RIVER OF NO RETURN
US, 1954, 91 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, Marilyn Monroe, Rory Calhoun, Tommy Rettig.
Directed by Otto Preminger.
River of No Return was one of the first Westerns in Cinemascope. It is colourful, with good action and an appeal for family audiences, with a father saving his son and a dance-hall singer by escaping down river from Indians. Robert Mitchum is sympathetic as the father, and Marilyn Monroe credible as the singer. While not extraordinary, it is a satisfying Western.
1. How enjoyable a Western was this? Why? What conventions of the Western did it use? How well and convincingly?
2. How important was the colour photography and the use of scenery? Did the studio rapids scenes detract from the scope of the film and its use of scenery? The importance of people overwhelmed by nature and the scenery? The title of the film and the emphasis on the river and the Indian meaning of the name?
3. How was the film built around the personalities and styles of Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe? Did the film use Marilyn Monroe well? Did it tend to exploit her?
4. Comment on the use of music and themes. The value of the songs? The lyrics of the songs and their relationship to the character of Kay, the goldfields, silver dollars, the river itself, the romantic attitudes towards the seasons and people's yearnings?
5. How successful was the film as an adventure? The presentation of the goldfields, the threat of the Indians, the use of guns and the absence of guns, the dangers of the river and the rapids, fights with wild animals, hostile trappers, shoot-outs? How gripping was this in the film?
6. What point did the film make about the goldminers, prospectors and farmers? The better attitude towards life and achievement?
7. What did the film have to say about law, right and wrong, justice and the execution of justice? Matt's relentless search for Weston? The question of shooting in the back and the irony of Mark's shooting Weston in the back? How convincing was this theme of frontier justice?
8. How well did the film portray the inter-relationships of the main characters? The small details of their encounters with one another, the way they were filmed, close-ups and posings of father and son etc.? The relationship between father and son, love, admiration, shared work and danger, mark's confrontation of the truth, his awareness of the reality of his father's courage and concern? The relationship between Kay and Mark - his respect for her, liking her? Her liking him and care for him? Love and hostility? Brute force and sexual attraction? Mutual dangers shared? Concern? Brutality contrasting with Matt massaging Kay when she was chilled etc.?
9. Was Harry Weston a conventional villain, convincing? The gambler, desperate for his claim, with a grudge against the world, ditching Kay, the shoot-out with Matt?
10. How typical a Western of the 50's was this? Was it a good Western? Enjoyable? Hollywood style and values? The portrayal of human values, the frontier, white men and Indians, gold and farms, staying alive?
