Customer Reviews

Rio Bravo [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

i really like this Western.it stars John Wayne,Ricky Nelson,Dean martin
and Angie Dickinson,to name a few.the acting is superb in this
movie.but what i really like is the dialogue and the unique mix of
characters.the story is also good.it's straightforward and
simple.Unlike The Searchers,another John Wayne movie.Rio bravo is not a
sweeping,grand epic.it takes place in basically one town.nevertheless,i
found it engaging and compelling.this edition contains a raft of
extras,including two documentaries and a short featurette.Like the
Ultimate edition of The Searchers,here is also a reproduction of the
1959 Dell comic book,a reproduction of the original press book from
1959,and 8 full colour lobby cards.as for the movie itself,i think it's
pretty well done,and deserves a 3.5/5.the collection is definitely worth
having,and i give that a 4/5

Great lighting, costumes, cinematography, laid over a story that examines the meaning of authority and power, in a western setting.

Rio Bravo is a breath taking visual master piece. The cast is unforgetable, the music wonderful. John Wayne, Dean Martin. Ricky Nelson what a team. Great movie for the young and the old.

E X C E L L E N T Q U A L I T Y & T I M E L Y D E L I V E R Y

The quality of the transfer is much better than the regular DVD, in particular the colour benefits from 1080. There are a couple of scenes which are still a bit grainy, but that may be from the original film quality. It is well worth the price to upgrade to the 1080 version.

One of the best westerns made at the time. Others have been made more recently that use modern technical skill, but for the time and place, Rio Bravo was the epitome of the western genre and still holds up today. Period!

It seems like I meet a lot of people who don't like John Wayne, and just about as many who don't care for Westerns.

Well, whether you love John Wayne and Westerns, or are lukewarm on both counts, this movie might appeal to you anyway.

A lot of it has to do with Howard Hawks' direction. This classic came from the same guy who gave us "Bringing Up Baby," "The Big Sleep," and "His Girl Friday."

That means quick, witty dialogue, fun characters, and an overall stylishness in the proceedings (the cinematography is alarmingly crisp and colorful).

A cowboy, a crooner and a rockin' teen idol-- these three, Wayne, Dean Martin (in one of his earliest roles after leaving Jerry Lewis), and Ricky Nelson, come together in a way that feels symbolic. To fight off the imminent danger-- and in this film one senses it is hopelessly imminent-- the good guys need to stick close. Dean Martin plays the underdog, a drunk, with just the right touch-- humorous like so many Vegas shows, but with a bit of sadness too. Ricky Nelson looks a little uncomfortable in the saddle, and his lines are a little shaky, but the contrast of his usual persona with this fast-shooting kid makes him fun to watch.

Angie Dickinson is more beautiful than ever in this film and has very good chemistry with John Wayne.

Of course, what really adds the frosting to the cake is the incomparable Walter Brennan, just about the grumpiest old buzzard you'll ever lay eyes on. The spontaneity of Hawks' direction makes him even funnier, and I think Brennan alone moves "Rio Bravo" a notch higher than the successful remake-of-sorts "El Dorado."

I happen to like John Wayne, and a lot of Westerns in general, but I prefer The Duke's persona in this setting rather than those of John Ford. At any rate, it doesn't matter if your favorite film is "The Searchers" or "High Society" (that's mine, actually), "Rio Bravo" is sure to win you over.

This is, without a doubt, one of John Wayne's best.....the character development just builds and builds throughout the movie until a thrilling climax.
The all-time show stopper in this movie has to be Stumpy (Walter Brennan)...every scene in which he is involved, the scene is essentially stolen from the other players (re-watch and you will see). He is at his best when whining about being stuck in the jail yet always is cowed eventually into doing exactly what Chance (Wayne) wants him to do....except at the end of the movie when he unexpectedly shows up and helps the good guys (hence, the title of this review)!

This is just a fun and feel-good movie pitting good vs. evil and along the way throws in a little humor for relief. This is the first of the trilogy by this director and is the best of the three...but El Dorado is not far behind and Rio Lobo is not anywhere near as bad as it has been depicted. I have all three and when I am needing a John Wayne fix, I can't go wrong with one of these.

Howard Hawks, director of "Rio Bravo" has a belief in people which shows in this film as a delight in humanity. He rejects the idea that, in a democracy, there exists people who can be thrown away. Critic Robin Wood wrote, "If I were asked to choose a film that would justify the existence of Hollywood, I think it would be 'Rio Bravo.'"
When Joe Burdett (Claude Akins) kills an unarmed man, Sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) takes him into custody, but Burdett's brother Nathan is one of the richest men in town, and he doesn't like his brother being locked up. With his town full of Burdett's men Chance is in trouble but he has a few folks willing to help - he's got Dude (Dean Martin), an ex-deputy and recent ex-drunk, and Stumpy (Walter Brennan), a cripple who has long been Chance's assistant. His old friend Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond) tries to help, but Chance rejects it, figuring any outsiders would just be more targets for Burdett's gang to shoot at - something proven when Wheeler is killed. Slowly, others join Chance's side: Feathers (Angie Dickinson), a card player who falls for Chance; gunman Colorado (Ricky Nelson), one of Wheeler's men; and Carlos (Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales), the local hotel owner. All the while Chance - who doesn't want help - can use the help his friends provide.
"Rio Bravo" offers us great brush strokes on a democratic canvas , a film about a bunch of folks that operate on the feeling that there really is no one to waste.
Early in the film when Wheeler realizes who's standing with Chance against the Burdetts, he says, "A bum-legged old man and a drunk. That's all you got?" and Chance answers, "That's what I got" and the way he says it you know that he doesn't mind a bit.
"Rio Bravo" is the most relaxed of movies. A film that moseys through its over two hour length and it always has time to slow down for a song, or banter among Chance and friends. Hawks and his actors seem to forget about the plot for long periods just hanging out, enjoying each others company.

"Rio Bravo" belongs on the short list of the finest Westerns ever made. I've never been a big fan of The Duke, but I love his performance in this movie -- playful, tough, sharp-tongued, surprisingly sympathetic. Whenver I think of John Wayne (which I admit isn't all that often) I usually remember him for this role, as well as "The Searchers."

This is just one of the most entertaining movies ever. It isn't a self-conscious, hyper-ironic or ground-breaking Western, a'la Sergio Leone's films, and it doesn't reconsider violence or the use of force to resolve conflict, as Eastwood did in "Unforgiven." "Rio Bravo" was made before it became fashionable to reinvent "old," "defunct" genres and comment on them. That makes it a breath of fresh air today -- something genuinely fun, an action-comedy of the old school. It sure beats the pants off a lot of contemporary movies.

The plot is skillfully set up by director Howard Hawks, but the movie isn't solely his vision. I think of "Rio Bravo" as an actor's film. It belongs to Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan, Angie Dickinson, and of course Ricky Nelson. This is an excellent ensemble cast; each actor works well with his fellows, but also makes his or her own character unique and memorable.

Dean Martin's Dude is one of my favorite movie characters -- melodramatic in one sense as Duke's drunken deputy, vulnerable and believable in another sense. When you look at Dean Martin's face in this movie, you get one overriding message: "God, do I need a drink!" The result isn't unintentional humor, but care and concern for the character. Dean puts it all out there, turning in a great performance.

Ricky Nelson is the definition of cool as Colorado, the level-headed young drover, and Walter Brennan earns a lot of laughs as the crusty old turnkey, Stumpy. Angie Dickinson gets a meaty role as Feathers, the "scarlet woman" of questionable reputation. She and Wayne fairly sizzle in their scenes together.

What everyone loves most about this movie is its sense of leisure; yeah, there's a fairly urgent storyline, but by golly, Hawks treats the scenario sort of like real life. There's time for tomfoolery, romance, beer-drinking, and song -- witness the inexplicable scene in which Nelson, Martin and Brennan sing "My Rifle, Pony and Me" and "Cindy." Great stuff!

"Rio Bravo" may at first blush sound like a corny old oater. It's not. Anybody who loves movies should be familiar with this one. It's not as revolutionary as "The Wild Bunch," and won't be as well-remembered as some of John Ford's work. But if you're looking for a tremendously entertaining and well-acted film, this DVD belongs in your collection.