Yes, there's that ending - but in general the movie (great as it is in many respects) suffers from overlength. It takes much too long to get the drama going, so a bit tighter editing of the opening half hour would have been welcome.
That said, in many ways it sums up many of the best features of the western genre, and Clift and Wayne make for a compelling onscreen duo.
If you watch enough westerns then you know that certain ones excel at painting a picture of life in the old west. The Big Trail does it for pioneering, Stagecoach does it for riding the stage across the windswept plains, and Red River does it for cattle driving. The characters are good and Wayne does a good job of playing one of his more grumpy and twisted roles. I have to agree the end was a bit of a let down for me. You could kind of see it coming but it could have been drug out a little bit with some more drama between Wayne and Montgomery before everything is peaches and cream.
Wayne does a good job as a mean son of a bitch, Clift similarly good as his adopted son driven to do the right thing at odds with his filial duty. Brennan does his "sassy old coot with no teeth" shtick, of course. The long shots of a thousand cows crossing plains, rivers and valleys are suitably impressive. There are some memorable moments, some strong dramatic scenes, and an impressive amount of tension built up throughout only for that to be thrown away in the final two minutes. Quite a disappointment, especially having just read that the screenwriter always planned at the end of the film for
Matt and Tess to carry Dunson over the river back onto Texan soil where he dies from his gunshot wound
, something Hawks refused to shoot. Sometimes the director isn't right. Can't help but wonder what Anthony Mann might have done with the script.
Although I agree the ending was weak, I think it was in keeping with the characters of both Wayne and Clift. Any other ending involving the death of either one at the hands of the other would have sent the movie in a whole new direction. Besides, John Wayne could never be that cruel!!
i was really enjoying it until tess showed up, then i knew it was going to go downhill. romance wasn't needed in this film and neither was that terrible ending.
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Gunness
Yes, there's that ending - but in general the movie (great as it is in many respects) suffers from overlength. It takes much too long to get the drama going, so a bit tighter editing of the opening half hour would have been welcome.That said, in many ways it sums up many of the best features of the western genre, and Clift and Wayne make for a compelling onscreen duo.
Alfredo Garcia
"There are only two things more beautiful than a good gun: a Swiss watch or a woman from anywhere. Ever had a good... Swiss watch?"DisneyStitch
If you watch enough westerns then you know that certain ones excel at painting a picture of life in the old west. The Big Trail does it for pioneering, Stagecoach does it for riding the stage across the windswept plains, and Red River does it for cattle driving. The characters are good and Wayne does a good job of playing one of his more grumpy and twisted roles. I have to agree the end was a bit of a let down for me. You could kind of see it coming but it could have been drug out a little bit with some more drama between Wayne and Montgomery before everything is peaches and cream.stexdo
Good western and Wayne plays a great character!sureup
I agree, it's a good film but the ending is pretty weak.dombrewer
Wayne does a good job as a mean son of a bitch, Clift similarly good as his adopted son driven to do the right thing at odds with his filial duty. Brennan does his "sassy old coot with no teeth" shtick, of course. The long shots of a thousand cows crossing plains, rivers and valleys are suitably impressive. There are some memorable moments, some strong dramatic scenes, and an impressive amount of tension built up throughout only for that to be thrown away in the final two minutes. Quite a disappointment, especially having just read that the screenwriter always planned at the end of the film forTypically Thomas
It's good but I agree it's too slowcorchap
takes a good woman to talk some sense into two men beating each other upcubesofspinach
He looks fetching through this whole film.caley
Montgomery Clift looks rather fetching on that cover.ClassicLady
Although I agree the ending was weak, I think it was in keeping with the characters of both Wayne and Clift. Any other ending involving the death of either one at the hands of the other would have sent the movie in a whole new direction. Besides, John Wayne could never be that cruel!!george4mon
i was really enjoying it until tess showed up, then i knew it was going to go downhill. romance wasn't needed in this film and neither was that terrible ending.nicolaskrizan
Man!http://1001movies.posterous.com/948
Skyscore
http://www.afisha.ru/movie/170203/review/146456/