Cole Thornton, a gunfighter for hire, joins forces with an old friend, Sheriff J.P. Harrah. Together with a fighter and a gambler, they help a rancher and his family fight a rival rancher that is trying to steal their water.
Acting
Mitchum's drunk sheriff — a masterclass in stumbling dignity.
Writing
Hawks' dialogue: men talking past each other beautifully.
Direction
Same plot as Rio Bravo, completely different weathered soul.
Director
Howard Hawks
John Wayne
Cole Thornton
Robert Mitchum
Sheriff J.P. Harrah
James Caan
Mississippi
Charlene Holt
Maudie
Paul Fix
Dr. Miller
Arthur Hunnicutt
Bull Harris
Michele Carey
Josephine (Joey) MacDonald
R.G. Armstrong
Kevin MacDonald
Ed Asner
Bart Jason
Christopher George
Nelse McLeod
John Gabriel
Pedro
Robert Donner
Milt
Adam Roarke
Matt MacDonald
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Hawks essentially admitted this was Rio Bravo reheated — same writer, same structure, same comfort food energy.
Thornton's spinal wound that never heals mirrors the genre itself: the Western was dying, and Hawks knew it.
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