Red River (1948): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Red River is a 1948 drama western directed by Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson, starring John Wayne, Walter Brennan and Coleen Gray. It runs 2 hours 13 minutes and earned $14,462 worldwide. It won 1 Oscar, including Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Editing). Critics gave it 96 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 13m (133 min)
- Directors
- Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- United Artists
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Red River About?
The premise of Red River without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In rural Kentucky, the isolated life of patriarch Roland is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of strangers. Their presence ignites simmering conflicts, escalating into violence that engulfs the community. As tensions rise, the peaceful landscape devolves into a dangerous battleground, leading to a destructive confrontation with lasting consequences for everyone involved.
Red River Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- cattle drive
- cattle
- orphan
- wagon train
- cattle rancher
- cowboy
- native american
- kansas
- native american attack
- 1860s
- texas
- betrayal
+38 more Show fewer
- cattle ranch
- false teeth
- cattle buyer
- trail driver
- fight
- cow
- covered wagon
- branding a cow
- murder
- branding iron
- campfire
- whip
- deserter
- bracelet
- showdown
- arrow wound
- mutiny
- resentment
- fistfight
- quick draw
- disillusionment
- reconciliation
- american civil war veteran
- affection
- shootout
- rebellion
- pursuit
- 1850s
- voice over narration
- abilene kansas
- stampede
- frustration
- rio grande river
- gunfighter
- cattleman
- deception
- remorse
- knife
Red River Cast
John Wayne leads the cast, with Walter Brennan and Coleen Gray. Directed by Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Co-director Howard Hawks - Co-director Arthur Rosson
Also Starring in Red River
· 6 moreMore from Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson
More films directed by Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson, best-rated first: Rio Bravo, To Have and Have Not, Bringing Up Baby and The Big Sleep.
Red River Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Red River 96 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.7/10.
-
IMDb 7.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 96 Metascore
User score 7.5
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 73% User score
See on TMDB
Red River Plot Summary
What happens in Red River from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1851, Tom Dunson (John Wayne) and his companion Nadine Groot (Walter Brennan) embark on an adventurous journey as they join a wagon train in St. Louis, making their way to California. After weeks of travel, they reach north Texas, where Dunson feels the land beckoning him to carve out his future. Determined to establish his own ranch, he decides to break away from the wagon train, despite the wagon master’s warnings and attempts to persuade him otherwise. Dunson is no stranger to confrontation; he possesses notable skills in both hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship.
Full summary
The whole story of Red River, scene by scene
Red River Box Office
Red River grossed $14,462 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$14.5K
- International
- $14.5K
Red River Awards & Nominations
Red River won 1 Oscar, including Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Editing). Its biggest night was the Oscars 1985, with 1 win from 5 nominations.
1 win10 nominations4 ceremonies
-
Oscars 1985 1 win · 5 nominations- Won Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Editing)
- Nominated Actress in a Leading Role – Sissy Spacek
- Nominated Cinematography
- Nominated Music (Original Score)
- Nominated Sound
- Oscars 1949 2 nominations
- Nominated Film Editing
- Nominated Writing (Motion Picture Story)
- Oscars 1948 2 nominations
- Nominated Film Editing
- Nominated Writing (Motion Picture Story)
-
DGA Awards 1948 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Howard Hawks
Red River Trailers & Videos
5 videos: 2 trailers, 1 clip and 2 featurettes.
- Trailer Official Trailer
- Clip Red River: Meet cute in the wagon circle
- Featurette Peter Bogdanovich on John Wayne in "Red River"
- Featurette Allan Arkush on RED RIVER
How Well Do You Know Red River?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who plays the character Tom Dunson?
Red River Also Known As
34 alternative titles, including “붉은 강” and “레드 리버”.
- Also known as
-
- 붉은 강
- 레드 리버
- Panik am roten Fluss
- De rode rivier
- To kokkino potami
- Blazing Guns on the Chisholm Trail
- Ha-Nahar Ha-Adom
- Akai kawa
- Râul roșu
- Riu Vermell
- Червона ріка
- The River Is Red
+22 more Show fewer
- Crvena reka
- Il fiume rosso
- La Rivière rouge
- Panik am roten Fluß
- Río Rojo
- 红河
- Červená řeka
- O Rio Vermelho
- הנהר האדום
- Rio Vermelho
- 赤い河
- Vörös folyó
- Kanlı Nehir
- Червената река
- Rzeka Czerwona
- Червона річка
- 紅河谷
- Красная река
- Το κόκκινο ποτάμι
- Červená rieka
- رودخانه سرخ
- Punainen virta
Seen Red River?
Movies Like Red River
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Red River, Red River Range and Red Mountain.
Red River FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Red River, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Red River?
Red River runs 2 hours 13 minutes (133 minutes).
When was Red River released?
Red River was released on September 17, 1948.
Who directed Red River?
Red River was directed by Howard Hawks and Arthur Rosson.
More films by Howard Hawks Who is in the cast of Red River?
Red River stars John Wayne, Walter Brennan and Coleen Gray, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Red River make at the box office?
Red River grossed $14,462 worldwide.
How is Red River rated?
Red River has 7.7/10 on IMDb, 96 on Metacritic and 73% on TMDB.
What awards did Red River win?
Red River won 1 award from 10 nominations, including Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects Editing) at the Oscars 1985.
Does Red River have a post-credit scene?
No. Red River has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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