Comments on: Red River (1948) http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/2006/06/red-river-1948/ Sweet & Salty Movie Reviews! Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:48:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Makhabane http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/2006/06/red-river-1948/comment-page-1/#comment-44648 Makhabane Sat, 19 Aug 2006 18:52:51 +0000 http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/?p=834#comment-44648 I meant to add: With "Red River", I was always struck by the fact that Dunson has his surname initial on the cattle brand, while Garth only has his forename initial ("Matt"), so the final brand reads: "D || M" -- the two vertical strokes here standing for the river symbol. When I first saw the film, I took this to mean that Garth was like a son to Dunson, and so inherits his father's surname. But perhaps it would be more accurate to read Garth as a wife, rather than a son, as you suggest. After all, Garth does provide a cow to Dunson's bull when they first meet. I meant to add: With “Red River”, I was always struck by the fact that Dunson has his surname initial on the cattle brand, while Garth only has his forename initial (“Matt”), so the final brand reads: “D || M” — the two vertical strokes here standing for the river symbol.

When I first saw the film, I took this to mean that Garth was like a son to Dunson, and so inherits his father’s surname. But perhaps it would be more accurate to read Garth as a wife, rather than a son, as you suggest.

After all, Garth does provide a cow to Dunson’s bull when they first meet.

]]> By: Makhabane http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/2006/06/red-river-1948/comment-page-1/#comment-44646 Makhabane Sat, 19 Aug 2006 18:32:51 +0000 http://www.chokingonpopcorn.com/popcorn/?p=834#comment-44646 Clift was supposedly very bright and would have figured out this sub-text, I imagine. But what about The Duke? I presume, given his reputation for right-wing, hetero, macho-ness, he would have hit the roof had he recognized the gay sub-text. So, he must not have realized. Or else, only realized when the movie was already made, and so could do nothing about it. Or maybe, just everyone was more innocent in 1948. On the other hand, there's a story about Hawks wearing a belt while he made this film which Gary Cooper had given him. Hawks gave it to Wayne after the filming ended, and The Duke then wore it in every subsequent western he made! Clift was supposedly very bright and would have figured out this sub-text, I imagine. But what about The Duke? I presume, given his reputation for right-wing, hetero, macho-ness, he would have hit the roof had he recognized the gay sub-text. So, he must not have realized. Or else, only realized when the movie was already made, and so could do nothing about it.

Or maybe, just everyone was more innocent in 1948.

On the other hand, there’s a story about Hawks wearing a belt while he made this film which Gary Cooper had given him. Hawks gave it to Wayne after the filming ended, and The Duke then wore it in every subsequent western he made!

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