Red River

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Red River

Released Sep 30, 1948

2h 13m

Western

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Popcornmeter

100%

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32 Reviews

87%

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5,000+ Ratings

Headstrong Thomas Dunson (John Wayne) starts a thriving Texas cattle ranch with the help of his faithful trail hand, Groot (Walter Brennan), and his protégé, Matt Garth (Montgomery Clift), an orphan Dunson took under his wing when Matt was a boy. In need of money following the Civil War, Dunson and Matt lead a cattle drive to Missouri, where they will get a better price than locally, but the crotchety older man and his willful young partner begin to butt heads on the exhausting journey.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Red River contains everything a western should have and throws in a few things more.

Jun 20, 2019

Full Review

James Agee

TIME Magazine

It is a rattling good outdoor adventure movie.

Feb 27, 2018

Full Review

Keith Phipps

The Dissolve

Hawks directs the film with his typical assurance and seeming lack of fuss, letting scenes play out in long takes, and framing the action against vistas that often dwarf the actors.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 2, 2014

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The opposition of acting styles is electric: laconic elder statesman [John] Wayne wearing his character like buckskin, dominating the screen as upstart method actor [Montgomery] Clift’s intensity burns a star right next to him.

Feb 4, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

“Red River” stakes its claim as a true classic of the Western genre.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 24, 2022

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

For all the film's practicality and attention to detail, Red River is also an extraordinary story less concerned about propelling a standard Hollywood spectacle than its own interconnectedness with American identity.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 14, 2022

Full Review

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Dallas H

It is with old-school Western movies like this one that I enjoy the genre. Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan are doing what they can to keep the genre going, bless their heart.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

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Insomniac X

Epic, immersive tale of a long and desperate cattle drive. Howard Hawks skillfully uses the story's human drama to explore themes of perseverance, leadership, and family bonds, as isolation and adversity test the men's grit and character. John Wayne's rugged Texas rancher evokes Captain Ahab as he obsessively and tyrannically pursues his goal. Montgomery Clift is effortlessly charismatic as his young protege, while Joanne Dru adds dimension to the story as the tough-talking Hawksian love interest.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

Full Review

David F

This is considered a great Western and it has John Wayne and plenty of cattle to show for it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

Full Review

Jelisije J

Arguably the greatest Western of John Wayne legendary Western film career. its not the most action pack because the real heart of story is about a father and his son.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/25

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Eduardo F

Pew. pew. Pew. pew. Pew. What a movie!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/17/24

Full Review

Alec B

Easily one of the greatest westerns ever made. Unlike a lot of these films from the era, it never really engages in sentimental mythmaking about "The West" as it is often brutally honest about how violence is exercised to assert dominance. Also, the barely coy homoerotic tension between Clift and Ireland is truly something to behold.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

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Howard Hawks

Director

John Wayne

Thomas Dunson

Montgomery Clift

Matt Garth

Walter Brennan

Groot Nadine

Joanne Dru

Tess Millay

Coleen Gray

Fen

Red River: Official Clip - Comparing Guns

1:53

Red River: Official Clip - Indian Raid

3:05

Red River: Official Clip - A Costly Stampede

3:02

Red River: Official Clip - Every Time You Turn Around

1:29

Red River: Official Clip - Showdown

3:51

Red River: Official Clip - Don't Ever Trust Anybody

2:01

Red River: Official Clip - Don Diego's Land

2:46

Red River: Official Clip - Who'll Stop Me?

2:54

Red River: Official Clip - Punishment by Whip

2:25

Red River: Official Clip - Mumbling Groot

1:16

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Synopsis

Headstrong Thomas Dunson (John Wayne) starts a thriving Texas cattle ranch with the help of his faithful trail hand, Groot (Walter Brennan), and his protégé, Matt Garth (Montgomery Clift), an orphan Dunson took under his wing when Matt was a boy. In need of money following the Civil War, Dunson and Matt lead a cattle drive to Missouri, where they will get a better price than locally, but the crotchety older man and his willful young partner begin to butt heads on the exhausting journey.

Director: Howard Hawks
Producer: Howard Hawks
Screenwriter: Borden Chase, Charles Schnee
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., United Artists
Production Co: Monterey Productions
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 1948, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 11, 2010
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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