I found the movie 'Rio Bravo' (1958) in the new $4.00 bin at Wal-Mart a few nights ago. Among the $4.00 DVD finds were 'God's & Generals' and 'Last Man Standing'. How cool is that?
Last night I watched Rio Bravo for the first time in a long time. The disc was released by TCM, and ol' Ted was more than generous with plenty of special features. Among the Special Features was an interview with Howard Hawks who talked about his entire career.
In the interview Hawks revealed that Rio Bravo was a response to Fred Zinnemann's 'High Noon' (1952). Both Howard Hawks and John Wayne did not like the idea of a sheriff (played by Gary Cooper) going around begging townspeople for help when the bad guys were coming to town. There is a scene in Rio Bravo where Ward Bond's character tries to offer help to John T. Chance (John Wayne). At that point in the picture, all Chance had standing with him was his alcoholic friend (played by Dean Martin) and an old man with a bad leg (played by Walter Brennan). Chance refused help from his friend, even though he was out numbered. Chance wanted seasoned professionals - not well meaning amateurs that would just get themselves killed. Chance opted for professionals - in spite of their obvious disadvantages.
Another difference is that 'High Noon' used tons of close-ups. It is after all the movie that Sergio Leone was heavily influenced - started using all those extreme close-ups for his spaghetti westerns. Howard Hawks used very few close-ups in Rio Bravo - two in fact. Both movies are polar opposites in approach - yet both movies I consider pretty darn good.
High Noon wasn't the only movie to influence Sergio Leone. Leone requested Ennio Morricone to compose "Dimitri Tiomkin music" for 'A Fist Full of Dollars'. If you remember, it was the haunting sounds of the trumpet being played down the street at the cantina in Rio Bravo - the same lone texture applied to the dollar films.
Another interesting thing about this film is that even though this is a John Wayne vehicle - the story evolves around his right hand man Dude (Martin). In Rio Bravo, bigger than life John Wayne, plays a supporting role in a movie in which he has top billing. John T. Chance gives his old friend The Dude a second chance. Chance pushes his friend to sober up so he can man up to a tough predicament. There's a lot of tough love going on in this picture. It's recovery the cowboy way.
6 comments:
Still one of my all-time favorite Westerns. I never get tired of it. I'm with Hawks on this one. For me, High Noon was more a Cold War parable--or something--than a Western. It was a psychological Western drama (then coming into vogue), but one viewing and I'm done. If I catch Rio Bravo on, I can't help it, I keep watching. I'm especially fond of the scene when Chance is cornered, Feathers (Angie Dickenson) tosses the flowerpot through the window, and Colorado (Ricky Nelson) tosses Chance his gun and they take down the bad guys.
That was a great scene Brook.
You ought to go pick up a copy of the DVD - if only for the Howard Hawks feature. Hawks said about High Noon, "I didn't think a good sheriff was going to go running around town like a chicken with his head off asking for help, and finally his Quaker wife had to save him. That isn't my idea of a good western sheriff." John Wayne shared Hawks strong feelings about this picture. They both also disagreed with the political statement of the High Noon.
I like High Noon because of the story's unusual rhythm. The way in which it was shot, slow - intense build until that train finally pulls into the station. It is excellent story telling.
Rio Bravo is a better film - layered characters and storyline. Also, I like movies about redemption. Dean Martin was great in this movie.
How can you not love a man with a scatter gun?
Just aim in the general direction and shoot - it's that easy!
Remember the scatter gun that Mississippi used in Hawk's remake of Rio Bravo - El Dorado? I like El Dorado, but wondering why Howard Hawks wanted to tell the story again - and again with Rio Lobo (Hawk's last picture to direct). Maybe it's the same reason Hollywood keeps churning out those Die Hard movies - same story - different settings. There's good money in it I suppose.
I do have fond memories of El Dorado. I clearly remember the day Brook and I rode the green city bus down the mountain to see it on the big screen at The Pitman.
We are all old enough to remember going to see newly released John Wayne flick. How cool was that?
I love John Wayne. In my opinion...Dude and Stumpy make this movie for me. I love Ricky Nelson as well...but it's all Dude and Stumpy for me. Even though I own a copy myself....everytime this movies on AMC..I watch it. I don't mind the commercials either. Definitely one of our favorites...
Ricky Nelson seemed a little stiff in his roll - but he held his own nevertheless. This is noticeable to me because Ricky was always so at ease on his family's television show.
Angie Dickinson said that Ricky was very nervous on set because he was among these Hollywood legends.
Ricky was a big teenage heart-throb back then and his name on the bill had just as much draw as John Wayne.
This movie is so much fun. Heck, I even like it when Ricky and Dean sing together. It was a different era in movie making.
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