The flawed-but-charming movie works best when Marilyn Monroe is at the center.
Marilyn Monroe starred in only one western throughout her lengthy, prolific career: a much-forgotten and overlooked film called River of No Return. Though The Misfits, Monroe’s final film, has touches of the Western genre, it better serves as a deconstruction of the genre and can’t really be considered.
What Is 'River of No Return' About? Somewhere in Northwestern 19th Century America, a widower named Matt finishes a prison stint for murder and sets off in search of his nine-year-old son . He finds the boy, Mark, in the care of a charming singer named Kay and takes him home to begin a life together. Meanwhile, Kay’s fiancé Harry cons a deed for a gold mine out of a local gambler and aims to set out into the city to have the deed filed.
Even with two heavy hitters like Mitchum and Preminger on board, Monroe remains the strongest link by a long shot. Mitchum plays it fine enough, talking with a swaggering bravado infused with the emotional detachment and grittiness that makes him feel very much like a John Wayne protagonist. Rarely, though, does Mitchum ever meet Monroe’s level. Instead, he scowls his line with a distant aloofness and throws himself headfirst into danger without expressing a moment’s fear.
'River of No Return' Has Beautiful Cinematography But Problematic Tropes Though being a fan of Marilyn Monroe and her effervescent charm certainly aids in enjoying River of No Return, it isn’t a requirement. The second-strongest element of the picture behind Monroe's performance is the lush, wide-framed cinemascope photography from Joseph LaShelle.
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