RIO LOBO

PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY HOWARD HAWKS
MUSIC BY JERRY GOLDSMITH
NATIONAL GENERAL PICTURES
RELEASED BY CINEMA CENTER FILMS


18610471442


INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary

Col. Cord McNally an ex union officer teams up with a couple of ex Johnny Rebs
to search for the traitor who sold information to the South during the Civil War.
Their quest brings them to the town of Rio Lobo,where they help recover this little Texas town
from ruthless outlaws who are led by the traitor they were looking for.

Summary written by Christopher D. Ryan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Leigh Brackett
Burton Wohl also story

Full Cast

John Wayne .... Col. Cord McNally
Jorge Rivero .... Capt. Pierre Cordona aka Frenchy
Jennifer O'Neill .... Shasta Delaney
Jack Elam .... Phillips
Christopher Mitchum .... Sgt. Tuscarora Phillips
Victor French .... Ketcham (boss of Rio Lobo)
Susana Dosamantes .... Maria Carmen (Tuscarora's girlfriend)
Sherry Lansing .... Amelita
David Huddleston .... Dr. Ivor Jones (Rio Lobo dentist)
Mike Henry .... Rio Lobo Sheriff 'Blue Tom' Hendricks
Bill Williams .... Blackthorne Sheriff Pat Cronin
Jim Davis .... Rio Lobo Deputy
Dean Smith .... L/Cpl. Bide
Robert Donner .... Whitey Carter (Rio Lobo deputy)
George Plimpton .... Gunman #4
Edward Faulkner .... Lt. Harris
Peter Jason .... Lt. Forsythe (gold train detail officer)
Chuck Courtney .... Chuck
Robert Rothwell .... Gunman #3
Don 'Red' Barry .... Feeny (bartender of saloon outside POW camp) (uncredited)
Harold Cops .... (uncredited)
Stanley Corson .... (uncredited)
Sondra Currie .... (uncredited)
José Espinosa .... (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward .... (uncredited)
Lance Hool .... Picket (uncredited)
Frank Kennedy .... (uncredited)
Charlie Longfoot .... (uncredited)
John McKee .... (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan .... Train engineer (uncredited)
Gregg Palmer .... Pete (henchman) (uncredited)
Jim Preiean .... (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson .... Corporal in baggage car (uncredited)
Danny Sands .... (uncredited)
Anthony Sparrow Hawk .... (uncredited)
Bob Steele .... Rio Lobo deputy (uncredited)
Tommy Tedesco .... Guitar player (opening credits) (uncredited)
Ethan Wayne .... (uncredited)
Hank Worden .... Hank (hotel clerk) (uncredited)

Cinematography by
William H. Clothier

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yakima Canutt .... second unit director
Mike Moder .... assistant director

Stunts

Joe Canutt .... stunts (uncredited)
Tap Canutt .... stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney .... stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Gatlin .... stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward .... stunts (uncredited)
Ace Hudkins .... stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins .... stunts (uncredited)
Terry Leonard .... stunts (uncredited)
John McKee .... stunts (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan .... stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham .... stunts (uncredited)
Rudy Robbins .... stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson .... stunts (uncredited)
Danny Sands .... stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith .... stunts (uncredited)
Neil Summers .... stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams .... stunts (uncredited)
Rodd Wolff .... stunts (uncredited)
Trivia

* Writer and reporter George Plimpton was cast in a minor role in this film (4th Gunman) while collecting research on the film industry.

* Howard Hawks's final film.

Filming Locations

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Old Tucson - Tucson, Arizona


Goofs

* Anachronisms: In the railroad track greasing scene,
some of the Confederate cavalrymen are wearing bandoleers containing post Civil War metallic cartridges.

* Errors in geography: Many scenes that take place in Texas have saguaro cacti in them
. Saguaros only grow in parts of Arizona and Mexico, they don't grow in Texas.

* Continuity: When Col. McNally, Capt. Pierre Cordona, and Shasta Delaney awake in their camp at the burial site,
it is morning, but the lack of shadows would indicate a time closer to midday.

* Continuity: In the saloon, the cork in whiskey bottle disappears and reappears between shots.

* Anachronisms: All of the major characters in the film are seen wearing/using
Colt Single Action Army revolvers shortly after civil war ends (1865). The gun wasn't introduced until eight years later (1873).

* Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Mr. McNalles and company arrive at Phillips's farm,
Phillips walks to the window saying a phrase without moves his lips.

* Continuity: When McNally, Cardona and Shasta knock on Maria Carmen's door,
she rushes to put on a shawl which barely covers her. But, when the door opens and the shot is from outside, the shawl completely covers her shoulders.

Previous discussion:-
Rio Lobo ([Only registered and activated users can see links])

Memorable Quotes

Phillips: Don't you worry Ketcham. You're gonna be the FIRST to die!

Cord McNally: Ketcham, we promised you in a trade. But we didn't say what *condition* you'd be in!

Sheriff 'Blue Tom' Hendricks: I should've taken you this morning!
Cord McNally: You should'a *tried*!

Cord McNally: Mr. Phillips; you watch Ketchum while we go inside.
Phillips: Sure thing, Colonel. If you hear a loud noise, it'll be Mr. Ketchum dyin'.

[Phillips is irritating everyone by playing a jaw harp]
Cord McNally: Dammit, Mr. Phillips! Don't you know any other songs?
Phillips: I don't know this one. That's why I keep practicin'.
[McNally and the others open bottles of beer]
Phillips: Don't I get a beer?
Cord McNally: Not as long as you're playin' that harp.
Phillips: I'll put it up!
[Phillips throws harp in the trash can]
Phillips: What about Ketchum? He don't get no beer, does he?

[Shasta wakes up in Cordona's bed after fainting]
Shasta: What am I doing here?
Cord McNally: Well, you fainted after you shot Whitey, so we put you to bed.
Shasta: Wait a minute! Where are my clothes? Which one of you took my clothes?
Cordona: I did.
Shasta: Why?
Cord McNally: Well, we cut cards and I lost.
Shasta: Where are your pants.
Cordona: You're sleeping on them.

Phillips: Well, I'll be a suckegg mule. Legs like that, and she can shoot, too...

Cord McNally: You got your town back.

Amelita: Turn around Sherriff, I want you to see who kills you!

Shasta: [after McNaly slugs a bad guy from behind] Well you certainly took long enough. I was running out of things to say.
Cord McNally: That I can't believe.

INFORMATION IMDb

Hi,
Part 3 of the Howard Hawks, trilogy, although I thought this was quite different from the other two!
Whilst I thought RIO BRAVO, EL DORADO, followed a very similar patterm, I felt this one didn't.
Ok, there were, similarities, but I don't know, it just was.well....different!!
Duke was great cast as the Colonel, but some of the others, in comparison, were weak.
Mexican, Jorge Rivero, a good looking, former Olympic swimmer, was pretty inept in his part.
Hawks said:-

In order to do anything, he had to think in Spanish, and then transfer his lines,
mentally, into English....He was really too slow, and didn't have any authority at all.

Jennifer O'Neil, just seemed swamped by Duke!
However, with great character actors like Jack Elam, Hank Worden
and other Duke's friends, the picture is better with their presence.

However, an enjoyable movie.
Rating 7/10

Hi keith,
i agree with you: enjoyable movie, but not as good as other Hawks.
Regards,
Senta

Hi

In an earlier post when talking about this film I commented that in the scene where Ketchum is set on fire he shows no signs of being burnt. After lwatching the film last Saturday you see him doing up his belt on a new pair of pants. So he was allowed to change.

Regards

Arthur

The movie was somewhat enjoyable and it was Jack Elam that made it so. I thought that there was no chemistry at all between O'Neill and Rivero. Just two pretty faces who couldn't act. Film was noteworthy for the fact that writer George Plimpton had a cameo as a Ketchum gunman who gets his in the first half of the movie. In fact, some years ago, Plimpton did some tv specials about some of the jobs he did over the years to see hwat they were like. And one was about his time on this movie and I remember it was interesting to watch. At one time, Wayne called him Pimpleton. Anybody know just how many movies Mike Henry did with Wayne? I know he did this and The Green Berets but, I can't remember any others. I always like his style. He made a good villain and he did a good role in the original Longest Yard. Also, Sheree Lansing, who played Amelita, went on to run one of the big studios for a short while. I think it was 20th Century Fox.

Hi WaynamoJim,
Those two films were the only ones Mike Henry did with the Duke.
I agree about the documentary with George Plympton, and it's very funny.
For those who haven't seen it, George a journalist, is taught a line, in the film,
which he labours over, only for Hawks to change it at the last minute.
Duke shows him how to walk, and talk, and hold a rifle.
Good stuff, and a great doc!!

Hi,
I have been researching all the threads, back to the start of the JWMB,
looking for previous discussion, relating to this movie.
I have found the following, comments, and have copied them here,
so that they are now under one forum:-

If you are interested, please click on the link:-

Rio Lobo, Noticed Points ([Only registered and activated users can see links])

Rio Lobo, Not bad, but should have been better ([Only registered and activated users can see links])

Rio Bravo, El Dorado, Rio Lobo,the Similarities ([Only registered and activated users can see links])

Originally posted by WaynamoJim@Jan 27 2006, 12:42 PM
The movie was somewhat enjoyable and it was Jack Elam that made it so. I thought that there was no chemistry at all between O'Neill and Rivero. Just two pretty faces who couldn't act.26067
I couldn't agree with you more. I really enjoy Jack Elam (saw him recently in Support Your Local Gunfighter and Support Your Local Sheriff). The Mrs. dislikes this film specifically because of the women in it - she says they are "annoying."

Deep Discount DVD ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) has the movie and two posters.

Amazon ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) has the film in the new John Wayne Collection series, as well as an older version.

Chester :newyear:

I agree that while this film is enjoyable, it is not a great film. As someone else stated, O'Neill and Rivero were just not good actors. To me, the best part of the story is the opening train wreck. Once the Civil war ends, the films turns more formulatic (good guy hunting down bad guy, who just happens to own all the townsfolk water rights).

The DVD quality of this film is outstanding, but there is one very annoying and distracting trait on it. Whenever a male is walking, there is a LOUD sound of his spurs accompying him. Sometimes it's so loud, it is actually hard to hear the dialog. Hawks should have realised this during the mixing process, but seeing as it was his last film, perhaps he either (1) didn't care, or (2) just didn't notice. Whatever the case, it certainly hampens the enjoyment of it.

I'd give it 7/10 rating

I like Hawks' joking about Duke, like in Rio Bravo he has a girl, in El Dorado he "knows a girl" and in Rio Lobo he's "comfortable". And that scene at the dentist, (from memory) "I wouldn't need to hurt you, if you could act". :P
The film has a warm feeling in it, Howard and Duke are both comfortable, it doesn't take much effort from them to make a small movie like this, and the same time it's nostalgic, they are not coming any younger. As Hawks put it "Duke was not that big cat anymore"

Well if you go here ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) there is an interview with Jennifer O'Neil. She had some nice things to say about working with Duke.

Originally posted by etsija@Mar 14 2006, 01:55 PM
I like Hawks' joking about Duke, like in Rio Bravo he has a girl, in El Dorado he "knows a girl" and in Rio Lobo he's "comfortable". And that scene at the dentist, (from memory) "I wouldn't need to hurt you, if you could act".* :P
The film has a warm feeling in it, Howard and Duke are both comfortable, it doesn't take much effort from them to make a small movie like this, and the same time it's nostalgic, they are not coming any younger. As Hawks put it "Duke was not that big cat anymore"
29352


John Wayne wasnt a big cat anymore, I couldn't agree less as he had just won the Academy award and his stature was only getting bigger.

That was a good interview with O'neill although I was disappointed that she didnt consider duke a 'great actor'.

I always thought that the scene at the Dentist was improvised about Duke not being a good enough actor on account that he had just won the oscar. Does anyone have that great picture from the set of Rio Lobo showing the entire cast along with Dukes horse wearing eyepatches.

:agent:

Originally posted by Robbie@Mar 14 2006, 07:55 PM
John Wayne wasnt a big cat anymore, I couldn't agree less as he had just won the Academy award and his stature was only getting bigger.

Well, Hawks was referring to the way he moved, or used to move, very agile and even graceful for a big man, like a panther or other big cat

I was disappointed that Hawks blamed the failure of this movie almost exclusively on John Wayne. Claiming he was too old to make movies, needed a big co-star like Mitchum to help carry the movie and questioned whether Duke was worth his one million dollars per picture fee.

Hawks should have remembered that only before this movie in True Grit and after it in Big Jake and the Cowboys, Duke was able to carry the movie himself and these movies were superior in quality etc compared to Rio Lobo. I feel Hawks has to take much of the blame for the failure of Rio Lobo.

:agent:

There has not been much talk about this movie on this board. I thought I'd post the following movie review that I found on the Internet.

Reviewed by David Williams (May 12, 2003)

By the time 1970’s Rio Lobo hit theaters (director Howard Hanks’s last feature and his fifth with John Wayne), Wayne’s persona was starting to become worn out and tired with many viewers and the Western genre was starting to fade into the silver screen background. However, I’m not one of the aforementioned “many viewers” and as I see it, no matter how many John Wayne movies you’ve seen or how many times he’s essentially played the same character over and over, there’s just something nostalgic about watching “The Duke” work. While Rio Lobo isn’t considered one of Wayne’s best – and more than likely considered middle-tier in mot circles – it’s still a treat and a pleasure to see one of the greatest American actors of all-time, John Wayne, do his thing in almost any film.

The film deals with the spectacular robbery of a Union Army “pay train” that is hijacked by a band of Confederate soldiers. When a protégé of Union Colonel Cord McNally (John Wayne) is killed in the daring robbery, McNally vows to capture the men responsible. However, McNally is the one who ends up getting captured. However, after spending some time with his captors, McNally learns to respect them as soldiers and he holds no ill will towards the Confederates – Pierre Cordona (Jorge Rivero) and Tuscarora Phillips (Christopher Mitchum). Although McNally comes to realize that the men were just doing their job as soldiers, he turns the tables on them and sets them up to be captured by the Union just as the Civil War happens to be winding down. As the War officially comes to an end, McNally approaches the duo of Cordona and Tuscarora, as he knows that they couldn’t have pulled off the job without some sort of insider information from someone in the ranks of the Union Army. McNally meets Cordona and Tuscarora over drinks and while they admit they paid off some Union soldiers to tell them about the shipment, they honestly can’t recall who they were. McNally tells them where he can be reached after the War in case they ever come across the treasonous soldier and the three part ways.

Fast forward a year or so later and McNally runs across one of his former soldiers now serving as a sheriff in Blackthorne, Texas. As the two are catching up with each other, a beautiful young woman, Shasta Delaney (Jennifer O’Neill), shows up and says she wants to report a murder in the neighboring town of Rio Lobo that was performed by a deputy in the town. The sheriff says that he cannot help the young lady, as Rio Lobo is out of his jurisdiction. Soon thereafter, four deputies from the town of Rio Lobo – including the one that supposedly performed the murder - show up in Blackthorne and attempt to take Miss Delaney back to Rio Lobo at gunpoint. This doesn’t sit too well with the sheriff - or McNally – and a shootout ensues that ends with the four deputies from Rio Lobo being shot dead and Cordona showing up out of the blue to help finish them off. The chain of events peaks McNally’s interests, as he seems to think that there’s more than meets the eye in Rio Lobo. McNally, as well as Cordona and Delaney head out to Rio Lobo to see what’s amiss.

When they arrive in Rio Lobo, they find the town literally held hostage by a sadistic sheriff named Hendricks (Mike Henry) and a wealthy landowner named Ketcham (Victor French). Ketcham showed up in Rio Lobo after the War ended and hired a bunch of outlaws and gunslingers to help protect his interests and in turn, started muscling in on the other landowners to force them to sell him their property as well. While in town, McNally and crew also hook back up with old friend Tuscarora Phillips and they meet his father (Jack Elam), who just so happens to be a rancher in Rio Lobo that has been threatened by Hendricks and Ketcham. While making a move on Ketcham for his current transgressions, McNally and the others learn that Ketcham also happens to be the Union soldier that they have been looking for who sold out his comrades and the Union “pay train” just a few months back.

With all that’s developed, a showdown is in order and it’s escalated by the fact that Ketcham is captured and held by McNally and his crew, Hendricks and his deputies have them surrounded, and Cordona is being held captive by Hendricks and his cronies. When the “exchange” of prisoners is set to take place, it erupts into a gunfight galore that ends in true John Wayne fashion.

Rio Lobo, while entertaining, is a stock Western that managed to generate some genuine action and excitement, as well as some wonderful tension between the “good guys” and the “bad guys”. To top it all off, the whole deal ends up being settled with an Old West style shootout. What more could you ask for?!? The film contained some good performances by all those involved and managed to remain entertaining after many years of having not seen it in any form or fashion.

:agent:

Hi,
Part 3 of the Howard Hawks, trilogy, although I thought this was quite different from the other two!
Whilst I thought RIO BRAVO, EL DORADO, followed a very similar patterm, I felt this one didn't.
Ok, there were, similarities, but I don't know, it just was.well....different!!
Duke was great cast as the Colonel, but some of the others, in comparison, were weak.
Mexican, Jorge Rivero, a good looking, former Olympic swimmer, was pretty inept in his part.

I just watched this film last night, and I can't agree more... Rivero was charming but he was just no match for the Duke. Chris Mitchum was slighrly better, but the really weak supporting performances in the first half of the film really weaken it.

Things only really begin to improve when the always delightful Jack Elam shows up but his screen time is sadly small, Just imagine what it would have been like if he had palled around with Wayne for most of the picture!

And with the exception of Amelita, the woman are annoying and can't act to save their lives, O'Neil is/was a horrible actress. Tuscarora's girlfriend was whiny and a character that could have been eliminated entirely.

The movie is highly enjoyable despite all its flaws, and that's primarily because of John Wayne himself as he carries the entire film on his shoulders and almost damn near succeeds in making a really good movie. He finally gets some help when Elam shows up, and boy does Elam lighten that load for Wayne.

I always liked this movie. Jack Elam was really the only competition Duke had in acting department. I think apart from a small part in The Commancheros this was Jack's only other appearance with John Wayne.

I remember having a promo for this film on super 8 which featured all the other JW /Hawk Movies plus footage from Rio Lobo. I dont think this appeared with DVD


Mike

. . . the woman are annoying and can't act to save their lives, O'Neil is/was a horrible actress. Tuscarora's girlfriend was whiny and a character that could have been eliminated entirely.

Lt. B, the Mrs. says she couldn't agree more with your assessment of the female characters in the film. "Annoying" is the word she uses every time we watch the movie.

On another vein, here is a poster for your enjoyment ~

2046

Um...chester? The first poster is from Rio Bravo, not Lobo.

You wern't thinking about those annoying actresses and got sidetracked, did ya? :stunned:

Just trying to help out. :teeth_smile:

Mark

Thanks, Mark!

I wasn't paying close attention, although I did go back to the CD and discovered the first one is mis-named "Rio Lobo poster" (I was thinking maybe I just clicked on the wrong one).

Chester :newyear:

I thought Rio Lobo had a good storyline, the action is good as is the acting, all in all a good JW western

i watched this for the first time last night and i thought it was an ok film. to my shame, i don t know a lot about the american civil war, so found it a bit confusing to begin with but once i got into the story i enjoyed it.
i do think though, that it was john wayne that carried the film. the women were annoying, mostly because they seemed to lack credible personalites and they seemed to jump in with their lines before jw had finished his.
thought jack elam was great and their were some great lines in it ...
Cord McNally: Ketcham, we promised you in a trade. But we didn't say what *condition* you'd be in!
Cord McNally: Mr. Phillips; you watch Ketchum while we go inside.
Phillips: Sure thing, Colonel. If you hear a loud noise, it'll be Mr. Ketchum dyin'.
on the whole, i think 7/10 is about right

i d like to add as well, i am so ashamed of my lack of knowledge on the american civil war that i have got some books out of the library on it!!!

i d like to add as well, i am so ashamed of my lack of knowledge on the american civil war that i have got some books out of the library on it!!!


Badger, no worries. Most young Americans probably have no idea who Winston Churchill was or if the British invasion of the 60's was done with music or guns.:wink_smile:

Badger, no worries. Most young Americans probably have no idea who Winston Churchill was or if the British invasion of the 60's was done with music or guns.:wink_smile:

yeah but all of a sudden its captured my imagination and i want to know more. do you really call the beatles, oasis etc... british invasion music? we just call it brit pop

yeah but all of a sudden its captured my imagination and i want to know more. do you really call the beatles, oasis etc... british invasion music? we just call it brit pop

Many record, 8track, and cassette sets were labeled British Invasion with artists like the Stones, Beatles, Cream, The Who, etc.. on them.
I remember the people burning records over rock music.

On the Civil War subject, if you have any questions, myself or another here probably can answer them. I have visited all but a few of the major battle sites, and a majority of the minor ones. My book collection is extensive with American and British authors. Brit Col. Henderson's book on Stonewall Jackson is excellent.

The character differences I liked in Rio Lobo. Duke, Elam, and Mitchum are very different in style and screen presence and yet they blended well.

thanks shortgrub
well basically what was the civil war all about? how did it start and why? and where was it mostly fought out? was it geographical or ideological? has it made politics in america the way it is today ie would one side have been republicans and the other democrats?
anything at all really - also which are the best sites to look up
thanks

(ot) I know this post is off topic to Rio Lobo the movie, but it is to help Badger understand in context the theme behind the movies beginning.
Your understanding is appreciated.:wink_smile:

[Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) - Museum of the Confederacy

[Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) - Good timeline of events of the Civil War

[Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links]) - US Park Service which has good history pages.


Just a few sites of many.

thanks shortgrub - i ll have a good look through these this afternoon... and you re right... it is to understand the background to rio lobo

Yup not the best but by far from the worst good sunday afternoon film after a couple of beers at the pub. Cant say fairer than that