96
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertWhat 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.
- 100Time OutGeoff AndrewTime OutGeoff AndrewImmaculately 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.
- 100EmpireKim NewmanEmpireKim NewmanBeautifully directed with a lovely visual lyricism, this film packs a western punch with perfect performances and a fine script.
- 90The New York TimesBosley CrowtherThe New York TimesBosley CrowtherEven despite a big let-down, which fortunately comes near the end, it stands sixteen hands above the level of routine horse opera these days.
- 88Slant MagazineSlant MagazineIt’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.
- 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.