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Red River (Click to select text)
The movie I decided to watch was Red River, produced and directed in 1948 by Howard Hawks. It starts out with John Wayne who stars as Tom Dunson, and Montgomery Clift as Matt, his discovered and kind of adopted son. The old west at this point is depicted as every man is responsible for his own destiny and that hard work and honesty will eventually bring success. The main character Dunson is a perfect role model for self-sufficiency and someone who focuses on building something from nothing. Dunson and his sidekick Rupp, played by Walter Brennan, decide to leave a wagon train that is headed for California and head out to Texas on their own. This scene establishes how women are viewed by the main character in a touching bit of dialogue where Dunson tells the eager and motivated girl that where they are going is too tough for women and that he will "send for her later." She is ironically killed by Indians some 5 hours later. The two of them made it as far as the Red River, which is the beginning of Texas. During the night Dunson and Rupp are attacked by Indians. As it turned out these were the same Indians, who ambushed the wagon train, they had left earlier in the day. Dunson and Rupp had seen the smoke from the attack that killed the girl as they were riding away. It seems to me that Indians in this film are portrayed as dangerous enemies who are very sneaky. Also in this part of the movie Dunson and Rupp somehow knew how to answer Indian calls, even though they were two white guys from Missouri. It also intrigued me that the two of them shot every Indian that came out of the bushes the very first time. Good shootn'! The day after the Indian attack they crossed the Red River and headed south. This is where they ran into a young teenage boy (Matt), who was the only survivor of the wagon train that was headed for California. Matt naturally joins up with Dunson and Rupp and quickly comes out of his trauma-induced stupor to banter intelligently with Dunson about never trusting someone you don't know. They move further south (all the way to the Rio Grande) and take over some land. Title to the land was settled by Dunson's quick draw, the first demonstration of settling disputes with gunplay. Matt contributes his cow to the herd, which consists of one bull. The civil war has come and gone and we are told that at some point Matt goes off to fight like all men should. It is now14 years later, Matt is back from fighting in the Civil War and returns to the ranch where Dunson and Rupp have built a huge homestead. They now own several thousand head of cattle. After the Civil War ends, Texas is poor and cattle are the only thing that can provide money. They have a subtle southern attitude when they discuss the evil carpetbaggers. Tom Dunson then, and by himself, decides to try to drive the cattle all the way to Missouri because there is no money in Texas at this time. One of Dunson's neighbors is in on the conversation. The neighbor starts inquiring about missing cattle, and the rumor that Dunson is making a cattle drive to Missouri. Dunson did have other rancher's cattle but they made an agreement to let him take them as long as they got paid. Dunson's word was good enough for the ranchers. They trusted him to pay, reinforcing the theme that a man's word is his bond. The night before the big drive Dunson is asking for volunteers to sign up for the cattle drive. He is also explaining how treacherous it might be and tells the men that once they start the trip they can't back out. He expects the same Puritan ethic from his men as he expects from himself. They will be traveling over a 1000 miles in the next 3 months. During the drive they have the usual problems that keep the men very busy. Also, one of the men tried stealing some sugar from the chuck wagon. While in the act, the thief inadvertently starts a stampede, which kills one of the men. Dunson tried to shoot the thief. Dunson's focus on the success of this cattle drive has almost become paranoia. They finally make is all the way back to the Red River. This is the first time they have been there since arriving in Texas, 14 years earlier. It is evening time and the men are bedding down. Matt is talking to Dunson and finally tells Dunson that he must stay behind. Matt thinks Dunson is becoming a dangerous tyrant and not making sound decisions. Dunson then makes an enormous change in character and threatens to kill Matt. Matt leaves anyway, leaving an enraged Dunson behind and diverts toward Kansas because he has heard that there is a better way to move the cattle by railway. They stumble into a wagon train full of women and gamblers, heading for Nevada. Indians are attacking them. This is the classic portrayal of Indians riding as targets around the circled wagons, suggesting that these plains Indians weren't very bright. Matt and his men are helping the people on the wagon train fight off the Indian attack. They end up saving the wagon train, (no duh), as you would expect from a bunch of tired cowboys. Matt and his men finally arrive at Abilene, Kansas, with the cattle herd. Where he and the hotly pursuing Dunson fight it out to resolve any conflicts they may have had over the years. Gunplay and fistfights resolve all conflicts (per the movie, where might is right), and Matt's new girlfriend cheerfully reconciles them. The fundamental theme is replayed when Dunson gives Matt half of the ranch after concluding that he "has earned it."
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