Review of Rio Bravo (1959) by Kris W — 23 Nov 2010

JOHN WAYNE - DEAN MARTIN - RICKY NELSON -- WARNER BROS. BRING THEM TOGETHER IN HOWARD HAWKS' "RIO BRAVO" (original ad - all caps).

"The fought back to back...No quarter given...No quarter asked...No way in...No way out...of Rio Bravo".

JOHN WAYNE The big guy with the battered hat... and DEAN MARTIN the ragged woman-wrecked castoff called Dude... and RICKY NELSON the rockin' babyfaced gunfisted kid... AND TIME WAS RUNNING OUT THROUGH BULLET HOLES AT Howard Hawks' RIO BRAVO ravo".

Good but not great, does't hold up that well. The duet between Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson is kind of corny and kind of cool, all at the same time. Hawks would remake it in "El Dorado" (1966), John Carpenter would remake it as "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976) and directors from Scorsese to Tarantino to Stone would directly reference it, literally in Scorsese's debut picture Who's That Knocking On My Door.

[first lines].

John T. Chance: Joe, you're under arrest.

John T. Chance: You want that gun, pick it up. I wish you would.

John T. Chance: [explaining why Joe got beat up] He didn't take too kindly to being arrested for murder.

Joe Burdette: It wasn't murder.

Nathan Burdette: If he says it wasn't murder, why do you say it was?

John T. Chance: Man gets shot that's got a gun, there's room for reasonable doubt. Man gets shot that hasn't got a gun, what would you call it? But, you knew that already otherwise you wouldn't have set things up the way you did.

Nathan Burdette: Just what have I done?

John T. Chance: You're a rich man, Burdette... big ranch, pay a lot of people to do what you want 'em to do. And you got a brother. He's no good but he's your brother. He committed twenty murders you'd try and see he didn't hang for 'em.

Nathan Burdette: I don't like that kinda talk. Now you're practically accusing me...

John T. Chance: Let's get this straight. You don't like? I don't like a lot of things. I don't like your men sittin' on the road bottling up this town. I don't like your men watching us, trying to catch us with our backs turned. And I don't like it when a friend of mine offers to help and twenty minutes later he's dead! And I don't like you, Burdette, because you set it up.

[after Carlos has a quarrel with Consuelo].

John T. Chance: You take chances, my friend.

Carlos Robante: Because I know woman. If she will be mad or she will be sorry - if it is 'mad', she will be much pleasure to make right; and if she is 'sorry', it will be the same pleasure. You... you do not have women, so you do not know, senor. But me... Carlos Robante... I know!

Feathers: This isn't the first time that handbill has come up. I'd like to know what to do about it.

John T. Chance: Well, you could quit playing cards... wearing feathers.

Feathers: No, sheriff. No, I'm not going to do that. You see... that's what I'd do if I were the kind of girl that you think I am.

Feathers: How does a... how does a man get to be a sheriff?

John T. Chance: Gets lazy. Gets tired of selling his gun all over. Decides to sell it in one place.

Feathers: I'd say you made a poor sale.

John T. Chance: A lot of people around here'll agree with you.

Feathers: But... it's still a sale and it's too late to back out.

John T. Chance: Sorry don't get it done, Dude. That's the second time you hit me. Don't ever do it again.

Colorado Ryan: How'd you come out with Burdette?

John T. Chance: He wanted to talk to his brother.

Colorado Ryan: What'd he have to say?

John T. Chance: Nothing.

Colorado Ryan: You mean he didn't say anything?

John T. Chance: Why are you so interested?

Colorado Ryan: Because he's talkin' now. Hear that music? He told the man to play it.

John T. Chance: What is it?

Colorado Ryan: Well, they call it the "Degà 1/4ello"... the cutthroat song. The Mexicans played it for those Texas boys when they had 'em bottled up in the Alamo.

John T. Chance: Yeah.

Colorado Ryan: Played it day and night 'til it was all over. Now do you know what he means by it?

John T. Chance: No quarter. No mercy for the loser.

Colorado Ryan: You'll be hearin' a lot of it.

John T. Chance: I guess we made him talk after all.

Pat Wheeler: If I ever saw a man holdin' a bull by the tail, you're it.

Pat Wheeler: I told him you were one of the best.

Colorado Ryan: Well, I'll tell you what I'm a lot better at, Mr. Wheeler... that's minding my own business.

Feathers: Hey, sheriff, you forgot your pants.

John T. Chance: You're not as smart as your brother, Joe. He sees Stumpy here sittin' around the corner locked in with you... and if that isn't plain enough, I'll tell you why. If any trouble starts around this jail, before anybody can get to you you're gonna get accidentally shot.

Stumpy: I can practical' guarantee that!

Pat Wheeler: A game-legged old man and a drunk. That's all you got?

John T. Chance: That's WHAT I got.

Feathers: I thought you were never going to say it.

John T. Chance: Say what?

Feathers: That you love me.

John T. Chance: I said I'd arrest you.

Feathers: It means the same thing, you know that.

[Stumpy throws some dynamite at the warehouse and Chance shoots it, causing an explosion].

Stumpy: Hey, Dude! How do ya like them apples?

[discussing Colorado Ryan].

Dude: Is he as good as I used to be?

John T. Chance: It'd be pretty close. I'd hate to have to live on the difference.

Feathers: In case you make up your mind, I left my door open. Get a good night's sleep.

John T. Chance: You're not helping me any.

John T. Chance: Stumpy!

Stumpy: What?

[Stops playing harmonica].

John T. Chance: They don't need any help with that tune.

Stumpy: What's the matter? Is it getting through to you? Yiuk, yiuk!

[cackles].

John T. Chance: It's nice to see a smart kid for a change.

John T. Chance: Stumpy?

Stumpy: Yeah?

John T. Chance: Going over to the hotel for a few minutes.

Stumpy: Well, if'n ya don't come back, me 'n' Joe'll have us a good cry.

Dude: I quit, John. I quit.

John T. Chance: All right, quit. Nobody's trying to stop you. You wanna quit, quit! Go back to the bottle, get drunk. One thing, though. The next time someone throws a dollar into a spittoon, don't expect me to do anything about it. Just get down on your knees and get it.

[Dude angrily backhands Chance].

Dude: I'm... sorry.

John T. Chance: Sorry don't get it done, Dude. That's the second time you hit me. Don't ever do it again.

Pat Wheeler: [Chance needs help to fight Burdette and his men] What about my drivers? You could use them.

John T. Chance: Supposing I got 'em. What'd I have? Some well-meaning amatuers, most of 'em worried about their wives and kids. Burdette has 30 or 40 men, all professionals. Only thing they're worried about is earning their pay. No, Pat. I'd just be giving them more targets to shoot at. A lot of people'd get hurt. Joe Burdette isn't worth it. He isn't worth one of them that'd get killed.

Pat Wheeler: Then what are you gonna do? All you got for help is that old man down at the jail and this...

[indicating Dude].

Dude: [Spanish for drunk] Borrachon's the name, Mr. Wheeler. I'll step outside so you can talk more freely.

John T. Chance: [Referring to Colorado] It's nice to see a smart kid for a change.

Stumpy: Yeah, he ain't like the usual kid with a gun.

Dude: Wonder if he's as good as Wheeler said?

John T. Chance: I'd say he is.

John T. Chance: I'd say he's so good, he doesn't feel he has to prove it.

Stumpy: Joe don't get no sugar in his coffee; he just gets water poured over the grounds.

[last lines].

Stumpy: You think I'll ever get to be a sheriff?

Dude: Not unless you mind your own business.

[Stumpy cackles].