MovieChat Forums > Rio Lobo (1970) Discussion > I THOROUGHLY enjoyed it!!

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed it!!

posted 11 years ago by b_a_girl
9 replies | jump to latest

I know it's an oldie, but I loved it!! Sure, it wasn't THE best of the best, okay, & I had seen it once before-YEARS ago!! I just saw it on Turner Classic Movies where, it's in it's entirety-NO COMMERCIALS!! (Yeah!). I really enjoy the 'old duster' type films & of couse John Wayne. What a nice (& needed, for ME), change of pace & break from most of the bla,so-so stuff on T.V. these days. I'd definitely watch it again because you always see/find "more" the next time you view it.

[–] silentmovie 11 years ago

If you liked this, and you haven't already done so, you owe it to yourself to see, commerical free and wide-screen, like TCM shows movies, the following:

1. Rio Bravo
2. El Dorado

Same star. Same director. Similar plots.

John Wayne at different stages of his career/weight/toupee etc. Of the three, I like El Dorado the best. If you have seen them but it's been a while, maybe time for a re-viewing. Avoid like the plague these movies on AMC. Rent on DVD/Netflix, etc., if needed.

[–] davidwile 11 years ago

Hey folks,

A lot of folks consider Rio Lobo, Rio Bravo, and El Dorado to be the same film, and a lot of folks disliked them all. I pretty much thought El Dorado seemed a lot like a remake of Rio Bravo, but I never thought Rio Lobo fit in with the other two. I liked the first two, but I think Rio Lobo had some rather sophomoric acting by Jorge Rivero, the guy who played the sheriff, and the women especially. Chris Mitchum did a good job, but I think Wayne's performance was about the equal of the gals when he was in scenes with them. George Plimpton carried his bit role better than some of the others I mentioned. In spite of my lack of enthusiasm for the film, I still found it worth watching a second time in thirty years or so. Besides, it's always good to see George Plimpton do just about anything.

Regarding AMC and TMC, like Silentmovie said, AMC is just plain terrible. AMC cuts films to shreds, they fill more time with commercials than you can suffer. About two years ago, I simply removed AMC from my "Favorites" list in the menu guide. I just don't care what AMC is showing - I won't watch anything on AMC. TCM is my choice for films.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[–] buddyboy28 11 years ago

A lot of folks dislike them all?

Really? Rio Bravo and El Dorado are considered classics.I love all three for different reasons but probably agree with the previous poster.I like El Dorado the best.

Dave,Rio Lobo fits in with the other two because near the end they take over the sheriff's office and do the hostage exchange just like Rio Bravo.And throughout the film,the corrupt sheriff is trying to take over Jack Elam's character's ranch,just like the plot in El Dorado.I agree that it's different from the other two in other ways but I think that's why they are considered similar.

Like I said,I still love all three.

- - -
Fill your hand you son of a bitch!

[–] davidwile 11 years ago

Hey BuddyBoy,

Yes, I recognize Rio Lobo has them holed up in the sheriff's office like the other two, but the storyline is completely different than Rio Bravo and El Dorado. I think El Dorado is pretty much a remake of Rio Bravo, and Rio Lobo simply used some of the same situational scenes as the other two. For those folks who say all three films are the same, I may not agree, but I certainly would not try to tell them they are all wrong.

Regarding folks disliking the three films, if you look at the Message Boards for each film you will find there are some folks who started threads saying the film was the "worst movie ever." Then again, that is pretty much true for just about all films. I was not suggesting that any of these three films were not good. In spite of the naysayers, I always did like Rio Bravo and El Dorado a whole bunch. I have watched both of them perhaps a dozen times since they were first released. I never liked Rio Lobo as much as the other two because I did not like some of the actors' performances, but it was still worth watching in my opinion.

I think the supporting casts in Rio Bravo and El Dorado were much better than some of the Rio Lobo cast, and that did a lot more to make it easier for me to really like the first two. While some complained about Rick Nelson and James Caan in their roles, I really liked both of them. I suppose Caan may have been a better actor than Nelson, but I thought Nelson was good also.

You said you liked El Dorado the best. For me, it was probably a tie between Rio Bravo and El Dorado. I do not blame you at all for picking El Dorado as your favorite. I could go for an El Dorado viewing right now.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

Hey BuddyBoy,

I am editing my post because I liked your quote at the end of your post, and I wanted to return another quote for you:

"That's mighty big talk for a one eyed fat man."

Considering your quote, I thought mine might bring a smile to you. Again, I wish you the best.

Dave Wile

[–] buddyboy28 11 years ago

Hey Dave,I agree about Rio Lobo I just think that's why they are compared because of those similarities.But people never seem to mention the differences either.The first act is set in the civil war and then the war ends and The Duke is searching for a traitor,which is obviously completely unlike the other two.

I agree about some people starting threads and bashing them but that's always going to happen.I don't take the IMDB ratings all that seriously but Rio Bravo has a score of 8.0 and El Dorado a respectable 7.6.And many regard Bravo as one of the best westerns of all time.

I agree with you about some of the acting in this film but I still like it a lot.Many of the sequences and The Duke and Jack Elam compensate for it.Howard Hawks was very ill around this time and his heart probably wasn't in it as much.I think he was hoping that having three hot women in it would detract from it .

I think El Dorado's my favourite because of Robert Mitchum and James Caan who I thought were better than Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson.But Bravo's still great.I look at it as Bravo been character driven and El Dorado been plot driven.And Walter Brennan as Stumpy is fantastic.

Glad you liked my signature.I'm a huge fan of The Duke.Your quote did make me laugh.

Cheers Dave

- - -
Fill your hand you son of a bitch!

[–] b_a_girl 11 years ago

Thanks silentmovie!! I will take your advice & do exactly what you suggested!! I really appreciate you, taking the time & giving me- not only advice (re:TCM) but also about the other 2 films. I'm pretty sure I did see them, YEARS AGO, but now that you've mentioned it, it's a great idea!! See them again! Besides, I don't (can't) seem to get enough of the great John Wayne. HE was an amazing man, I swear he was born ON a horse because he rides like a TRUE rider. There's a natural 'flow' & 'ease'- like it's a single entity. I have The Cowboys on VHS,(yes-ancient) but as far as I know, that's the only movie his character actuallt dies. It's a classic-to ME. I'm now on the hunt for the 2 movies you suggested. Thanks agan.

[–] buddyboy28 11 years ago

Agree with everything you said.He does die in another western in much the same way he dies in The Cowboys (shot in the back) but I won't say what in case you haven't seen it.

- - -
Fill your hand you son of a bitch!

[–] joe_538 11 years ago

He did die in several movies, I don't think I'd be spoiling anything mentioning he played Davy Crockett in The Alamo.

McClintock! and The War Wagon are fun on a rainy Sunday, too.

[–] hackraytex 8 years ago

This movie is a sheer delight to watch. Especially the interaction between John Wayne and Jack Elam. Trivia says that John Wayne got mad at Jack Elam because he felt Elam had stolen some scenes from him, a no no in a John Wayne movie. Still, I enjoyed it.

This was one of Mike Henry's best parts. I hate to say it but it looks to me like playing Junior Justice in Smokey And The Bandit put a serious crimp on his career and I don't think he recovered from it. I hope he is enjoying retirement and is in good health and not suffering from Parkinson's.

Good job by everyone and rest in peace to those who have departed.