Rio Lobo

Media:	DVD
Directed by:	Howard Hawks
Starring:	John Wayne, Jorge Rivero
Release date:	09 August, 2005
List price:	~~$12.99~~
Our price:	$11.38 that is 12% off!

Rio Lobo

Average rating: Stars

Swaggering. Funny. Corny. Comfortable.

Confederate soldiers are helping to fund their losing cause at the end of the Civil War by stealing gold shipments from the railroad. Colonel McNally (John Wayne) is assigned to stop them. An ingenius robbery plot is executed by the French/Mexican confederate Captain, Jorge Rivera but is foiled at the last minute. And somewhere in the Union army two traitors remain at large...

Years later, the circle is reformed when a helpless maiden, Shasta, (Jennifer O'Neill) rides into town at the same time as retired Colonel McNally. She is looking to bring to justice the very cads that McNally is still searching for. Add the rebel Captain and seargent and the team is nearly complete as justice swings out to seek its final judgement on the villains.

Who swaggers more convincingly or rides taller in the saddle than John Wayne? From beginning to end, the viewer is compelled to smile at the bravado, warmth, and fun of the film.
Made 35 years ago, this is without doubt, the corniest of the John Wayne westerns. The Duke and Jack Elam turn in the best performances of the bunch. John Wayne is "comfortable" in every respect!

Rio Lobo - John Wayne, Jorge Rivero

Rio Con Queso

By 1970, John Wayne had his Oscar in his pocket and Rio Lobo on some inspection looks like just a lot of good, clean fun he and the cast decided to have, with no particular regard for making cinematic history. The plot rambles and has some implausabilities-like why does the Duke, who plays a Yankee, go home to Blackthorne, Texas? And Jorge Rivero as a Confederate officer takes some getting used to. Same thing, different reason, with Jennifer O'Neill. She seems too contemporary for a historic setting and her acting is questionable. However, by dogies, she is just so beautiful (and one of the hottest actresses in demand in the early 70's) that she can be forgiven for any dramatic failings.

One of the strengths of the film is the Duke's self-deprecating humor is in fine display, and so is John Wayne himself. Chisum, which was made about this time, is a better film in my estimation, but Mr. Wayne is practically relegated to a supporting player in it. In Rio Lobo he is in almost every scene and that alone makes it a pleasure to watch. Jack Elam hams it up and David Huddleston adds a nice touch of comedy. Trivia buffs will enjoy Sherri Lansing (future studio head) in the near buff and George Plimpton, fresh off his Paper Tiger days, getting a bit role as a short-lived bad guy.

As for improving the movie, it suffers because the death of the lieutenant, which is the main motivating force for Wayne's character to go after the bad guys, is little seen by the audience. We need to connect with this guy so we feel strongly that justice must be done. This character should have been played by a well-known actor in a cameo role. An obvious choice would have been Patrick Wayne. Then the audience would know the character even though their presence onscreen is brief and make a stronger emotional connection with them. Another thing is the sheriff of Rio Lobo is supposed to be a really mean hombre, but we don't have enough scenes with him to establish this. At the very least, a scene should be added where he brutally questions the Sherri Lansing character and scars her. It wouldn't have to be graphic-just enough to once again emotionally connect with the audience.

Mr. Wayne's DVDs are not getting the attention that his fans deserve! George Plimpton had a television special on making Rio Lobo-this should be an extra included. And, my gosh, The Alamo had 500,000 feet of film shot-some by John Ford. What do we get in bonus material? ZIP! NADA! JACKSQUAT! C'mon Hollywood, this is THE most important film actor of the 20th Century! Get off yer duffs and find this stuff. This is HISTORY!

John Wayne, Jorge Rivero - Rio Lobo

A guilty pleasure

I'll make this short and sweet. Lobo has an affectionate place in my heart. Yes it's the third time we've seen this movie, Bravo and El Dorado are basically the same thing, except they're better overall. BUT, Lobo is so much damn fun. I used to watch it with my grandfather and we'd die laughing at many of the film's fine comedic elements. Jennifer O'Neill is awful, but so cute, Elam is fine as usual, Victor French is slightly wasted but also good - etc. etc. Duke is... well playing a part he could do in his sleep, but he is none the less likable and funny "don't say COMFORTABLE". And the true star of the film is without doubt, Jerry Goldsmith's score. It only clocks in at around 40 minutes worth of music. BUT, oh what a great 40 minutes they are. For Jerry's score and the film's wonderful comedic underpinnings, I have no choice but to say it's a keeper!