Country: USA
Year: 1959
Duration: 114'
Dude, a former vice-sheriff who has turned to alcohol following a love story gone bad, is unsuccessfully trying to get himself back on track. He is helped by sheriff Chance who, after having arrested Joe Burdette for murder, finds himself beseiged in the town of Rio Bravo by Joe's brother Nathan, a rich landowner who is menacingly pressing for Joe's release. Chance re-hires Dude and prepares to wait out the seige until he can hand the prisoner over to the federal sheriff. Feathers, who is called this way because of the feather boa she wears, is a professional card player who has installed herself in Rio Bravo's saloon. Chance does not look kindly upon her. Pat Wheeler, an old friend of the sheriff's, arrives in town on business, and puts his men at Chance's disposal. One of these men is young Colorado. The young man is hesitatant, but when Burdette's men kill Wheeler he finds himself on the sheriff's side. Chance, in the meantime, finds himself attracted to Feathers, and discovers her honesty, wisdom and good sense. Dude continues to stand guard at the entrance to town, confiscating the weapons of any of Burdette's men who pass by, but the men manage to kidnap Dude. Chance, too, becomes their prisoner, but he is later released. At this point, the sheriff decides to barricade himself in the prison with Colorado and Stumpy, while Nathan Burdette has the saloon's orchestra play the menacing death song of the Alamo, De Guello. They work out a plan to exchange Dude and Joe, but Dude manages to free himself first and keeps Joe from doing the same. Stumpy brings an end to the impasse by blowing up the building where Burdette's men are hiding. Chance can finally make his feelings for Feathers known.
Biography
film director
Howard Hawks
University and moved to Los Angeles, where he entered the world of cinema as a prop master at the Famous Players-Lasky. Hired by Paramount in 1922 as a screenwriter, he debuted in directing at Fox in 1926 and had his first big success thanks to the producer Howard Hughes, who chose him to direct Scarface, Shame of the Nation (1932). One of the top directors during the golden age of Hollywood, he was famous for his eclectic genres and masterly use of the classic style, alternating comedies (Bring Up Baby, 1938; I Was a Male War Bride, 1949), noir (The Big Sleep, 1946), Westerns (Red River, 1948, Rio Bravo, 1959), war movies (Air Force, 1943), and musicals (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1953). He received an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1975.
Cast
& Credits
Director: Howard Hawks.
Plot: da un racconto di B.H. McCampbell.
Screenplay: Jules Furthman e Leigh Brackett.
Director of photography: Russell Harlan.
Costume designer: Marjorie Best.
Art director: Ralph S. Hurst.
Music: Dimitri Tiomkin.
Editor: Folmar Blangsted.
Cast and characters: John Wayne (John T. Chance), Dean Martin (Dude), Ricky Nelson (Colorado), Angie Dickinson (Feathers), Walter Brennan (Stumpy), Ward Bond (Pat Wheeler), John Russell (Nathan Burdette).
Producer: Howard Hawks.
Production company: Armada Productions.
Italian distribution: Warner Bros.
Plot: da un racconto di B.H. McCampbell.
Screenplay: Jules Furthman e Leigh Brackett.
Director of photography: Russell Harlan.
Costume designer: Marjorie Best.
Art director: Ralph S. Hurst.
Music: Dimitri Tiomkin.
Editor: Folmar Blangsted.
Cast and characters: John Wayne (John T. Chance), Dean Martin (Dude), Ricky Nelson (Colorado), Angie Dickinson (Feathers), Walter Brennan (Stumpy), Ward Bond (Pat Wheeler), John Russell (Nathan Burdette).
Producer: Howard Hawks.
Production company: Armada Productions.
Italian distribution: Warner Bros.