River of No Return

TV-PG

Released Apr 30, 1954

1 hr. 31 min.

Western

List

57%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

54%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

After serving a prison sentence, farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) returns to his 19th-century Pacific Northwest gold rush town and retrieves his adolescent son, Mark (Tommy Rettig). Meanwhile, goodhearted barroom singer Kay (Marilyn Monroe) is heading downriver with her boyfriend, Harry (Rory Calhoun), to explore a potential gold claim. When their raft sinks, Harry robs Matt of his gun and horse to continue without Kay on land. Sailing downriver toward the claim, the trio plan their revenge.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Apr 13

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent River of No Return on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Don S

Beautiful cinematography, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum, and villain Roy Calhoun. Simple little story, done well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Very good movie starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe highly recommend it James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas, August 23, 2023

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/23/23

Full Review

James P

For its time this is a great little movie, good cast, story, and directing; I watch this at least once every year or so.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/10/23

Full Review

david f

This film has got really spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies, which is almost worth the cost of admission alone. The story is nicely integrated into the landscape, scenery, and setting, with an epic voyage over river rapids to register a claim to a gold mine. Lots of western cliches in this one - gun fights, Indians, and landscapes - but handled in a very entertaining way. Plus Marilyn Monroe singing and dancing. This is a great studio film.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Liam D

A great but overlooked Western This Adventure is a quick but entertaining watch

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/09/21

Full Review

matthew d

A pleasant Western with Marilyn Monroe! Otto Preminger's Western romance drama River of No Return (1954) is a delightful piece of cinematic history. I loved seeing Marilyn Monroe singing romantic songs for the musical portions in a Western. Her dramatic part is very touching and she has a fun rapport with the tough family man Robert Mitchum. They almost have chemistry, except for my biggest gripe with River of No Return. Preminger's direction keeps you focused on the characters developing their romance, but I just cannot believe that they kept in the pointless near rape scene. How is Marilyn Monroe supposed to fall in love with the nicer guy Robert Mitchum if he tried to assault her and it's immediately brushed off. They're so proud of this gross, dated, and tasteless sequence that it is the centerpiece of the film's poster! I just don't understand what it was supposed to accomplish as the rest of the movie is about love developing naturally and for deep reasons instead of shallow motivation like beauty or money. Marilyn Monroe is as breathtaking as cinematographer Joseph LaShelle's ultra wide Cinemascope shots of Canada's Rocky Mountains in the background. I was captivated by Marilyn's beauty in the wilderness, even during the perilous rapids on the river sequence. Travilla's blue jeans and white blouse costume for Marilyn look as gorgeous on her as the fancy singer dresses. She's playful, compelling, and sincere the entire time. It's Marilyn's innocence that sells how her sweet character Kay Weston could fall for such an obvious treacherous gambler and selfish thief like Rory Calhoun's villain Harry Weston. Calhoun is great at portraying a shifty sleaze. Robert Mitchum's hero Matt Calder feels like he could be a farmer in that time with his deep, slow drawl and words of wisdom. I wish he won more of the fights in River of No Return, but it's ultimately about him teaching his son real values rather than toxic male macho attitudes. He has many great interactions with Marilyn when they're just talking about life, morals, and dreams. Tommy Rettig is excellent as the little boy with his genuine interest in Marilyn, guns, and his father. In all, Otto Preminger gave us a solid Western, that I wish he had cut the sexual assault scene for a perfectly beautiful adventure.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Otto Preminger

Director

Robert Mitchum

Matt Calder

Marilyn Monroe

Kay Weston

Rory Calhoun

Harry Weston (gambler)

Tommy Rettig

Mark Calder

Murvyn Vye

Dave Colby (prospector)

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

58%

65%

Love Me Tender

80%

76%

Warlock

100%

86%

My Darling Clementine

20%

49%

Bandolero!

78%

62%

The Tall Men

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Variety Staff

Variety

The striking beauties of the Canadian Rockies co-star with the blonde charms of Marilyn Monroe and the masculine muscles of Robert Mitchum in River of No Return.

Oct 23, 2007

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Some decent performances, but with this story they didn't have much of a chance.

Oct 23, 2007

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

One of the first films to discover the potential of CinemaScope and a fine example of Preminger's rational approach to the mysteries of personal morality.

Oct 23, 2007

Full Review

Josephine O'Neill

Daily Telegraph (Australia)

Marilyn Monroe here meets the West for the first, and, I am sure, the last time.

Mar 26, 2019

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Though nicely shot in CinemaScope, this Western is not one of director Otto Preminger's or stars Robert Mitchum's and Marilyn Monroe's strong films.

Rated: C+

Jul 17, 2012

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

It's an awfully creaky story but the superb performances and Preminger's amazing use of widescreen make it a must-see.

Mar 6, 2008

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

After serving a prison sentence, farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) returns to his 19th-century Pacific Northwest gold rush town and retrieves his adolescent son, Mark (Tommy Rettig). Meanwhile, goodhearted barroom singer Kay (Marilyn Monroe) is heading downriver with her boyfriend, Harry (Rory Calhoun), to explore a potential gold claim. When their raft sinks, Harry robs Matt of his gun and horse to continue without Kay on land. Sailing downriver toward the claim, the trio plan their revenge.

Director: Otto Preminger
Screenwriter: Louis Lantz, Frank Fenton
Distributor: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, CBS/Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: TV-PG
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 30, 1954, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track

Most Popular at Home Now