Review of River of No Return (1954) by Blake P — 31 Aug 2013

There's something to be said about any adventure movie from the 1950s, and with "River of No Return," there are three characteristics about it that come to mind.  1) It's infectious in its lightweight popcorn fare attitude,  2) the photography is gorgeous, and 3) everything on display is a tad corny.  Never mind the offensive stereotypes of Indians, the obviously fake special effects, and Marilyn Monroe's distracting hair extension; "River of No Return" reminds us that a movie can be a lot of fun, even if it isn't the best thing in the world.

Set in the Canadian Rockies during the gold craze of the 1800s, the film follows Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum), a farmer hoping to find his young son Mark (Tommy Rettig) after a jail sentence. When he arrives in a small town, he finds that Mark has befriended blonde saloon singer Kay (Monroe). As this is a Mitchum/Monroe vehicle, we all know that the film isn't going to leave the leading lady in the beginning of the film. And of course, it doesn't.

Once Matt and Mark return to their rural cabin in the middle of the Rockies, they come across Kay and her fiancé Harry (Rory Calhoun) on a sinking raft. Just as Matt helps them, Harry beats him up and steals his only horse to make a quick gold-claim. Kay stays behind to help the hurt Matt, and before long the three travel down the faulty raft downriver, in hopes to catch up with Harry and serve him a cold dish of revenge.

This obviously isn't the best film for anybody involved (maybe for charming child actor Rettig), but "River of No Return" isn't so bad that it's hard to bear.  Sure, Otto Preminger has directed many, many better films, but he makes scrumptious use of the eye-catching scenery and easily manages to thrill us as the main characters go down the scary rapids of the River of No Return.  And Monroe certainly fits the musical comedy spectrum much better, but she's very good as the tough saloon singer with a heart of gold.  She contrasts well with the ultra-masculine Mitchum, whose gravelly attitude bounces right off her effortlessly sexy persona. .

It could also be said that the film was made to show off the abilities of the relatively new Cinemascope process, aka widescreen Technicolor, but there is nothing regrettable about that.  The film takes place in the Rocky Mountains during the 1840s Gold Rush, and the western setting is delicious to look at.  There are times when the "River of No Return" focuses on the saloon areas, where cowboys grab a drink and jeer at the latest lounge singer; others revolve around the "country," with emerald pine trees, crystal-like rivers, and dirt-covered rocks.  No matter, the Cinemascope, paired with Preminger's thoughtful direction, compliments the decadent scenery in a way that makes you feel as though you'll living in some sort of paradise.

Faults aside, "River of No Return" is fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'd take a flawed film starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe any day over a tired, modern Hollywood blockbuster.