River of No Return (1954)

62% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
58% of users liked it
(6,005 ratings)

Director Otto Preminger's only western, River of No Return is set in Canada during the 19th century Gold Rush. Farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) is released from prison after serving a sentence for shooting a man in the back to protect a friend. He arrives in a small town to retrieve his young… More Director Otto Preminger's only western, River of No Return is set in Canada during the 19th century Gold Rush. Farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) is released from prison after serving a sentence for shooting a man in the back to protect a friend. He arrives in a small town to retrieve his young son, Mark (Tommy Rettig), who has befriended a sultry saloon singer, Kay (Marilyn Monroe). Matt is also friendly with Kay, and thanks her profusely for looking after Mark, but distrusts her paramour, Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun)- a gambler with the morals of an alley cat. Matt and Mark return to their rural homestead, but soon glimpse Kay and Harry on a sinking raft, apparently en route to make good on a gold claim; Matt rescues the two of them, but doesn't count on Harry doing an about face, beating him up, and stealing his horse and gun; Kay stays behind to look after Matt. Meanwhile, the Indians go on the warpath, and the defenseless trio decides to seek refuge by fleeing the farm and sailing down the river on a raft. En route, the son - thanks to Kay's doing - is unexpectedly disillusioned about the father's original crime. Moreover, as Matt approaches town, he begins to plot a decisive revenge against Harry. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Otto Preminger
Written By: Frank Fenton, Louis Lantz
Genres: Western, Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Apr 30, 1954 Wide
On DVD: May 14, 2002
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
The striking beauties of the Canadian Rockies co-star with the blonde charms of Marilyn Monroe and the masculine muscles of Robert Mitchum in River of No Return.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
One of the first films to discover the potential of CinemaScope and a fine example of Preminger's rational approach to the mysteries of personal morality.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Director Otto Preminger has thrown all the grandeur and menace of these features upon the eye-filling CinemaScope screen.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It's an awfully creaky story but the superb performances and Preminger's amazing use of widescreen make it a must-see.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Marilyn turns in a surprisingly okay performance.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Director Otto Preminger's only western is a simple, frequently charming, and beautifully photographed film blessed with fine performances and great teamwork from Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe.
, Film4
Despite some pretty locations and occasional tension, there's little going on.
, Empire Magazine
Some decent performances, but with this story they didn't have much of a chance.
, Time Out
There really is no return.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
It's fun watching Mitchum and Monroe heat things up in the Old West; Monroe is at her most luminous as a saloon singer with a heart of gold.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
It's an awfully creaky story, but the superb performances, Preminger's use of wide screen and the sight of Monroe in a pair of blue jeans make it a must-see.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Typical of the genre

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jennifer D

A western. A Marilyn Monroe flick. Of course I had to see this. And it was just as bad as I was expecting. Now I usually don't demerit a film for bad "special effects" but this was a little absurd. I mean, was I ever supposed to believe Marilyn was on that raft? I… More
A western. A Marilyn Monroe flick. Of course I had to see this. And it was just as bad as I was expecting. Now I usually don't demerit a film for bad "special effects" but this was a little absurd. I mean, was I ever supposed to believe Marilyn was on that raft? I don't see how. Awful. And when the Native American comes on the raft only to rip Marilyn's shirt as she screams helplessly. OMFG. Let's get real here people.
jay n

marilyn didn't want to make this which explains her sometime stiff performance but when she sings she's luminous and her interaction with robert mitchum and tommy rettig is good. the cinematography is beautiful, make sure to watch it in widescreen.
Dean M

Love this Marilyn Monroe's Old West film with Robert Mitchum.

Cast

            Robert Mitchum as Matt Calder

            Marilyn Monroe as Kay Weston

            Rory Calhoun as Harry Weston

            Tommy Rettig as Mark Calder

            Murvyn Vye as Dave Colby

            Douglas Spencer as Sam Benson

            Don Beddoe as Ben

            Will Wright as Merchant

            Hal Baylor as Young Punk

            Claire André as Surrey Driver

            Larry Chance
            
            John Cliff
            
            Edmund Cobb as A Barber

            John Doucette as Spectator in the Black Nugget

            Ed Hinton as A Gambler

            Mitchell Kowal
            
            Jarma Lewis as Dancer

            Ann McCrea
            
            Fay Morley
            
            Paul Newlan as Prospector

            Barbara Nichols as Blonde Dancer

            Ralph Sanford as Bartender

            Harry Seymour
            
            Arthur Shields as The Minister

            John Patrick Veitch
            
            Geneva Gray
            
            Harry Monty
            
            Jack Mather as Dealer at Card Table
See full cast