Red River1948

What we remember with Red River is not, however, the silly ending, but the setup and the majestic central portions. The tragic rivalry is so well established that somehow it keeps its weight and dignity in our memories, even though the ending undercuts it.

唯有在霍克斯的西部片里可以看到，在两个男人之间的决斗时，同时向他们责骂甚至开枪的会是一个女人。这个女人之所以比在场的所有男人都要强大，是因为只有她能理解这两个相爱相杀的男人背后的无法坦诚相待。霍克斯轻松轻松地颠覆了这么多年的西部片以及男权思想，或者他压根就没打算冠名去做一个“颠覆”什么的前卫形象代言人。他只是比谁都明白男人与女人的逻辑、情感以及关于这一切的悖论。

Immaculately shot by Russell Harlan, perfectly performed by a host of Hawks regulars, and shot through with dark comedy, it's probably the finest Western of the '40s.