Red River: Difference between revisions

A 1948 movie starring [[John Wayne]], the first [[The Western|Western]] directed by ([[Howard Hawks]]). Perhaps the ultimate [[Cattle Drive]] movie, it is based on the novel ''The Blazing Guns of the Chisholm Trail'' by Borden Chase, which was previously serialized in the ''[[Saturday Evening Post]]''. Remarkable as the first movie in which John Wayne played a character with greater depth, an aging man, and a larger-than-life borderline [[Ubermensch]]. On first seeing it, [[John Ford]] famously commented: "Hey, the S.O.B. can act!" Ford would go on to use Wayne in a similar way in ''[[The Searchers]]'' and it is perhaps significant that critics have likened the Duke's character in both these films to Captain Ahab from ''[[Moby Dick]]''. Originally Howard Hawks wanted to cast [[Gary Cooper]] in the lead, but Cooper demanded the screenplay be changed in order to make his character more sympathetic, so Hawks offered the part to John Wayne instead. Which turned out a good thing, because not only could Wayne teach Hawks a thing or two about filming Westerns, but he also was instrumental to get the budget doubled to 1.5 million dollars.