MovieChat Forums > Red River (1948) Discussion > The Duke is one mean guy in this movie!

The Duke is one mean guy in this movie!

posted 16 years ago by narnia4
7 replies | jump to latest

I rewatched this movie for the first time in a long time, and I thought the Duke had some great acting moments in this movie. Somehow some people paint John Wayne as only playing a "tough good guy" character, but his character in this movie is more of an anti-hero than Clint Eastwood was in most of his westerns imo.

One example of great acting is the way his voice shook after he killed three men who were going to quit. The way he showed the inner conflict the character was going through was just great.

Anyway, I'm just trying to say this is a really good movie. Not my favorite John Wayne movie, but definately solid.

[–] JuanMacready 16 years ago

He was a real bastard. The movie was rather long drawn out.

[–] Captain_Augustus_McCrae 16 years ago

We get it, Juan. You don't like John Wayne. Stop trolling and go hump someone else's leg- leave the Duke alone. While you're at it, get a life.

[–] doughazelrigg 15 years ago

John Wayne's character is a murderous bastard, killing people left and right for minor offenses like disagreeing with him. Then, in the end, it wants us to believe he's really just a good guy after all. This movie's moral compass is upside down. In reality, Wayne's character should have been hung for his NUMEROUS murders and shootings.

[–] rob_lavender 14 years ago

Wayne always makes a better antihero (cf The Searchers) in my book.

I think the film's moral compass is spot on - it's only wrong if you think of Wayne as a good guy. He's not; he's an awful person, but even awful people have moments of decency. That's all we saw here.

If I was living in that time & place, I'd like someone like Thomas Dunson to be hanged. But if I'm watching a John Wayne film, safe in the knowledge he can't actually shoot me, I'd like to see him hang around to come out with more chilling speeches like the wonderfully delivered "Every time you turn around, expect to see me - because one day you're gonna turn around and I'll be there. I'm gonna kill you, Matt."

The character that said that is not a good person. But he's a joy to watch.

[–] barbossa9973 14 years ago

Ranchers in the west did Hang Horse and Cattle Thieves cause law was thin and they needed to have there own since of Justice. Also he was stressed out over finances. The drive was his last chance and his whole future was at stake with the Cattle drive.
Still The Kid loved the man so Dunston must not have been normally mean. Then again how would you react if your child stole from you and backed cattle thieves.

[–] Techto (1299) 6 months ago

Matt admits at one point, though, that if not for Thomas having driven the cowhands so hard, they wouldn’t have made it even to Abilene. I wonder if, in retrospect (i.e., paid and happy), the cowhands were inclined to forgive Thomas and consider following him on any more cattle drives.

[–] 14 years ago

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