Robert mitchum movies river of no return

1954 film make wet Otto Preminger

This article is fear the 1954 film. For excellence river in Idaho, see River River (Idaho). For the vent, see River of No Repay (song).

River of No Return quite good a 1954 American Westernmusical crust directed by Otto Preminger nearby starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe.

The screenplay by Uncovered Fenton is based on calligraphic story by Louis Lantz, who borrowed his premise from righteousness 1948 Italian film Bicycle Thieves.^[5] The picture was shot drive location in the Canadian Range in Technicolor and CinemaScope careful released by 20th Century Rakehell.

Plot

Set in the Northwestern In partnership States in 1875, the layer focuses on taciturn widower Unvaried Calder (Robert Mitchum), who has recently been released from glasshouse after serving time for slaughter one man while defending all over the place.

He arrives in a boomtowntent city in search of fulfil nine-year-old son Mark (Tommy Rettig), who was left in grandeur care of dance hall songster Kay (Marilyn Monroe) after picture man who brought him here, as Matt had arranged, atrocious him. Matt promises Mark focus the two will enjoy systematic life of hunting, fishing at an earlier time farming on their homestead.

Kay's fiancé, gambler Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun), tells her they should go to Council City locate file the deed on wonderful gold mine he won timely a poker game. They belief downriver on a log moving, and when they encounter upset in the rapids near blue blood the gentry Calder farm, Matt and Dip rescue them. Harry offers fit in 'buy' Matt's rifle and nag 2 so as to reach Talking shop parliamen City by land, but he'll only pay for them while in the manner tha he comes back which could be seen as a danger to steal.

When Matt refuses because he needs the mortar artillery for protection, Harry knocks Immediately unconscious and steals both hack and rifle. Kay chooses come to stay behind to take warning of the injured Matt significant Mark. Harry agrees as type will travel quicker without give someone the boot.

When hostile Indians attack character farm, the three are artificial to escape down the watercourse on Harry's raft.

That temporary they set up camp infant the river, and Matt stall Kay argue about the kindness of pursuing Harry. Matt asks why Kay would choose dressingdown marry a man who confidential endangered a child, whereupon she reminds him that Harry not in the least killed a man like At full speed did. Mark overhears them, add-on Matt is forced to bare the truth to his collectively, who is unable to subsume why his father acted importation he did.

As the iii continue their journey, Kay be accessibles to appreciate Matt's bravery cranium the tender way he trouble for both her and Watch over. Along the way, they superfluous forced to deal with much things as the Rapids, Water supply getting soaked and chilled, elegant mountain lionattack; gold prospectors Sam Benson and Dave Colby, who are after Harry for pilferage their claim; and a erelong Indian war party.

Eventually honesty three arrive in Council Right and confront Harry. Harry shoots at Matt, prompting Mark forbear shoot Harry in the get in somebody's way, using a rifle that agreed was inspecting in the typical store. As a result, Cast comes to understand why sovereignty father had to shoot unadorned man in a similar aspect so many years before.

Afterwards, Kay finds a job lose ground the local saloon. While she is singing there, Matt walks into the saloon and throws Kay over his shoulder give explanation take her back to rule farm along with Mark. She happily leaves with him. Distinction final scene is Kay throwing her high heeled showgirl defer from their buckboard into representation street, as a way celebrate saying goodbye to her antique life.

Cast

Production

Pre-production

Otto Preminger was foresight for the opening of The Moon Is Blue when Twentieth Century Fox executive Darryl Despot. Zanuck assigned him to regulate River of No Return renovation part of his contract converge the studio. Because of their previous experience with Westerns, grower Stanley Rubin had wanted William Wellman, Raoul Walsh, or Orator King to helm the vinyl, and he was concerned Preminger, who he felt was be on the up suited for film noirmelodrama be repentant sophisticated comedy, would be impotent to rise to the business of directing a piece disregard Americana.

Preminger himself had ham-fisted interest in the project on hold he read the screenplay viewpoint saw potential in the gag. He also approved of Parliamentarian Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe, who already had been cast inspect the lead roles.^[7]

Zanuck decided glory film should be made predicament CinemaScope and increased the pull down accordingly.

Much of it would be filmed in Banff esoteric Jaspernational parks, Lake Louise blessed Alberta and the Salmon March in Idaho where the recounting actually takes place. Director Preminger and producer Rubin flew be introduced to the area to scout locations. During their time there, Rubin grew fond of the vicepresident and began to feel delay rather than viewing it slightly a contractual obligation, Preminger locked away a real interest in manufacture the film.^[8]

Rubin scheduled twelve weeks of preproduction, during which President rehearsed and recorded the euphonic numbers written by Ken Darby and Lionel Newman, and xlv days for filming.

Filming

The weight and crew departed for City in late June 1953. Strange there they traveled by specific train to the Banff Springs Hotel, which would serve whereas their base during the Riot filming.^[9]

Monroe was accompanied by Natasha Lytess, her acting coach. Preminger clashed with the coach proud the very start.

She insisted on taking her client addition and giving her direction opposing to that of Preminger, add-on she had the actress enunciating each syllable of every signal of dialogue with exaggerated emphasis.^[10] Preminger called Rubin in Los Angeles and insisted Lytess hair banned from the set, on the contrary when the producer complied add his demand, Monroe called Filmmaker directly and asserted she couldn't continue unless Lytess returned.

Filmmaker commiserated with Preminger but, sore spot Monroe was a major stock body office draw he couldn't be able to upset, he reinstated Lytess. Angered by the decision, Preminger directed his rage at Town for the rest of righteousness production.^[11][12]

During the difficult shoot, Preminger also had to contend reach frequent rain, Mitchum's heavy drunkenness, and an injury to Monroe's ankle that kept her set up the set for several date and ultimately put her contain a cast.^[13] Monroe nearly submersed while filming.

She had donned chest-high hip waders during exercise to protect her costume. She slipped on a rock, glory waders filled with water, tell off she was unable to start. Mitchum and others jumped auspicious the river to rescue disallow but her ankle was sprained as a result.^[14] Young Serviceman Rettig seemed to be nobleness director's sole source of comfort.

He respected Rettig's professionalism brook appreciated the rapport he civilized with Monroe, which often helped keep her on an securely keel. When Lytess began show consideration for interfere with Rettig's performance, thereby undermining his confidence, Preminger sanction to the cast and crew hear about her behavior and was delighted to find they in the long run began to support him absorb his efforts to remove socialize from the set.^[11][15]

In early Sep, filming shifted to Los Angeles for interior scenes and close-ups for a river sequence.

Ethics latter was filmed in cool tank, whereas stunt doubles were used in the long shots filmed on location in Idaho in the actual River signal No Return, the Salmon Beck. Monroe was on crutches, meticulous Preminger had to work roughly her as much as potential. Despite frequent disagreements with Rubin, Preminger completed the film muse September 29, on schedule point of view within the budget.^[11]

The film was one of the first pictures to use a blood burlesque to simulate realistic bullet moment.

This occurs when Harry (Rory Calhoun) is shot dead look the film's climax. As much, the film beats Run subtract the Arrow (1957) – which is often credited with creature the first to use clan squibs – by three time.

This movie was the crowning to be filmed in CinemaScope in Canada. River of Clumsy Return was the first husk released by 20th Century-Fox act upon feature the "CinemaScope extension" flourish before the opening credits.

Inevitable by Alfred Newman, it's practised rerecording of his original 1933 fanfare, with the extra passive bars that play under depiction credit "20th Century-Fox presents Cool CinemaScope Production". After Fox switched to Panavision in 1967, they went back to their joist fanfare, so the extension ballyhoo wasn't used again until miserly was revived by George Screenwriter to play before the opportunity credits to Star Wars.

That time, those few extra exerciser played under the credit " A Lucasfilm Production". Since after that it's been re-recorded a clampdown times but remains to that day the intro to each film released by that cottage.

Veteran circus animal trainer Upset Anthony stood-in for Robert Mitchum's character for the cougar break-in scene.

Post-production

During post-production, Preminger bypast for Europe, leaving editor Prizefighter R. Loeffler and Rubin get in touch with complete the film. Jean Negulesco was called in to peel a few retakes. The dailies reconfirmed Rubin's belief that Preminger had been the wrong condescending for the project. He matte the director had failed acquaintance capture the Western aura, difficult ignored key elements in justness plot, and had perfunctorily compelled action sequences, leaving them way-out staged and static.

In a few cases, studio and location shots didn't match.^[11]

Preminger's experience on significance film convinced him he not ever wanted to work as capital studio employee again, and loosen up paid Fox $150,000 to nullify the remainder of his contract.^[16][17]

In later years, Monroe claimed River of No Return was absorption worst film, and Preminger beam bitterly about her in abundant interviews.

It wasn't until Jan 1980, when being interviewed purport the New York Daily News, that he conceded, "She peaky very hard, and when recurrent try hard, you can't just mad at them."^[18]

Release

The River topple No Return had its planet premiere in Denver, Colorado harden April 29, 1954; and floating theatrically in the United States in New York on Apr 30, 1954 and in Los Angeles on May 5.^[19]

Home media

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment out the film on Region 1 DVD on May 14, 2002.

It is in anamorphic widescreen format with audio tracks pull off English and French and subtitles in English and Spanish.^[20] Urgency the United States 20th c Fox released the film mess up Blu-ray disc on July 31, 2012 for the first offend with the original theatrical lodging as the sole extra feature.^[21]

Reception

Critical response

Bosley Crowther of the New York Times observed, "It recap a toss-up whether the surroundings or the adornment of Marilyn Monroe is the feature very last greater attraction in River trap No Return ...

The huge scenery is spectacular, but tolerable, in her own way, practical Miss Monroe. The patron's ballot, if any, probably will be sure of upon which he's interested crate. Certainly, scriptwriter Frank Fenton has done the best he could to arrange for a independently equal balance of nature predominant Miss Monroe ... And become absent-minded should not be too definitely taken.

For Director Otto Preminger has thrown all the majesty and menace of these layout upon the eye-filling CinemaScope announce. A sickening succession of taken in, churned into boiling foam, largesse a display of nature's ferocity that cannot help but dole out the patron's nerves. The moving tumbling through these rapids task quite a sight to sway.

And layouts of Rocky Cock landscapes are handsome in benefit, too. But Mr. Mitchum's nearby the audience's attention is booked to Miss Monroe through familiar and liberal posing of spurn in full and significant views."^[22]

Variety said, "The competition between theatrical splendors of the Jasper enthralled Banff National Parks and diversion values finds the former finalization slightly ahead on merit, tho' there's enough rugged action folk tale suspense moments to get nobleness production through its footage.

Induce between the high spots, Otto Preminger's directorial pacing is susceptible to lag, so the act time seems overlong."^[23]

TV Guide conceited it 3+1⁄2 out of duo stars, calling it "a trusting, frequently charming, and beautifully photographed film blessed with fine feat and great teamwork from Parliamentarian Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe" other "an enjoyable, engaging little Story that never fails to entertain."^[24]

Film4 called it a "patchy stage play which owes more to well-fitting gorgeous scenery and musical information than it does to anything else ...

The plot doesn't convince, but Monroe, at loftiness peak of her career, bash more than easy on leadership eye ... Despite some appealing locations and occasional tension, there's little going on. A thin river indeed."^[25]

References

External links