RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Red River
Red River

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Red River (1948)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
100 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:18

Fresh:18

Rotten:0

Average Rating:8.6/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins

Genre: Westerns

Synopsis: RED RIVER, Howard Hawks's masterpiece, is one of the greatest Westerns ever filmed, a saga of obsession and rivalry between a man and his adoptive son amid an epic struggle for survival in the Old... RED RIVER, Howard Hawks's masterpiece, is one of the greatest Westerns ever filmed, a saga of obsession and rivalry between a man and his adoptive son amid an epic struggle for survival in the Old West. Tom Dunson (John Wayne) journeys west to Texas to build a cattle empire and adopts Matthew Garth, a young boy orphaned by an Indian raid. Years later, Matthew (Montgomery Clift) returns from the Civil War and joins Dunson on a massive cattle drive north undertaken to avoid financial ruin. Stampedes and Indian attacks build tension, but it is Dunson's ironfisted leadership that causes the most problems, finally bringing the action to a boiling point that pits father against son. This bold canvas of the American frontier features stirring performances, including Clift in his first film and Wayne in one of his finest and most complex roles, stunning photography shot on location in Arizona, and a perfect balance of action, drama, romance, and comedy from one of Hollywood's greatest directors. [More]

Starring: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Walter Brennan, Joanne Dru

Starring: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Walter Brennan, Joanne Dru, Coleen Gray, John Ireland, Noah Beery, Harry Carey

Director: Howard Hawks

Director: Howard Hawks
Producer: Howard Hawks
Screenwriter: Borden Chase, Charles Schnee
Composer: Dimitri Tiomkin

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

May 12, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region 1
  • NTSC
  • Keep Case
  • Single Side - Single Layer
  • Full Frame - 1.33

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital Mono - English

Interactive Features:

  • Scene Access
 
 
 
 

Reviews for Red River

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 18 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Hawks never did anything self-consciously. You always realize how great his films are after you're through enjoying yourself.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/06/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Immaculately shot by Russell Harlan, perfectly performed by a host of Hawks regulars, and shot through with dark comedy, it's probably the finest Western of the '40s.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

Even despite a big let-down, which fortunately comes near the end, it stands sixteen hands above the level of routine horse opera these days. So strap on your trusty six-shooters and race to the wind-swept Capitol, you lovers of good old Western fiction.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Red River (1948) is a classic western (considered by many critics to be one of the ten best westerns ever made), a sweeping, epic story about a cattle drive

Full Review Source: Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films | comment Comment
01/01/00
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films

It's a sign of the movie's complexity that John Wayne, often typecast, is given a tortured, conflicted character to play.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This brilliant Hawks Western, one of the decade's best, has been interpreted in different ways, but at its core is the contrast between John Wayne's and Montgomery Clift's leadership style and perception of manhood.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
12/22/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Filled with beautiful black and white photography, especially for its era, Red River is an atmospheric ride a la Unforgiven.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/09/01
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

A grand, sprawling tale of the civilizing of the west.

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
07/15/07
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

It's the best western of the 1940s.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
05/22/02
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The staging of physical conflict is deadly, equalling anything yet seen on the screen.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/13/08
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Of the may big names involved in the making of Red River, few made greater films.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/13/08
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There have been many classic westerns but this Hawks masterpiece certainly ranks among the best of the genre.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Howard Hawks stages the definitive cow opera with beautiful, lyrical, exciting sequences of stampeding, rough weather, cowboying and Indian skirmishes.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
05/13/08
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
10/10/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
03/30/05
Andy Klein
Andy Klein
Los Angeles CityBeat

No review available.

comment Comment
04/08/05
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
09/22/02
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

No review available.

comment Comment
02/11/08
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
 
 
1 - 18 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View
all

Latest News for Red River

June 12, 2009: Five Favourite Films with Wes Craven
No director in recent history has made their particular genre as much their own as Wes Craven. The legendary helmer virtually redefined the horror movies with the likes of The... More...

July 10, 2008: Kim Newman on... I Shot Jesse James
RT Obscura, the exclusive column by renowned critic Kim Newman, sees the writer plumbing the depths of the RT archive in search of some forgotten gems. In his 19th column, Kim... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Nine Pictures

Nine Pictures

Hottest poster ever? 14 pictures from Nine

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

See what her 10 best reviewed films are!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
14
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
0
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
117
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
40
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
  • Tron Legacy Duo Heading into The Black Hole Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
80
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
16
  • Paul Greengrass Quits Fourth Bourne Source: The Playlist
36
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
99
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
91
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
36
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
30
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
22
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
18
  • Duncan Jones Reteams With Kevin Spacey
5
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Red River at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.