Originally not intended as one, but gradually this became a loose remake of Rio Bravo. In my opinion, this is the superior film in every way.
Why do I think this? Well, for starters, there isn't a boring scene in this film. Every second matters, the pacing is good. The build up to the finale is also done better. Sure, there are slower moments, but none of them dragged and were properly interchanged with action sequences. While not plentiful, there were more of them compared to Rio Bravo, but they were also more exciting. Even today, in 2025), they hold up.
The interactions between the characters are so much more fun and compelling than in Rio Bravo. Almost every important character gets a chance to shine and be noticed. I found myself laughing continually whenever James Caan opened up his mouth to John Wayne. It was even funnier, when he brought knives to a gunfight. According to this character, nicknamed Mississippi, he wasn't really a good gunslinger. Then he asks if John Wayne's character, Cole Thornton, could teach him. Cole tries and states he can't. So, how to remedy this problem? They find him a weapon any fool can use. A shotgun with very widespread. It's almost a running joke. Robert Mitchum as Sheriff J.P. Harrah sort of plays the Dean Martin role, but needs less time to recover from alcoholism. I like how this time around, they don't even attempt to talk some sense to him. He himself realizes, there is no time to be the fool.
There is even some innuendo concerning some hot women, but not a lot of time is wasted on these affairs, since I assume Howard Hawks realized there was no time for that. Overall, definitely a must-watch and must-own.
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