Rio Lobo (1970) User Reviews

Has some issues, but a great train robbery, score, women and camaraderie

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 12 March 2014]

Released in 1970, Howard Hawks' "Rio Lobo" starts with a thrilling Confederate train robbery of a Union gold shipment. After the war, Col. McNally (John Wayne) befriends Confederate Capt. "Frenchie" (Jorge Rivero) and his sergeant (Christopher Mitchum) to try to track down the Union traitors indirectly responsible for the gold robberies and the death of his close comrade and spiritual son. The trail leads to the West Texas town Rio Lobo and a showdown.

POSITIVES:

The opening credits features an exceptional two-guitar piece by Jerry Goldsmith with the camera zeroed-in closely on an acoustic guitar and the guitarist's hands. Sometimes I put the movie on just to see this part. The following half hour involves an excellent Confederate train robbery followed by the ensuing conflicts, which really make the film stand out from other Westerns. It's a great sequence, convincing and original. Civil War devotees should seek out "Rio Lobo" just for this.

Three notable women are featured: Jennifer O'Neill, Susana Dosamantes and Sherry Lansing, the latter of whom went on to became president of 20th Century-Fox and, later, chairman of Paramount Pictures (she's the scarred girl Wayne more or less rides off into the sunset with). I've heard jokes/comments over the years about the number of babes in the town of Rio Lobo, most single. But, really, there's only two in the town: Maria (Susan), who is seeing Frenchie's comrade (Mitchum), and Lansing, who isn't all that exceptional anyway; O'Neill was just passing through as part of some snake oil show.

The protagonists have good chemistry and camaraderie. The film was made right after the advent of the Spaghetti Western, which was known for amorality and lack of character depth. The protagonists in Italo Westerns were almost always antiheroes rather than heroes and caricatures rather than characters. They were grim, silent, one-dimensional killing machines, usually with dubious motivations (greed, revenge, lust) and just all-around comic-booky. While these types of characters are great when you're 13-20, they don't cut it when you're an adult and require more depth and realism. Don't get me wrong, the Spaghetti Westerns added (or perfected) a cool new style and grim sense of realism to the Western, but they accomplished this at the expense of morality, character depth and social realism. This explains why Clint Eastwood combined elements of both to forge the exceptional "The Outlaw Josey Wales" in 1976 after the decline of the Italo Western. Needless to say, it's nice to have a group of likable characters in "Rio Lobo" that get along and for whom you can root.

An exceptional example of this good-natured camaraderie is shown in the middle of the film before the protagonists reach Rio Lobo. McNally, Frenchie and Shasta are camping out in the desert where a running joke starts concerning McNally being "comfortable" for women (but not romantically attractive). I love this sequence.

There are great Arizona locations (along with Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico). In the Civil War sequences they did a pretty good job of pretending it was the East. Speaking of which, I like how the movie covers a lot of ground and isn't one-dimensional in setting. Critics complain that this makes the story disjointed when it's actually a positive thing.

NEGATIVES or SUPPOSED NEGATIVES:

The second half's plot concerning the political corruption in Rio Lobo is convoluted and my mind tends to wander at various points. So the story is compelling in the first half, but not so much in the second. Thankfully, the quality characters and the setting keep me watching.

Some have complained about the acting, particularly O'Neill, Rivero and Mitchum, but is this their fault or the writer's? I just chalk it up to the distinctiveness of the actors. I've met numerous unique people in life who act peculiarly, but it's really just their special individuality or style. Gary Cooper & John Wayne are good examples. I think that's the case here more than anything.

A couple scenes are unconvincing. For instance, when Frenchie suddenly darts into a house where Lansing's character is dressing, which is their first meeting; the ensuing conversation just doesn't smack of reality. I suppose the filmmakers were shooting for something romantically amusing, but it seems patched in from another movie. Another example is the episode where the protagonists raid the ranch house at night: People are lurking just around the corner and they aren't able to hear the nearby ruckus? Why sure!

The opening score is only heard a few more times, briefly, but not with guitars like the opening. This composition is too great to be heard in such a limited capacity. Why not at least utilize it for the ending?

"Rio Lobo" has slight similarities to Hawks & Wayne's "Rio Bravo" (1959) and "El Dorado" (1967), but "Rio Lobo" is far from a remake, as some suggest. It has an altogether different story.

BOTTOM LINE: Yes, the story is disjointed and there are a couple unconvincing scenes, but "Rio Lobo" possesses several aspects that are really good and even great, like the opening score/guitar sequence, the thrilling train robbery & Civil War parts, the likable protagonists & their camaraderie, the beautiful women and great locations.

The film runs 114 minutes.

GRADE: B-

The Duke in Transition

[RHKLWK · 7/10 · 15 April 2002]

When I decided to write a review of Rio Lobo, I had every expectation of visiting the website and finding that the movie's weighted average was a 2.5. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it's a 7.5, and that's actually a half-point higher than my own score. To cut to the chase: I liked Rio Lobo.

It was fashionable in 1970 to trash Rio Lobo because (a) it was the supposedly feeble, last effort of a great director, Howard Hawks, who had supposedly lost interest in the picture; (b) it was too derivative of Rio Bravo and El Dorado; (c) the Duke was too old to play the part of a cavalry colonel (to say nothing of being too big; the average cavalryman in the Civil War was 5'7" and 135 lbs.); (d) the supporting cast was pathetic; (e) the production values were poor; and (f) the movie paled in comparison to Little Big Man, which was released at the same time. Much of the criticism was true. But, it was fun to watch, anyway.

Ford had his cavalry trilogy, and Hawks had his Rio trilogy, and the Duke was in all six of them. The Ford set is a cut above the Hawks set, but all six films are worth watching. Ford was working with Wayne (1947-50) at a time when Wayne's acting ability was still very much in question. And Ford succeeded on every level, especially in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, where the character development of Capt. Nathan Brittles (Wayne) is nothing but sheer genius. Hawks, on the other hand, had (by 1959, in Rio Bravo) a very established star, and was thereby free to dwell more on story telling than he was on character development. Besides, with those amazing exteriors, the cinemagography alone was worth the cost of admission to all six pictures.

The Duke was too old to play a romantic lead in this picture (but so was Cary Grant in his last picture, Walk, Don't Run, when he, too, was about 63 years-old.) The fact that he was not a "threat" to O'Neill's character (in those pre-Viagra days) was nothing more than an extension of the persona the Duke captured the year before in True Grit, and would continue to build on in such films as The Cowboys and The Shootist. Let's face it: Wayne was becoming a likeable old coot.

Hawks was, according to reports, disappointed in Jennifer O'Neill, and by the last reel, her part has been cut in favor of Sherry Lansing's part. (Hawks did the same thing to John Ireland's part in Red River, 30 years earlier.) Actually, O'Neill didn't do THAT bad. My problem with her is that she couldn't decide whether she would play her part as the New York high-fashion model that she was, or as Kim Darby reprising her role in True Grit. At times, O'Neill's semi-imitation of Darby gets on one's nerves.

And, Hawks was rightfully disappointed in the desultory performances of the supporting cast, with the exception of Lansing and Jack Elam. The Confederate cavalry captain: He might as well have been created by computer graphics, for all the vitality he brings to the role. But, take a look at the stock players, including Hank Worden ("Old Mose" in The Searchers) and Jim Davis (Jock Ewing of Dallas fame). These are virtually cameos, if not walk-on parts, but they are effective.

I do not think Hawks gave up on this film, at least, not to the extent that people have claimed. Yakima Canutt ably handled the second unit, and the train hijacking he directed (with Hawks' help) was unusual and exciting; the cinematography, but for the occasional lighting or filtering error, was acceptable; and the editing was fairly crisp. The interior sets were shabby, that is true.

But what carries the picture is the wonderful dialogue, and Wayne. The dialogue is "pure Hawks": spare, unambiguous, natural, and realistic. Wayne's onscreen personal is so great, and his presence so magnificent, that all of the films shortcomings are rendered irrelevant.

Thank you, Mr. Hawks. Well done.

Wayne carries this movie single-handedly

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 28 January 2006]

As you might have noticed in some of my other reviews of John Wayne films, I am not exactly a huge fan of his later films (during the last 10 years of his life)--though there are exceptions, such as THE SHOOTIST. It's because the films look like they were just churned out--with occasionally silly scripts and Wayne playing more a caricature of himself than acting like he did in earlier films. Plus, in many of these films the supporting cast just seemed second-rate. This movie is a prime example of a second-rate cast. While Wayne is fine, there just isn't a lot of real support from anyone--no ensemble cast of Harry Carey (Junior OR Senior), Ward Bond, James Arness or even John Agar! Now considering some of these people were dead when the film was made, I could certainly understand the decision NOT to put them in the film. But, couldn't they have gotten some better actors instead? The only one worth watching was Jack Elam (who was GREAT) but he was only in the last half of the film and could have used a lot more screen time as the crazy old man. Although I've seen this movie 3 or 4 times, I can't even remember WHO the two supporting Confederate soldiers were or even what they looked like--and that's very unusual for me. The three ladies, though pretty, were also equally bland.

So, overall this is a decent time passer for the average viewer (you can take it or leave it) and important for fans of John Wayne.

Not quite as bad as people make out

[latic · 7/10 · 10 January 2010]

After an excellent start with the train ambush, the movie loses steam and never really picks up, an unhappy way for a great director like Hawks to bow out. But I did not get too bored and was happy enough to stick it out to the end, even though the writing is too flat and derivative with echos of half a dozen better movies. Rivero lacks the charisma that could have helped to save things but I do not think O'Neill is as bad as some reviewers claim – not expressive enough with her dialogue at this stage but I think you can see the spark that gave her a respectable career in movies. But, as usual, Wayne saves the day. Even in a disappointing movie like this, that enormous screen presence reminds you just what a great star he was.

A Bit Complicated, But Good

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 7 September 2015]

After the Civil War, Cord McNally (John Wayne) searches for the traitor whose perfidy caused the defeat of McNally's unit, a shipment of gold to be stolen, and the loss of a close friend.

I loved the beginning with the train robbery. Every part of it was executed perfectly, and the first ten minutes or so are probably the highlight of the film. And then the idea that the yanks and rebels could be friends was questionable but nice... and the shift from the war and the heist to tracking down a traitor, great. But it seemed to have a good deal of turns and subplots that were not quite necessary.

The worst was Jennifer O'Neill, who played Shasta. I would gladly give this film another star if it was not for her. Every line was delivered so poorly. I guess Howard Hawks feared John Wayne was too old for the role... I thought Wayne was great. It was O'Neill that was the weak link. She just has no acting ability to speak of.

Also, a special nod to Jack Elam, who was the comic relief. His wit and delivery (almost) make up for O'Neill, and on that count I have revised my 6 stars in 2015 to 7 stars in 2016 upon a second viewing. This may not be the best known Hawks-Wayne collaboration, but it certainly has its strong points.

3rd Time Remake Explores Humorous Side of Previous Pictures

[hans101067 · 9 January 2001]

I think that most John Wayne buffs would agree that this is a remake of 2 previous picture-"Rio Bravo",and "El Dorado".We have the same characters,the same basic situations,and the same resolutions.What I found interesting is the way that the "Duke"was able to kid his image in this one.He's not just strong,tough,brave,resourceful,and quick;he's also able to show a middle-aged man whose libido might not be as urgent as it was previously.Let's face it,being a lover isn't just performance,but also being tender and"comfortable"(the word that they use in this picture.)Let's not be too hasty about the performances of O'Neill,Rivero,and Mitchum-they were young and needed experience,and they got it in this film.(And Rivero is every bit as tasty looking as O'Neill.Isn't he delectable?)Nice to see Victor French as a porcine,slimy villain,and Mike Henry manages to play against his Tarzan image as the sheriff.I found him tough enough,and certainly brutish,but I didn't see him as quite enough of a sadist to go around cutting up women.David Huddleston does a first-rate job as Dr.Jones.The real acting honors of the evening,however,do go to the redoubtable Mr.Elam.This is a scenery-chewing,rip-roaring,over-the-top performance of such eye-rolling looniness that it's a joy to behold.Watch this film for fun,and don't take it too seriously.

Howard Hawks loved this movie

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 2 August 2004]

This has to be unique in the history of Hollywood. Leading director and screen legend Howard Hawks loved this film so much that they made three variations of the same movie. By the time Rio Lobo was made, the theme was getting a bit thin, but it's still grand entertainment.

The first part of the film is set during the Civil War with John Wayne pursuing Confederates who are stealing army payrolls. He does catch up with them and the Civil War ends. He befriends his erstwhile enemies and asks for their help in locating the informer who was giving them information.

That all sets the scene for the third variant of Rio Bravo/El Dorado theme. Playing the old codger part is Jack Elam who by now had quit being a screen menace and was doing comedy and doing it well. The two younger sidekicks are the former Confederate enemies, Jorge Rivero and Chris Mitchum.

Rio Lobo had the presence of two stars of the Mexican cinema, Jorge Rivero and Susana Dosamantes. Dosamantes played Mitchum's girlfriend and Jennifer O'Neill played the Angie Dickinson part although Wayne was now deciding he was too old for the romance. She pairs off with Rivero.

In a small bit part is Sherry Lansing who left acting soon after Rio Lobo and really hit the big time, going into the production end of the movie business and becoming head of first 20th Century Fox and later CEO of Paramount.

The two principal villains are Victor French who played the neighbor on Little House On The Prarie and Mike Henry who was one of several screen Tarzans.

It's a good John Wayne western and that takes in a whole lot of territory pilgrim.

Much maligned, better than you're told

[maxbrand · 7/10 · 20 June 2004]

OK, put down the film criticism texts and just watch this fun movie for what it is. Feels like a TV movie, but several cuts above one. The opening train robbery sequence is pretty damn breathtaking for a "bad" movie. Bet some action directors have studied that one. "Lobo" is collection of a lot of good Hawks-ian moments recycled, sort of like a retrospective of his bag of tricks ie. "Yer necks broken," etc. The Duke aging, beat up, but still The Duke. Sherry Lansing pretty hot looking in her one role. Jack Elam the scene stealer. Too bad they didn't have the money to cast the other parts better--Mitchum or Martin would have helped a lot. Duke looks a little lonely. Plot sorta strung together, but Hawks was concentrating more on characters in his Bravo/Dorado/Lobo "trilogy." "Smart" dialog, while not up to 30s & 40s banter, still has clever moments by today's standards. Clever rifle bit at the end shows old timers' practical knowledge of things, like weapons. If you like old westerns, you'll like this one. Not among his greatest, but low end Hawks is better than no Hawks. I've seen much thinner stuff win awards.

Wayne helped by a motley group taking on a corrupt baron land and a villainous marshal

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 6 October 2011]

Involving and fascinating Western with crisp action , masterfully directed by Howard Hawks , being a take-off based on ¨Rio Bravo¨ and ¨El Dorado¨ mold . After the Civil War, Union ex-Colonel Cord McNally (John Wayne ) searches for the traitor whose perfidy originated the defeat of his unit and the loss of a close friend (Edward Faulkner) . The Duke then out to settle some old scores . In addition to an ex-Confederate officer (Jorge Rivero ) and an ex-sergeant ( Chris Mitchum) with whom he forms an uneasy alliance . They go to a little town called Rio Lobo where rules an ominous marshal (Mike Henry) and a heinous baron land named Ketchan (Victor French) . But the Duke takes prisoner Ketchan and imprisons him into jail for being brought to justice . Then he takes on a blockade of gunfighters and the nasty sheriff is out to get his kill-crazy boss . Duke along with a shotgun-toting old loony (the scene-stealing Jack Elam) are besieged and only helped by the Mexican/French ex-captain and the hot-headed Sergeant Tuscarora .

Action western, snappy dialog , shoot-outs at regular intervals, and humor abounds in this magnificent film whose roles are splendidly portrayed . It packs larger-than-life characters, uproarious events and lively happenings. The Duke carries strong acting on his brawny shoulders and perfectly does. It's basically a lighthearted , upside B Western and being mainly lifted out by veteran Jack Elam 's wonderfully acting as a half-crazed sympathetic old man , whose finger itches demoniacally on the trigger every time he gets a nasty guy in his sights . And of course, top-drawer John Wayne , few stars could match his ability to dominate a scene . Delightful supporting cast formed by several youthful costars as Chris Mitchum , Robert's son who starred Rio Bravo ; a gorgeous Jennifer O'Neill , recent his hit in Summer of 42 ; Sherry Lansing's last movie as an actress who married William Fredkin and future Paramount studio head ; Susana Dosamontes who married a magnate and gave birth the singer Paulina Rubio . Glittering Technicolor cinematography by William H Clothier who adds much to the setting of this unique Western . Marvelous musical score by Jerry Goldsmith including emotive guitar playing . This overlong, too much-acclaimed and very gripping Western will appeal to John Wayne fans . Rating : Above average, essential and indispensable Western , a masterpiece horse opera whose reputation has improved over the years . The motion picture is well directed Howard Hawks supported by John Wayne , it's a nice Western made by these two giants . Hawks proved to be a Western expert as ¨Big sky¨, ¨The outlaw¨ and ¨Red River ¨.

Rating : Good and great fun , though over lengthy and displays a number of similarities to previous ¨Rio Bravo¨ , quintaessential Hawks Western at the peak of his powers , starred by Walter Brennan , Ricky Nelson , Angie Dickinson and ¨El Dorado¨ with James Caan , Edward Ashner and Arthur Hunnicut virtual retreat of the previous role played by Walter Brennan and again by Jack Elam in ¨Rio Lobo¨in this second reworking of Rio Bravo; and of course the great John Wayne who repeats in the excellent trilogy .

Loads Of Action, A Lot Of Fun

[FightingWesterner · 8/10 · 15 January 2010]

When Confederate raiders rob a shipment of gold and kill his friend, Union Colonel John Wayne vows to bring the traitors who sold the rebels the information to justice, leading to a post-war showdown with vicious carpetbagger Victor French. Helping Wayne is Jorge Rivero, the leader of the raiders!

Although Rio Lobo is not quite as legendary as other John Wayne/Howard Hawks collaborations and things aren't always up to snuff in the acting department, this is still a lot of rip-roaring fun.

This has a very amusing script co-written by Leigh Brackett and some incredible action sequences supervised by Wayne's old pal, the legendary Yakima Cannut.

There's great comedic guest roles for shotgun-toting, scene-stealing Jack Elam and David Huddleston as Rio Lobo's resident tooth-puller. Jennifer O'Neill looks great too!

Enjoy it for what it is. Some of you guys take your John Wayne movies WAY too seriously!

"Suck-Egg Mule!"

[gattonero975 · 7/10 · 5 January 2013]

Finally got a chance to see this classic! It was a 1st in many ways, Hawks final film, Peter Jason and Sandra Currie's film debut, the rare pairing of Wayne with Jorge Rivero.

As always the larger-than-life John Wayne is the star. And he shines in his role of Col. Cord McNally. A little over-the-hill type of guy who's not comfortable with the word "comfortable"! For me it was a treat to see the great Jorge Rivero as the young and strong-looking, Capt. Pierre Cordona aka Frenchy. but as always Hollywood does it again as I have noticed in countless pictures, why is it that whenever a minority , in this case a Latino, who does not look like your typical minority because of great presence or muscularity or stature or color-eyes, has to be a mix?? Or half- breed per say?? Ever notice that? But because he can't be all white, he has to be mix with something, half-white or in this case, half-French. Just a observation... Anyways, Rivero did OK and held his own with The Duke but he was still young and had a lot to learn. I can't tell if that was his real voice or dubbed though.

The beautiful Jennifer O'Neill fared a little better as the feisty and tough Shasta Delaney but not for one minute did I buy the so-called 'love' that blossomed between her and Rivero. She actually came on like a snobbish witch to me but it was what the role demanded I guess. I wish the Duke would have just flung her over his knees and given her a good spanking! It was what she deserved.

The ever reliable, dependable Jack Elam stole the picture for me. He came on quite late but once he did, he made every scene count. And man he had me laughing with his crazed, loony, punch-drunk Phillips. You could tell the Duke was just holding back from laughing as well in the scenes with Elam.

Christopher Mitchum did pretty good as Rivero's partner in crime,Sgt. Tuscarora Phillips. I liked the interplay between him and the Duke.

The late Victor French as Ketcham (boss of Rio Lobo) did OK. He really didn't have much to do but be at the mercy of The Duke and Elam and be held hostage.

The lovely Susana Dosamantes did the typical ethnic role of María Carmen. But she handle it well I believe. It's interesting to know that she and Rivero later co-starred in so many Spanish-speaking films later on.

In a weird bit of casting but in a good sexy way, Shelly Lansing oozed a bit of sexiness in a scene with Rivero, her being half-naked and all, as the lovely but doomed Amelita. Their scene, which was brief, was more believable in terms of chemistry than O'Neill's and Rivero's.

The great David Huddleston as Dr. Ivor Jones the Rio Lobo dentist, was also a treat as was Elam's. The scene of Jones with the Duke faking a pulled tooth was a hoot.

The imposing Mike Henry had an OK role as the Rio Lobo Sheriff 'Blue Tom' Hendricks. I wish he and The Duke would have had a fist-fight or something but it didn't happen. Rumor has it that Wayne was not doing well health wise when filming this picture. Even Hawks says that was the reason he felt the picture did not do well in the box office or with the critics.

The late Jim Davis as a Rio Lobo Deputy was way too short and I felt he was wasted in a minor role.

I didn't even see the late George Plimpton or hear the famous one-line which was the basis for a TV special.

The great Peter Jason made quite a debut as Lt. Forsythe the gold train detail officer! Being stung by hornets and jumping off a train and subsequently breaks his neck and dies! And the beautiful Sondra Currie made a super brief uncredited debut as a Blackthorne Prostitute with one line that Rivero kicks out of his room to make room for a fainted O'Neill.

The late great Bob Steele makes a uncredited bit as a Rio Lobo Deputy.

The late great Hank Worden does also a uncredited bit as Hank, a Hotel Clerk.

And last but not least, The Duke had one of his sons, Ethan Wayne, in a uncredited cameo bit. (I didn't see him) :(

Several great actors backed by great score in very good story

[morrisonhimself · 10/10 · 11 May 2017]

For some reason, most of the acting in "Rio Lobo" is not very good. John Wayne, Jack Elam, Chris Mitchum, and, in a difficult role, Victor French carry off the acting honors, with Bill Williams shining in his brief role.

The story is involved, even complicated, not to say convoluted, ranging from the War Against Southern Independence to Wild West land shenanigans.

There are three very attractive women, who have much more to do than just look pretty, but, sorry to say, only one gave much of a performance.

Jerry Goldsmith wrote, as usual, an impressive score, and it amplified the action fittingly.

The action and story were attributed to Burton Wohl, and he co-wrote the screenplay with prolific Leigh Brackett. Since I haven't read the original, I can't know how much was changed for the screenplay, but, as others have noted, much of the denouement was used in other films.

But I give "Rio Lobo" high marks for John Wayne, the story, and Jerry Goldsmith's score. I urge you to watch it BUT, the print I saw at YouTube, supposedly "High Definition," is warped, and there are disconcerting jumps as scenes or camera angles change, and sometimes the background wobbles.

Maybe there is a better print and I hope you find it. But do watch "Rio Lobo." It's not the greatest John Wayne movie, but it's a darn good John Wayne movie. And that puts it ahead of most other movies.

RIO LOBO (Howard Hawks, 1970) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 14 June 2007]

While hardly the most auspicious of swan songs, Hawks’ underrated final film sees a reprise of some of his favorite themes – including the siege/hostage exchange situation from RIO BRAVO (1959), a Western he had already partially remade as EL DORADO (1966); incidentally, John Wayne starred in all three titles.

It opens with an elaborate gold shipment robbery from a moving train by Confederate soldiers; Wayne is a Unionist Colonel who goes after the culprits but, the war over, befriends ‘enemies’ Jorge Rivero and Chris Mitchum when they reveal the identity of a couple of Yankee traitors – one is a deputy sheriff and the other an unscrupulous landowner (Victor French). The film shares its partnership-between-Union-and-Confederate-soldiers angle with Wayne’s earlier Western THE UNDEFEATED (1969) – but, Hawks being Hawks, it’s presented here in a far more complex (and rewarding) manner.

As is usual for the director, a spirited female protagonist is thrown into the fray – in this case, Jennifer O’Neill as a traveling-show performer who falls foul of French and his dastardly sheriff (Mike Henry); of course, she becomes romantically involved with Rivero – a situation Wayne observes with bemusement. Jack Elam is a delight as Mitchum’s trigger-happy coot of a foster parent, making him an ideal replacement for the Walter Brennan of RIO BRAVO. The film also features an unusually wistful score for a genre effort courtesy of Jerry Goldsmith.

All things considered, however, RIO LOBO still emerges as the least of the loose Wayne/Hawks Western trilogy: this is chiefly due to severe undercasting when compared to the earlier efforts – with, say, Rivero being no match for James Caan from EL DORADO. Though a lot of exposition is necessary for the various plot threads to fall into place, the film (co-scripted by Hawks regular Leigh Brackett) provides plenty of action throughout its almost 2-hour length. The climax is exciting and well-staged, and includes the revenge on Henry by a young girl he has viciously scarred for life (played by Sherry Lansing, future head of the Fox and Paramount studios and currently Mrs. William Friedkin) – which, however, calls for O’Neill to be virtually absent from these final stages and the film to end abruptly (albeit on a running joke involving Wayne)! Unfortunately, too, the DivX copy I watched proved rather hazy and suffered from occasional compression artifacts.

A Rio Too Far

[slokes · 3/10 · 3 August 2006]

Seeing a John Wayne movie where Wayne himself is the most vital presence is normal for just about any film he was in. Seeing a John Wayne movie where he is the most accomplished and subtle actor on screen, the Olivier of the proceedings, is quite another, and just one of several reasons "Rio Lobo" sticks out in a bad way.

Wayne plays Union Col. Cord McNally, who after the end of the American Civil War is still after the traitors who sold information about U.S. Army gold shipments that led to the death of a beloved subordinate. McNally finds himself in the middle of a land grab involving two ex-Confederates who knew the traitors in question, and what's more, are now being oppressed by the same baddies in the Texas village of Rio Lobo. Former enemies join forces to see to the righting of a wrong.

Everything about this film is wrong from the start, from the opening titles where we see a guitar played totally out of sync with the tune on the soundtrack to a train robbery scene full of awkward exposition lines to alert us to the fact the train is carrying gold and is being waylaid by Confederates armed with grease and hornets. How Howard Hawks, director of some of Wayne's best films like "Rio Bravo" and "Red River" as well as some choice Hollywood classics, could have made this lame oater his swansong is a question almost existential in its bleakness.

Wayne's supporting actors make him seem Shakespearean by comparison. Future movie executive Sherry Lansing shows why she saved her best work for behind the camera as a vengeful senorita, while Jorge Rivero just seems hideously miscast as an Omar Sharif wanna-be playing the Confederate commander Col. McNally first clashes against, then joins sides with. Apparently he is one of those Confederate officers who talks like Desi Arnez or Fernando Lamas. Bracing for a train crash, he yells to his men: "You better find yourself a place with a good hold," but the way he says it makes you think he's in a New Orleans cathouse.

All this is by way of introducing Jennifer O'Neill's terrible turn as the lead female in this production, Shasta Delaney. To see her is to reconsider every supposed movie actor you have labeled "bad" in movies. A woman of rare beauty who leans on her looks all too much, O'Neill is always brushing her hair away from her face and sounding much like the high school homecoming queen drafted in a Shakespearean tragedy. Listening to her say simple lines like "Don't be nice to me" is grating in its banality, not to mention a dunning reminder of how competent Joanne Dru really was playing the lead hottie in the Hawks film "Red River" nearly 25 years before, when she actually managed to carry entire scenes with real dramatic purpose and charm. Its not that Hawks stopped using his casting couch, perchance, just that his standards had slipped so in the interim.

Ah, yes, then there's Wayne, stolid, boring, inert, yet the only thing that keeps us going from scene to scene. He can be so great in many different films; that's what makes him such a joy to follow, and though he's so dull in this one, it's not all his fault.

There's a moment, for example, near the beginning, when someone asks him about a comrade in danger, about how long McNally served with the fellow, and McNally replies: "Since the war began." The way Wayne says it, just the aching delivery in his voice, recalls a succession of battlefields, and you realize how powerful an actor Wayne could be without even trying. I can't really blame him for showing up for work when Hawks asked him to. I imagine on his second day on the set with O'Neill and the English-impaired Rivero, he just thought of all the good work Hawks had sent his way before and remembered that Oscar keeping his bed warm back in his trailer. Wayne's not great, but he's good enough for the lameness around him, which is enough.

So are Christopher Mitchum, Susana Dosamantes, and David Huddleston as a would-be sadistic dentist who pretends to give McNally a thorough going-over while imparting some vital information toward the resolution of the plot, sending him off with a nasty novocain shot and the line: "If you'd have been a good enough actor, I wouldna used it!" Wayne was a good sport to let himself get zinged that way, but the truth be told, he's the least of the problem as far as "Rio Lobo" is concerned.

Big disappointment

[BrianV · 2 January 2000]

Being the John Wayne/Howard Hawks fan that I am, I expected great things from "Rio Lobo." Unfortunately, it's one of the Duke's weakest efforts. Howard Hawks has a style all of his own, but none of it is in evidence here. As a matter of fact, the one thing this picture reminds me of is those cheesy A.C. Lyles westerns from the '60s, which were made cheap and loaded with familiar faces like Rory Calhoun, Howard Keel, Rod Cameron, etc.

The biggest problem in this film is the performances of the younger cast members. Jennifer O'Neill is ravishingly beautiful but can't act her way out of a paper bag. Her scenes with Rivero are among the most embarrassing on record. Rivero has trouble with English and seems to be reciting his lines phonetically; O'Neill doesn't seem to have the slightest idea of what she is doing. She steps on other actors' lines, forgets hers, misses cues, and is a pretty good argument for models not being paid for opening their mouths. Future studio head Sherry Lansing has a small part as a Mexican girl who ges beaten up by bad sheriff Mike Henry; she was a much better studio head than an actress. It's up to the old pros like Wayne, Bill Williams, Jim Davis, Victor French and especially David Huddlestson as a frontier dentist to give this picture some semblance of professionalism, performance-wise. Jack Elam as an ornery old codger gives an over-the-top performance that is nevertheless fun to watch. Mike Henry is quite good as a sadistic, crooked sheriff. Yakima Canutt staged the rousing action scenes with his usual flair, and there's a good Jerry Goldsmith score. Unfortunately, however, the trite script and the incompetent performances are obstacles that neither Hawks nor Wayne can overcome. O'Neill has a line early in the film that pretty much sums up her performance: "I'm acting like an idiot, aren't I?"

Yup.

Good enough

[SanteeFats · 7/10 · 25 July 2013]

This movie starts in the Civil War and progresses from there. I don't know if the Rebs ever had an with a Latin accent but it is okay. The bee hive trick is a nice switch from blocking and blowing up the train. Wayne plays what appears to be his favorite rank, a Union colonel. He catches the two Rebs who engineered the robbery, jails them and meets them when the war is over to try and find out who the Union traitor was. Now civilians they proceed the town of Rio Lobo Here they run into Jennifer O'Neill who does a poor acting job in my opinion. They meet Jack Elam in town and he joins the team. I think Elam is fantastic in this role, funny as all get out. Of course they eventually find the bad guy and his crew, fight it out and win.

A major let down.

[shokwave-1 · 6/10 · 23 February 2021]

Given Rio Lobo's creative team and certain plot elements, the film will always be compared to the excellent Rio Bravo and my favorite John Wayne film, El Dorado. Sadly Rio Lobo doesn't hold a candle to either movie.

First the good. John Wayne is always enjoyable, even in movies I don't like. The Duke does the best he can with the writing here and there are some genuinely funny moments throughout. Jack Elam's character was fun when he finally arrived later in the picture. A few of the background actors were also good with their limited screen time. The sets, especially the western towns, brought a familiar feeling and life to the world. And the soundtrack also increased the immersion.

Now the bad. The acting by several of the main characters was poor, even cringe worthy at times. Jorge Rivero and Jennifer O'Neill were especially hard to watch. Maybe these are good actors with a bad script, or maybe both are true. Overall I found myself wanting to skip over scenes and couldn't believe what I was watching. I expected more.

The plot is a good one but there were some elements that bothered me. The villains in this movie are former Union soldiers but they were never on screen during the war. There was no connection to them or their treachery outside of John Wayne's desire to catch them. Ketchum also wasn't much of a villain, more of a coward. The romance elements felt rushed and boring, perhaps due to the poor acting and/or writing. There were some good comedic moments, mostly by Wayne and Elam, but others that fell flat.

I kept watching and hoping the movie would get better, which it did in some ways, but felt disappointed in the end. Maybe I expected too much from Rio Lobo. Maybe I'll give it another try down the road and change my tune.

Variation on a not-so-original theme

[JamesHitchcock · 6/10 · 20 March 2017]

"Rio Lobo" was the last film directed by Howard Hawks and, like his penultimate film "El Dorado", is often regarded as an unacknowledged remake of his "Rio Bravo". All three films star John Wayne and all three were made from a script by Leigh Brackett. All three are Westerns, although at first "Rio Lobo" does not seem like one. It starts with an extended prologue set during the American Civil War in which a group of Confederates, led by Captain Pierre Cordona and Sergeant Tuscarora Phillips, carry out a daring raid on a Union train carrying a valuable cargo of gold bullion.

The main action takes place after the war in the town of Rio Lobo, Texas. Wayne's character, former Union Colonel Cord McNally, is seeking revenge for the death of a close friend killed during the raid on the train." He is not, however, seeking revenge upon the men who carried out the raid, as he regards what they did as a legitimate act of war. The men he is after are the traitors within the Union army who sold information about the bullion shipments to the Confederates. He discovers that these men are now the leaders of a gang of outlaws terrorising the town of Rio Lobo with the assistance of a corrupt sheriff. McNally joins forces with his former enemies Cordona and Tuscarora to lead the fight against the gang.

Anyone with a knowledge of the conventions of the Western, especially the John Wayne Western, will be able to work out how the film progresses. This being a Howard Hawks film there also has to be a strong, determined female character of the sort Hawks loved to include in his films; critics even talked about the "Hawksian woman". Actually, this film contains not one Hawksian woman but three, in the shape of Tuscarora's girlfriend Maria Carmen, her friend Amelita and Shasta Delaney, a young woman seeking revenge for the killing of her lover by the bad guys and who becomes the love interest of the handsome Cordona. (By 1970, Wayne had probably regretfully concluded that he was getting a bit too old to expect a love interest in every movie).

The film was not a great success when first released; the critics generally disliked it, and when the reviewer of the New York Times attempted to defend it the paper received numerous angry letters in protest. Since then, with the virtual canonisation of Wayne as an American icon, its stock has risen, although to my way of thinking it is not quite in the same class as some other late-period Wayne Westerns such as "Chisum" or "True Grit" or the original "Rio Bravo"; it is certainly not in the same class as that great film "The Shootist".

The film has its good points. The attack on the train is well handled and I liked the title sequence in which a guitarist picks out the main theme of Jerry Goldsmith's musical score. On the acting side, however, Wayne is rather left to carry the film on his own, as the other main actors such as Jorge Rivero, Jennifer O'Neill and Christopher Mitchum are not particularly distinguished; in "El Dorado", by contrast, he received good support from Mitchum's better-known father Robert. Brackett does not self-plagiarise his script for "Rio Bravo" quite as blatantly here as he did in "El Dorado", but "Rio Lobo" still suffers from a disadvantage which had affected the earlier film, namely that its storyline is simply a variation on a well-worn standard Western plot which had been so widely used throughout the thirties, forties and fifties that it had become over-familiar. There were a few exceptions such as "The Shootist", but by the seventies it was becoming more and more difficult to say anything new in the Western genre, which partly explains (although there were other factors) its abrupt decline from the second half of the decade onwards. 6/10

Undervalued swansong for Hawks

[BJJManchester · 7/10 · 21 September 2007]

The great Howard Hawks' final film,RIO LOBO,starring John Wayne, continues to divide critical opinion to this day;praised as an enjoyable,action filled coda to a distinguished directorial career,or derided a sluggish,trite and derivative rehash of far better previous works.

It is actually a mixture of both,though fortunately it's positive traits do seem to outnumber the negatives,and although one would've liked to have seen Hawks bow out of film-making on a much more confident register,it is in no way an embarrassment and provides decent entertainment.

As has been already noted,the plot is homogeneous with Hawks' superior previous westerns RIO BRAVO and EL DORADO,although not as overwhelmingly so;the film's opening half hour features incidents from the latter days of the American civil war,which admittedly has some good action but doesn't seem entirely relevant.Thereafter,it follows the thread of the above mentioned,though with not as much detail or characterisation.RIO LOBO does get bogged down with some dull expository dialogue,and some weak,ineffectual performances from younger members of the cast (Jorge Rivero,Jennifer O'Neill,Chris Mitchum).However,despite his noticeable paunch,Wayne is still a credible action lead though he looks awkward in some of the action scenes.Other members of the support cast,such as David Huddleston,Bill Williams,Jim Davis and Hank Worden also give much needed reliability,and Jack Elam gives the film's best performance,reprising the Walter Brennan role as a rascally,roistering,half-crazy rancher.What ultimately saves the film is it's sense of humour.Wayne,Elam and Huddleston handle the comic relief with aplomb,and Yakima Canutt handles the action,some of it surprisingly vicious,fairly efficiently.The villains involved (Victor French,Mike Henry) are adequate but are given rather superficial characterisations,and nominal female lead Ms O'Neill virtually vanishes in the last few reels,perhaps because of her limited thespian abilities.After being facially scarred by the sadistic Henry,Sherry Lansing turns up for revenge in the last moments;her average but by no means poor performance was her last in films before she famously became a movie studio boss.

RIO LOBO is no classic,and pales beside EL DORADO and particularly RIO BRAVO,but despite the advancing ages of the principals (Hawks and Wayne),the two icons can still hold the attention even when they are not at their creative apex.

RATING:6 and a half out of 10.

Have a feeling this could have been better!

[teleadm-persson · 7/10 · 23 June 2005]

Howard Hawks was old at the time around 70. John Wayne sounds out of breath at some times. I know he was having cancer operations before making his movie! After a magnificent train theft that is very very well staged! it has a hard time trying to get back on track.One get's the feeling he works with a B-staff, until Jack Elam get's around as a crazy father, and yes Big John knuckles fight with a nemissess at one time. This movie have a felt that one all the time wanna this movie to be much much better! As it is one feels it feels no more or less than an episode of Gunsmoke, High Chaparall, The Big Valley, or Bonanza. Since I like both John Wayne and Howard Hawks! I wish this was much much much better!! As it is! it's entertaining for the moment!

Don't you worry Ketcham: You're gonna be the *first* to die!

[lastliberal · 8/10 · 22 May 2007]

Still hanging in there as we go into the second day of the John Wayne Marathon.

This is not one of the best, but it was pretty good. The dialog left a lot to be desired, but it had some interesting characters.

Besides Wayne, who was a Yankee Colonel who was looking for two traitors (Victor French & Robert Donner) after the war, there was Jorge Rivero and Robert Mitchum's son Christopher, who both fought on the Confederate side and who helped Wayne find the traitors after the war. Jack Elam was there and also George Plimpton, who played in many movies like Good Will Hunting and Reds, and who wrote "Infamous."

Jennifer O'Neill, Susana Dosamantes, and Sherry Lansing all added beauty to the film.

The last of the ritual archetypal John Wayne westerns

[shakercoola · 6/10 · 23 June 2019]

An American Western; A story about a Union Army colonel who loses a gold shipment in a Confederate raid. He wants the two unknown men on the Union side who sold the Confederates information about the gold shipments. However, when the Civil War ends he finds he has new enemies. Howard Hawks directs the series of confrontations and revelations competently but the film drops to a listless pace, picking up with moderate suspense and sometimes even sadistic distraction. John Wayne's performance has an ageing prowess of eminently attractive moral character. Jack Elam is funny, and entertainingly threatening, as the grizzled, wild-eyed rancher. As an aside, the film is a nostalgia trip on Wayne's mythic character. Hawks presents the memories, conventions and nostalgia from Wayne's films going back to the 1940s, but it is also the second of two remakes he made of his own original film, Rio Bravo.

My favorite John Wayne movie

[eddie261 · 8/10 · 28 July 2001]

Hey, it's a great western with lots of action, nice scenery, and lots of great laughs (I love Jack Elam's character, Mr. Phillips). Never a dull moment in this one, as the story moves along very well. Get this one on video if you haven't already!

Wayne and Hawks Team Up for The Last Time for Good Fun!

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 5 January 2009]

Legendary producer & director Howard Hawks didn't care for his final film "Rio Lobo." Editor John Woodcock remembers Hawks advising him to whittle down scenes that didn't live up to the director's high expectations. Reportedly, Hawks enjoyed the American Civil War prologue, but his feud with lead actress Jennifer O'Neil and her appallingly callow performance as the heroine marred later scenes, such that Hawks eventually wrote her out of the finale altogether and gave Sherry Lansing the privilege of killing the villain. Indeed, "Rio Lobo" isn't the greatest western. Nevertheless, with its comic byplay among the principals, Jerry Goldsmith's evocative music, and his scenes of violence, Hawks' last collaboration with John Wayne is still a lot of fun.

"Rio Lobo" opens with an entertaining and inventive prologue about a Civil War gold robbery. Confederate soldiers grease the railroad tracks that a Union train transporting a shipment of gold is traveling on and then hurl a hornet's nest into the caboose where the troops stand guard over the strongbox. Between the hornets and the Confederate gunfire, the Union soldiers are either shot or bail out as the Confederates release the caboose from the rest of the train. Just to make sure that the locomotive cannot follow them, the Southerners blow of the engine's steam. Talk about a slick piece of work. The rebels smoke the hornets out caboose and halt the runaway vehicle with heavy ropes stretched across the tracks, the same way the Navy use to hang a net across their carrier decks to stop careening jets. Colonel Cord McNally (John Wayne) and his men ride to the scene of the robbery, and McNally finds one of most dependable officers, Lieutenant Ned Forsythe (Peter Jason of "They Live"), lying in a field with his neck broken. McNally and his men split up as they trail the rebels into the woods. The rebels single out McNally and take him prisoner, among the Confederates are Capt. Pierre Cordona aka Frenchy (Jorge Rivero of "Soldier Blue") and Sgt. Tuscarora Phillips (Robert Mitchum's son Christopher of "Big Jake"), who are both pretty handy with this six-shooters. Eventually, McNally outfoxes them and leads them into Union territory. He offers to release them if they divulge the identity of the traitor who has been giving them insider information about the gold shipments. Cordona and Phillips refuse and serve their time out in a prison camp.

After the war ends, McNally visits Cordona and Tuscarora as they are discharged and buys them some drinks. The colonel still wants to know who sold him out because he refuses to tolerate treason. When Tuscarora asks him why he doesn't bear a grudge against them, he reminds them that what they did constituted an act of war. McNally gives them some money to supplement the two dollars that Union authorities have given them so they are head west. Cordona and Tuscarora agree to alert McNally when they have any useful information. The time between the prison scene and the subsequent scene in the Texas town of Blackthorne is compressed, and McNally shows up in civilian garb in response to Cordona's summons. No sooner does McNally show up than trouble breaks out because a bunch of Rio Lobo deputies, operating out of their jurisdiction, try to arrest a willowy girl, Shasta (Jennifer O'Neil of "Class of '42) for questioning in connection with a snake oil medicine show she was running. Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin (veteran character actor Bill Williams of "Son of Paleface") tries to intervene, but the Rio Lobo thugs get the drop on him. One of the villains is none other than journalist George Plimpton in a cameo. Shasta pulls a derringer out of her purse under the table and fires through it. She wounds villainous Deputy Whitey (Robert Donner of "High Plains Drifter") while McNally disarms the gunman with a rifle (Plimpton) who stands behind him. Condona appears half-dressed at the top of the stair in the saloon/hotel and helps gun down the opposition.

Cordona explains that the man they think sold them the information about McNally's gold trains is a wealthy rancher in Rio Lobo called Ketchum. Veteran heavy Victor French of "Charro!" is the slimy villain who is forcing everybody to sell their land at rock bottom prices and has the notoriously corrupt sheriff, Blue Tom Hendricks (Mike Henry of "Smokey and the Bandit") on his payroll. Hendricks' chief deputy is played by future "Dallas" patriarch Jim Davis. Shasta guides Cordona and McNally to Rio Lobo and they arrive under cover of darkness. The next day McNally watches as couple of Blue Tom's deputies give Tuscarora a beating, charge him with stealing his own horses, and lock him up. McNally, Shasta, and Cordona visit Tuscarora's father's ranch where Blue Tom men have besieged old man Phillips. Our heroes and heroine shoot their way into Phillips' ranch and convince him to accompany them to Ketchum's ranch. They kidnap Ketchum after busting heads and shoot their way into Blue Tom's jail to free Tuscarora. Meanwhile, Cordona heads off to fetch the U.S. Calvary, but the villains capture him and engineer an exchange, Cordona for Ketchum.

Leigh Brackett, who co-wrote "Rio Bravo" and "El Dorado," rewrote Burton Wohl's script, and reconfigured several scenes from the aforementioned movies to accommodate "Rio Lobo." Instead of the heroes slinging dynamite as they did against the villains in "Rio Bravo," the villains get to sling dynamite at the heroes. Moreover, "Rio Lobo" doesn't dawdle and never wears out its welcome. As abysmal as Jennifer O'Neil's performance is, the cast seems to work together quite jovially and the dialogue—nothing memorable—flows with a rhythm. Hawks ribs John Wayne's character with his increased girth and age and the girls ridicule Jorge Rivero's romantic Frenchman without mercy. Let's not forget Jack Elam as the cantankerous Mr. Phillips who chews the scenery with vigor as much as he loves to shred anybody and everybody with his double-barreled shotgun.

Rio No-go

[Lejink · 4/10 · 24 October 2023]

Difficult to watch this movie, Howard Hawks' last and not be reminded of Tarantino's comment about how in his own career he didn't ever want to make his own "Rio Lobo", his way of saying that with this movie, time had finally caught up with the great old director.

I suppose Wayne was hot after his Oscar-winning turn in "True Grit" but clearly the writing was on the wall too for old Duke. He lumbers through the picture, the only thing slower than his pace being his delivery. He's the only star name here but it's he who effectively slows down the action to a crawl and it just never picks up speed at any time.

Hawks selected Mexican actor Jose Rivero as Wayne's sometime side-kick but it's clear to see that his part has probably reduced from the original conception as, for all his good looks, it's evident he's lacking in charisma. Elsewhere Jack Elam too obviously indulges in attempting to steal his scenes by overdoing the "crazy old man" schtick while neither of the two female actresses prominent in the movie really makes a lasting impression.

With a second or even third-hand plot, rather unconvincing action sequences and lame "comfortable" humour throughout, I'm afraid I'm with Quentin on this one.