session

Put Red River on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.