The last and least memorable of John Ford's famous cavalry trilogy (following Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon), Rio Grande nonetheless has an interesting continuity about the gentlemanly rules of military conduct. Here the focus is on the family. While creating a heated controversy over his handling of the Apache war, John Wayne must also contend with disgruntled wife Maureen O'Hara and estranged son Claude Jarman Jr., a new recruit trying to earn his father's love and respect. Ford seems to suggest that there are two conflicting codes of honor in every cavalry officer's life, the personal as well as the professional, and that it takes an act of heroism to maintain both. It's fascinating to observe Wayne's progression throughout the trilogy, as his personal stakes intensify. Also, this is the first of five onscreen appearances between the Duke and O'Hara, each filled with a competitive spirit and stormy sexuality. --Bill Desowitz

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Comment: Another one of my favorite movies with John Wayne and the whole John Ford crew.
The scene where Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., and Claude Jarman Jr. ride two Horses Roman style (that's standing on the two horse's backs) was actually done by them, not stuntmen! They just don't make them like that anymore.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The third of the Ford / Wayne cavalry films. Wonderful story and great cast. ENJOY!
Comment: We are fortunate that this movie got made at all. John Ford had wanted to make "The Quiet Man" for years and every studio thought it would lose money. Herb Yates at Republic Pictures, who usually made low budget Westerns, agreed to produce that film if Ford would agree to do a Western with the same principles (Wayne, O'Hara, and some others). Ford agreed, but pushed for a million dollar budget and put more care into "Rio Grande" than he had to because he cared about anything that carried his name. Yates figured he could make up for the money he would lose on "The Quiet Man" with this Cavalry film. Actually, Republic made a ton of money on both films, with "The Quiet Man" becoming their number one film.

While this is the third of the so called "Cavalry Trilogy" by John Ford with John Wayne, they are not connected stories. Even the characters with the same names are not actually connected between films even though they share some traits. For example, the wonderful tough sergeant played indelibly by Victor McLaglen, was Sgt. Festus Mulcahy in 1948's "Ft. Apache", but Top Sgt. Quincannon in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and Sgt. Major Timothy McCannon in "Rio Grande. Wayne's characters were Captain Kirby York in Fort Apache, Captain Nathan Brittles in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke (note the rank and the `e') in "Rio Grande". Still, each is a wonderful film and they make a great set. Just don't think they make a continuous story.

This movie is set, obviously, near the U.S. and Mexican border. Yorke is there to defend the local settlers from the Apaches who raid from Mexico and dash back across the border because Yorke can't follow them into a foreign country. The story takes on complications when Yorke's son, Jeff shows up as an enlisted man after failing out of West Point. Yorke has not seen his son in 15 years, but knows he cannot show favoritism for his son. To make matters even messier, Yorke's wife (Jeff's mother), Kathleen (Maureen O'Hara) shows up to buy her son out of the military. Neither Yorke nor Jeff will hear of such a thing. Part of the estrangement is that Yorke fought the Civil War for the Union and Kathleen is from an old Southern family. As fate would have it, Yorke was ordered to burn down her plantation during the war.

I don't want to go into any more of the plot, but the movie has some wonderful and famous scenes such as the Roman Riding done by Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr. and Claude Jarman, Jr (playing Jeff). The movie has a wonderful mix of action, emotional tension, a difficult romance between Yorke and Kathleen, and some wonderful singing throughout by the Sons of the Pioneers. If you haven't seen this film, you owe it to yourself to enjoy it (even though it is in B&W - which I never mind). If you haven't seen it in awhile, enjoy it again.

The disk has two documentaries on the making of the film and the movie has an alternate sound track with Maureen O'Hara telling her memories of the scenes being shown.

Very enjoyable.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

You may also want to see:

Fort Apache

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition)

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great John Wayne/John Ford Movie
Comment: Rio Grande is the final installment of John Ford's unintentional Calvary trilogy. It's a great, fun John Wayne film made in the days when stunts were done by people instead of computers and actors were allowed (requested) to do their own stunts.

Interestingly, the celebrated partnership of John Ford and John Wayne made this a classic, but the film also inaugurated another famed partnership--the one between John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.

The great advantage of DVDs over video tapes (beyond the obvious improved resolution and sound) is the Special Features. This DVD has a respectable set of features that will inform you and keep you entertained well after you finish watching the movie.
The Shut Mouth Society
The Shopkeeper

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A great director,a great cast, a great movie
Comment: Every one who knows the making of this movie knows it was made as part of the deal John ford made in order to get funding for The Quiet Man. That is true. That is also irrelevant. Whatever reason Mr Ford had for making a movie, he had an even greater reason for not wanting his name associated with a mediocre, slipshod production. He asked for and got a good budget and it shows in every phase of the movie. The contract called for black and white film, but the camera work is state of the art and Mr Ford made full use of the wonderful contrast that black and white film is famous for. The plot is tight and every scene in the movie proceeds as a logical developement of what went before. The acting is presented by one of the best cast in western movie history. The stunt work is phenomenal. Pay particular attention to the Roman riding scene. That scene alone is worth the price of a ticket. This scene introduces Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr, who along with Claude Jarman Jr nearly steal the show as a trio of friends drawn together because they all came from the Old South
And let's not forget the music by the Sons Of The Pioneers. Most people mist up to hear "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen", if only for its relevance to the plot, but there are two other songs worth mentioning.
One was an old Irish ballad suggested by Maureen O'Hara. American viewers might not understand why all the Irish actors were shedding tears. The reason is that the song is an allegory. The old lady cutting nettles was Ireland, forced into bitter poverty and famine by the English Occupation, and the bold Fenian boys were Irish patriots who fought and died trying to end the Occupation. The song is sung from the viewpoint, after many years, of the last survivor.
The other song was Oh-oh San Antone, which was written by Dale Evans, known to all as the wife of Roy Rogers, the former lead singer of the Sons Of The Pioneers. It's interesting to note that it's the only song in the movie that isn't sung by the Sons Of The Pioneers. It's sung by Claude Jarman Jr., Harry Carey Jr., and Ben Johnson. That is the only modern song in the movie, but it fits because it's just the kind of song that might be sung by a bunch of good friends sitting around playing cards on a summer evening.
The movie also worth watching because it's the first time John Wayne appeared on screen with Maureen O'Hara. They struck sparks every time the came together and this time was no exception.
Much is made of the famous "cavalry Trilogy". In my opinion, this is the best of the three. To be fair, I must admit that part of that opinion may be the result having watched Fort Apache so many times on television that I have forgotten the effect of watching it for the first time. It's kind of like having eaten Crepe Suzette so many times that it ends up tasting like just another pancake with a fancy syrup. You forget what a great dish it really is.
She Wears A Yellow ribbon is pretty good, but the ending seems kind of contrived. It looks like the studio bosses didn't care for having John Wayne just riding off into the West and forced Mr Ford to add a piece that allowed him to rejoin the Army and ride off with the cavalry into history.
Everyone who loves westerns, everyone who admires John Wayne, Maureen Ohara fans, John Ford fans, or anyone who loves action movies will enjoy this movie.
PS. Why "cavalry trilogy"? Mr ford and Mr Wayne made four cavalry movies. Was Quadrology so hard for semiliterate people (like most movie critics) to say that they quietly dropped "The Horse Soldiers" into limbo. Or was it snobbery because John Waynes character in that movie was not a career Officer? Or was it because the action took place in the South rather than the West? Anyone from Virginia to Texas can tell you that the Confederate Army was at least a hundred times more dangerous than any Indian tribe that ever existed. Never mind. Any John Wayne fan will want all four, whether you call it a trilogy plus another good movie, or just part Of the John Ford - John Wayne series of outstandingly good westerns.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A solid part of the "Cavalry Trilogy"
Comment: John Ford's so-called cavalry trilogy includes "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (absolute classic), "Fort Apache" (a terrific movie in its own right), and "Rio Grande" (sometimes looked at as a lesser movie). However, "Rio Grande" holds up nicely on its own.

The protagonist, York, has the same name as Henry Fonda's subordinate in "Fort Apache," also played by John Wayne.

York's son, after failing at West Point, is assigned to his command. His mother, played by Maureen o'Hara, tries to get him out of the service. Of course, the son refuses.

After that, the movie addresses the issue of Native Americans in the United States crossing the Rio Grande to avoid the American Army. General Phil Sheridan (not too well depicted as an oversized figure--Sheridan himself was a small person in stature) empowered York to cross the River--unofficially. Thus, if any problems came up, York would be the fall guy.

Neat scenes: riding horses as "the ancient Romans," young York getting in a fight, the wonderful rescue of the children in Mexico.

Although some see this as the least of the trilogy, it captures a feel and generates some powerful emotional responses. All in all, a fine movie.

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