Rio Lobo

Plot synopsis:
During the American Civil War, Col. Cord McNally (John Wayne) has instructions telegraphed to his close friend, Lt. Ned Forsythe (Peter Jason), in charge of the Union troops on a Union army payroll train. However, Confederates led by Capt. Pierre Cordona (Jorge Rivero) and Sgt. Tuscarora Phillips (Christopher Mitchum) hijack the train. Their plan is to listen in on the telegraph wires, grease the tracks to stop the train, disconnect the payroll wagon from the engine so it rolls back down the hill, using a hornet's nest to force the Union guards to jump off the train, then catch the train with many ropes tied to trees. In the process, Lt. Forsythe is fatally injured.
In the subsequent fighting, they trick McNally and capture him but McNally leads them into a Union camp, pushes a branch forward, and lets it swing back to knock Tuscarora off his horse, then yells out to the camp. As the Confederates flee, McNally jumps Cordona. McNally realizes that a traitor must be selling information to the Confederate States of America, in order for the hijackings to be successful. McNally questions the pair, but they give him no information and are imprisoned.
When the War ends, McNally visits them as they are being released, and asks them to tell him from whom they got their information. When Tuscarora points out that they were the ones who had killed McNally's friends yet McNally has nothing against them, McNally replies that the killing was an act of war, while the one who sold them the information was a traitor. Unfortunately they don't know the traitors' identities, having only seen them from a distance. One was a big, dark-haired, mustachioed man, and the other was very white-haired and pale. McNally then tells Cordona and Tuscarora that if they should ever come across these men again, to contact him through a friend of his, Pat Cronin (Bill Williams), who is the sheriff of Blackthorne in Texas. Tuscarora is on his way to Rio Lobo, Texas where he grew up.
Later McNally is contacted by Cronin on instructions from Cordona. When he arrives in Blackthorne, however, Cordona is sleeping in a hotel room with a woman. Shasta Delaney (Jennifer O'Neill), arrives in the hotel, wishing to report a murder that took place in Rio Lobo. Cronin explains that he cannot intervene because Rio Lobo is outside his jurisdiction. Later a posse from Rio Lobo arrives and wants to take Delaney away. She claims, however, that the leader, "Whitey" (Robert Donner), is the murderer about whom she has been talking.
When one of the posse aims a gun at Cronin, Shasta shoots Whitey under the table, and Cronin and McNally finish off the posse. As the last one is about to shoot McNally, Cordona appears at the top of the stairs and shoots the gunman. Shasta faints from the shock of killing someone. Cordona tells McNally that Whitey was one of the two men for whom McNally was looking. He goes on to tell McNally that Tuscarora had contacted him and had told him that he saw one of the men, for whom McNally is looking in Rio Lobo. He also reports that there is trouble in Rio Lobo and that Tuscarora needs help. His father and other ranchers are being bullied by a man named Ketcham, who installed his sheriff, "Blue Tom" Hendricks (Mike Henry), after Hendricks killed the previous incumbent.
McNally, Cordona, and Shasta go to Rio Lobo, where they discover graft and corruption. Hendricks arrests Tuscarora on trumped up charges. For further help, they go to Tuscarora's father, Old Man Philips (Jack Elam). When the three sneak into Ketcham's ranch, McNally learns that Ketcham is really Sergeant Major Ike Gorman (Victor French), the traitor. McNally punches him around and forces him to sign the title deeds of the ranches back to their rightful owners. Philips then wires the triggers back, forming a dead-man's trap, on his double barreled shotgun so they can order Hendricks and his men out of the jail . They take over the town jail for cover, freeing Tuscarora, while Cordona goes for the Cavalry. Meanwhile, Tuscarora's girlfriend Maria Carmen (Susana Dosamantes) and her friend Amelita (Sherry Lansing) lend assistance. For that, Hendricks slashes Amelita's face, and Amelita swears to McNally that she will kill Hendricks.
However, Ketcham's men capture Cordona. Ketcham's gang offers to trade Cardona for Ketcham. In the meantime, word spread of the trade and roughly 20 ranchers turn up to help, knowing that, if McNally fails, the town will have gained nothing from the returned deeds. During the prisoner exchange, Cordona dives from the bridge into the river where Tuscarora was hiding. McNally yells out that Ketcham is now bankrupt, having signed the deeds back, so the furious sheriff guns Ketcham down, and in turn, McNally shoots the sheriff in the leg. McNally then gets shot in his leg by one of the deputies, and is dragged back into the cantina by Philips.
After a failed attempt to blow up the cantina McNally's force was in, the remaining bandits are outflanked and outgunned by the other ranchers who have come to help. Hendricks's men realize this and they flee. Hendricks shoots at them, but he had been using his rifle as a walking cane and it had become clogged with mud, and it explodes in his face. As he stumbles to his horse, Amelita guns him down, thus keeping her word. McNally tells the ranchers that they have their town back.

Tags: revenge, cult, murder, violence

Review:
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.
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.
Released in 1970, Howard Hawks' "Rio Lobo" starts with a thrilling Confederate train robbery of a Union gold shipment.
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-.
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..
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.
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..
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.
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.
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.
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..
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 .
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 .
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 ..
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.
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.
Loads Of Action, A Lot Of Fun. 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.
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..
Considering this is Howard Hawks-directed film and John Wayne is the star, this was a huge disappointment.
Jack Elam, in his prime, was the epitome of menace on the screen, but his comic caricature here just didn't play for me.John Wayne is an American legend, international film hero, box office giant, and one of the most beloved actors of all time, yet he couldn't find a studio that would give him enough money to hire anyone better than Jennifer O'Neil, Sherry Lansing, and the beyond-dreadful Jorge Rivero?
Geniuses.There are so many far superior John Wayne films, Howard Hawks films, and Wayne-Hawks collaborations, that you are doing yourself a disservice wasting precious time watching Rio Lobo.
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.
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.
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)!
Out of Paramount Pictures, Rio Lobo is directed and produced by Howard Hawks (the last film he would direct) and stars John Wayne, Jorge Rivero, Jeniffer O'Neill, Jack Elam & Christopher Mitchum.
It's the third film in a loose trilogy by Hawks & Wayne that follows Rio Bravo (1959) & El Dorado (1966).
Plot follows Wayne as Union officer Cord McNally who loses gold shipments (via the railway) to Confederate guerrillas led by Pierre Cordona (Rivero) & Tuscarora Phillips (Mitchum).
Civil War veteran John Wayne (as Cord McNally), former Confederate foe Jorge Rivero (Pierre "Frenchy" Cordona), and super-model Jennifer O'Neill (Shasta Delaney) ride into "Rio Lobo" to stir residents into action.
It only helps a little.**** Rio Lobo (12/17/70) Howard Hawks ~ John Wayne, Jorge Rivero, Jennifer O'Neill, Jack Elam.
Then, the plot shifts to a different focus, as character motivations make a dramatic U-turn, and we move from a Civil War setting to a Western setting.Except for Cord McNally (John Wayne), Pierre Cordona (Jorge Rivero), and Tuscarora (Chris Mitchum), characters in the last third of the film bear no relation to characters in the first third of the film.
Given McNally's motivation, Wayne plays the role too sweetly and amiably, hardly the tough and intense character we would expect.The best that can be said for "Rio Lobo" is that some of the daytime camera shots are quite pleasing, in that they convey images that romanticize the Old West.
Of course, nobody can do a Western like John Wayne, and he looks like he's having a great old time here.
a sad end to Hawks directorship Wayne is too old and tired and his so called co stars now there's an assumption are hopelessly inadequate and devoid of any acting ability and the reworking of his previous films Rio Bravo and Eldorado becomes painfully and very obviously thin.The beginning is good but then it peters out into a virtual scene by scene re run of Rio bravo and el Dorado, only obtain a copy to add to your Wayne collection and let it gather dust on the shelf and watch the far better Rio Bravo and El Dorado I can only think that Wayne did this movie as a favour or he needed the money for his retirement fund took the money and run.
Comfortable as ever in a genre he basically dominates anyway, John Wayne (the great "re-actor") makes every word he says and every action he takes as stalwart and as forceful as if he were taking to the screen for the first time.Much has been made of how weak the younger actors are, but considering the circumstances, they do well for themselves (even a young Lansing, who would go on to bigger and better things beyond the camera).
He also has the best line: "Don't mind if I shoot anyway, it makes me feel better."You'll no doubt recognize a lot of faces in this film, and probably be surprised to see them there (yes, THAT George Plimpton) but in a film this big and this good, it looks like everyone wanted to get into the act.And through it all, Wayne swaggers and shoots and helps save the Western way of life.
John Wayne plays Colonel Cord McNally who rides to Rio Lobo with Captain Pierre Cordona (Jorge Rivero) and Shasta Delaney (Jennifer O'Neill) to get the bad guys.Rio Lobo from 1970 was the last movie of Howard Hawks.This was a good movie to stop.
Rio lobo has everything; Action, John Wayne and beautiful women..
The third and final film in Howard Hawks's famous trilogy of westerns starring John Wayne; the first was RIO BRAVO and the second EL DORADO.
This late-stage entry in the genre is far better than I was expecting, a bright and colourful western with an interesting cast and an ageing star who still has the power to kick backside with the best of them.The opening of RIO LOBO is particularly astute, featuring a heist on a train carrying a gold shipment which is very well directed and exciting.
Wayne plays the usual stock hero and wrings maximum presence out of his part, only this time around he's supported by a mixture of old hands (Jack Elam) and new faces (Mexican star Jorge Rivero and Christopher Mitchum).The narrative slows down after the first section which is understandable given the passage of time.
Watching Rio Lobo by itself shows an slightly below average western with John Wayne carrying it through with his sheer presence.
The final film is Howard Hawks The good guys vs bad guys trilogy(as i like to call it)is set during the closing days of the civil war and involves military secrets being sold the other side,a robbery in gold,and one mans quest for vengeance and justice.First of all,this is one of the greatest westerns ever made,it got brilliant acting,perfect storyline and excellently staged,fast paced action scenes.John Wayne is again reprising his role as a Man on a Mission,and he's brilliant at it(in one scene he turns the tables on his captors which results in them being sent to a POW camp),other good performances come from Mike Henry who plays the sadistic town sheriff,Jack Elam is really funny as the bitter old man who helps the duke on his quest and David Huddleston is great as the town dentist,some of the scenes in this movie are nearly the same as El Dorado(food being brought to the sheriffs office which is under siege).The storyline is excellent as it focuses a lot on betrayal and revenge,the dukes friend is killed in a train robbery and he sets out intent on finding those responsible,the idea of military secrets falling into the wrong hands was great and it gives the movie the feel of a spy thriller.There's plenty of good old western action to enjoy,including a train robbery,a house being raided and an epic shootout to climax the film,during which many a man is shot and dynamite is tossed around and a building is blown up(it quite similar to the shootout at the end of Rio Bravo),the action is very loud and it's really exciting.This is a gem of a movie,i recommend it to all John Wayne and western fans..
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.
When the dentist, Dr. Ivor Jones (David Huddleston) purposely causes Cord McNally (Wayne) to yell out in pain using one of his instruments, Jones says to him - "Well if you'd been a good enough actor, I wouldn't have used it!" To his credit, Wayne actually looked stunned when he heard that.Well, like a handful of other Western fans here, I was pretty sure I saw this picture before when it was called "Rio Bravo" and "El Dorado".
If you have never seen a John Wayne 'Rio' movie, this one is as good as it gets.