Red River
United Artists | Release Date: September 17, 1948 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
96
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
What we remember with Red River is not, however, the silly ending, but the setup and the majestic central portions. The tragic rivalry is so well established that somehow it keeps its weight and dignity in our memories, even though the ending undercuts it. Read full review
100
Time OutGeoff Andrew
Immaculately shot by Russell Harlan, perfectly performed by a host of Hawks regulars, and shot through with dark comedy, it's probably the finest Western of the '40s. Read full review
100
VarietyStaff (Not Credited)
Howard Hawks' production and direction give a masterful interpretation to a story of the early west and the opening of the Chisholm Trail, over which Texas cattle were moved to Abilene to meet the railroad on its march across the country. Read full review
100
EmpireKim Newman
Beautifully directed with a lovely visual lyricism, this film packs a western punch with perfect performances and a fine script. Read full review
100
TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)
There have been many classic westerns but this Hawks masterpiece certainly ranks among the best of the genre. Read full review
100
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
The best of all cattle-drive westerns. [11 Oct 1998, p.16C]
100
The Seattle TimesJeff Shannon
As an actor showcase it's a clash between the Duke's old school and Clift's new breed a volatile mix in a timeless classic. [26 Oct 2003]
91
IndieWireMatt Brennan
In Red River, the destination of life’s long cattle drive is never more specific than “somewheres.” The lines marked on the map are just stops along the way. Read full review
91
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
The movie is impressive both as a celebration of the Old West and a tough, ambivalent depiction of a ruthless pioneer. [04 Jun 2004]
90
The New York TimesBosley Crowther
Even despite a big let-down, which fortunately comes near the end, it stands sixteen hands above the level of routine horse opera these days. Read full review
90
TimeJames Agee
It is a rattling good outdoor adventure movie. Read full review
90
The New YorkerPauline Kael
A magnificent horse opera.
88
Slant MagazineJordan Cronk
It’s a seemingly antithetical approach which separates Hawks’s cinema from its contemporaries and, in the case of Red River, shifted the moral viability of the western genre all at once. Read full review
88
Chicago ReaderDave Kehr
John Wayne and Montgomery Clift star in Howard Hawks’s epic 1948 western—one of the few such projects in which the human element takes its rightful precedence over spectacle. Read full review
80
The Observer (UK)Philip French
It's a landmark film that brought a new psychological complexity to the genre and gave John Wayne the first truly challenging role of his career. Read full review
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