Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Rio Lobo (1970)

I've got the triggers wired back on this here splattergun and my thumb's a gittin tired. Jack Elam

Rio Lobo could be said to be a standard western actioner starring John Wayne and it's one by which all too many people dismiss the Duke, forgetting the sterling top drawer actioners like Stagecoach, The Searchers, or a dozen others.

Rio Lobo was at the end of Howard Hawks' long and illustrious career with Red River and Rio Bravo (both starring John Wayne) as highly acclaimed feathers in his cap.

But Hawks was getting up there in years and apparently no longer able to command the formidable resources of creativity formerly so easily available to him. He remade Rio Bravo as El Dorado and then remade "El Dorado" as "Rio Lobo." Clearly his imagination was running on fumes when he approached John Wayne to play the part of the protagonist. "I've already played that part twice," the Duke reportedly said. Nevertheless, they went ahead with it and turned out a credible if not creditable western.

All the familiar characters are there from the alpha cowpoke (John Wayne); the Ricky Nelson clone (Jorge Rivero); the garrulous old coot, usually reserved for Walter Brennan (Jack Elam); the spunky girl in the tightassed jeans (Jennifer O'Neill); and a few character parts, in this one filled in by Christopher Mitchum , Jim Davis, and Sherry Lansing. One of the notable deficiencies is that John Wayne is far and away the best actor of the bunch. This is usually not the case but it is here. Well, with the exception of Jack Elam, but you definitely have a bunch of B grade talent in the supporting parts other than Jack.

The story is by Leigh Brackett and concerns a train robbery near the end of the Civil War. A Confederate detachment under Captain Cordona (Jorge Rivero) robs the Yankee gold and the Yankee colonel (John Wayne) sets out after them after finding one of his favorite troopers was killed. Wayne’s party gets split up and Wayne is captured by the rebs which include Christopher Mitchum and Rivero. The three hit it off and when the war is suddenly over they tell Wayne the guy who gave inside info to their gang was a big angry man. Wayne suddenly knows who he has to find and the place, of course is Rio Lobo. Now there is no explanation how Wayne, a Yankee claims to hail from a ranch in Texas not too far from Rio Lobo, but that’s how the story goes.

The typical situations unfold and the bad guy is oppressing the locals around Rio Lobo, buying up property dirt cheap and tying up the water rights. Jennifer O'Neill wants to get even with the same guys, etc. One of the locals has holed up and is holding off the bad guys and Wayne and company get him (Jack Elam) and his bad bottle of whisky and bad jokes to help. They hole up at the jailhouse, again, and prepare to exchange prisoners, and have a big shoot out.

The movie is not as bad as you might think, but it is far from classic John Wayne. Not the best swan song for the great Howard Hawks, but, unfortunately, Rio Lobo is better than some directors working today can do.

The Paramount DVD is presented in color, in 1.85:1 theatrical format, with a running time of 114 minutes.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV