Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p29

06/10/2013 13:46 par tellurikwaves

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p28

06/10/2013 13:40 par tellurikwaves

The Duke in Transition

Author: RHKLWK
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.

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p27

06/10/2013 13:38 par tellurikwaves

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p26

06/10/2013 13:36 par tellurikwaves

Howard Hawks loved this movie

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York
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.

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p24

06/10/2013 13:34 par tellurikwaves

Much maligned, better than you're told

Author: (maxbrand) from NY, NY
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.

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p23

06/10/2013 13:32 par tellurikwaves

Not quite as bad as people make out

Author: latic from United Kingdom
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.

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p21

06/10/2013 13:30 par tellurikwaves

Trivia
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-Final film of Howard Hawks.
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-Howard Hawks later said, "I didn't think it was any good." He also blamed the film's poor critical and commercial performance on John Wayne, saying that at 63 the star was now too old to carry a movie.
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-When John Wayne visits Bill Williams in the sheriff's office, there is a wanted poster on the wall for Hondo Lane, the character Wayne played in Hondo, l'homme du désert.
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-John Wayne was in poor health during filming, and had great difficulty getting on and off his horse.
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-Jack Elam, playing the "Old Man", was more than a decade younger than John Wayne.
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-During a break in filming John Wayne collected his Best Actor Oscar for 100 dollars pour un shérif from Barbra Streisand at The 42nd Annual Academy Awards. When he returned, every member of the cast was wearing an eye patch - including his horse!
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-Film debut of Peter Jason.
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-Writer and reporter George Plimpton was cast in a minor role in this film (4th Gunman) while collecting research on the film industry. In a TV documentary shown during this time he commented that John Wayne kept calling him "Pimpleton" as a joke.
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-The actress who portrays Amelita is Sherry Lansing, who was the first woman to head a major Hollywood studio when she became president of 20th Century Fox in 1980. In 1992 she became the chairman of Paramount Pictures, stepping down as CEO in 2004.

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p19

06/10/2013 13:29 par tellurikwaves

Roger Ebert(fin)

This time we get some introductory Civil War action before Wayne heads West. He plays a colonel whose gold shipment is hijacked by Confederates, and he has reason to believe some of his men are informers. The hijacking itself is handled in a typically sly Hawks manner; I won't tell you how it's done but you may be surprised when the Rebs let the train go right on past them. After the war, Wayne finds himself in Texas and inexorably (as these things go in Westerns) involved in the lives of the men who betrayed him.

There are the usual plot elements: He's drawn against his will into a battle of good vs. evil, when the sheriff proves corrupt and the townspeople impotent. There's a good rancher, who is rescued, and some heroines, who are rescued after sufficient heavy breathing.There are the usual people to be crept up on and silenced And there is that scene, which Hawks seems so fond of, where the good guys barricade themselves inside the sheriff's office and wait for help.

When they're all inside, we realize that the character types are the same as in "Rio Bravo" and "El Dorado." In addition to Wayne, there's the spunky young kid, the ineffectual good sheriff and the old guy who provides comic relief.I'm sorry to say, however, that "Rio Lobo" is just a shade tired, especially after the finely honed humor and action of "El Dorado." Perhaps Hawks was reluctant to quote too much from his previous two films. I can't imagine why.

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p18

06/10/2013 13:26 par tellurikwaves

La critique de Roger Ebert

Howard Hawks' "Rio Lobo" is a John Wayne Western. That was a little unusual in 1970, because John Wayne had unaccountably been finding himself in some Westerns that weren't John Wayne Westerns. "Chisum" and "The Undefeated" (1969), for example, didn't quite understand the mythic nature of the Wayne character, and so we got a lot of scenery and very little chemistry. "True Grit" (1969), a very good movie, chose to comment on the Wayne character instead of exploiting it. And so it has been a long time since a John Wayne Western in the classic mold: Not, in fact, since Howard Hawks' last film, "El Dorado" (1967).

Š DR -RIO LOBO de Howard Hawks (1970) p17

06/10/2013 13:24 par tellurikwaves

Analyse & critique de DVD Classik(Fin)

En fait, ce troisième opus n’arrivera jamais à se démarquer par quelque aspect que ce soit de ses deux prédécesseurs : il se contente de reprendre tous leurs ingrédients en n’essayant jamais d’apporter une quelconque originalité à la forme, comme le faisait pourtant si brillamment El Dorado. C’est précisément ce que l’on peut déplorer dans Rio Lobo ; de donner dans la répétition pure et simple, construisant ainsi un film se contentant paresseusement de répéter des motifs sans vraiment évoluer.

Le film irait donc jusqu’à afficher les défauts de ses qualités : à force de vouloir donner des repères au spectateur pour qu’il se sente en terrain connu, il finit par perdre le sel de ce qui était au départ une éblouissante démonstration de force cinématographique engagée avec les deux premiers films du triptyque Hawksien. Et ce n’est pas quelques fusillades tonitruantes, un très bon casting en roue libre, et beaucoup d’humour qui y changeront quelque chose.

A sa sortie en salle, personne ne s’y trompe : les producteurs eux-même doivent concéder que le film est bien moins bon que prévu. Les critiques (sauf exceptions) ne se gênent pas pour enfoncer ce western, n’aidant en aucune manière la sortie bien compromise d’un film dont tout le monde attendait beaucoup plus. La fréquentation en salle confirme encore plus cette tendance, car si le film marche plutôt bien (4 250 000 dollars au box-office américain), il s’avère être une entreprise financière beaucoup moins rentable que les quatre précédentes collaborations Hawks-Wayne.

De plus, largement surpassé par l’écrasant succès de Little Big Man sorti exactement en même temps, un western concurrent totalisant 15 millions de dollars au box-office américain. Même Howard Hawks, vers la fin de sa vie, a été jusqu’à affirmer à propos de Rio Lobo : « A mon avis, ce film ne valait rien ! » On ne peut que trouver trop dur ce jugement d’un cinéaste au regard acerbe sur ce film qui vaut tout de même un peu plus que ce que les critiques ont pu en dire à l’époque. Rio Lobo finira 20ème au classement des succès cinématographiques de l’année 1970.