Howard Hawks is an absolute legend of Hollywood cinema. Even during the silent film era, he secured a place in the dream factory with his debut The Road to Glory (1926). In the years and decades that followed 46 further directorial worksincluding classics like Scarface (1932) and Dead People Sleep Soundly (1946).
Hawks left its biggest footprint in the Western genre. Without him, well-known genre representatives such as Red River (1948), Rio Bravo (1959) and El Dorado (1966) would not have existed. He also left the cinema with a western: Rio Lobo from 1970 is the firstlatest entry in Hawks’ filmography.
Rio Lobo: In his last western, Howard Hawks sends John Wayne on a merciless campaign of revenge
The story of Rio Lobo is set during the American Civil War. The end of the devastating conflict between northern and southern states is approaching. But that Bloodshed never stops. Especially not when the southern officer Captain Pierre Cordona (Jorge Rivero) attacks a northern train.
Paramount/20th Century Studios
Rio Lobo
After the war, Cord McNally (John Wayne) makes it his mission to find the traitors responsible for this attack. In the Texas small town Rio Lobo he will find it. Much to the dismay of the local sheriff, McNally takes the law into his own hands and turns into an avenging angel.
Rio Lobo isn’t just Howard Hawks’ last film. The late western also forms the conclusion of one thematic trilogy, which began with the aforementioned films Rio Bravo and El Dorado. In all three films, Hawks tells the story of law enforcement officers trying to enforce their authority against outlaws.
Western classic: When is Rio Lobo on TV?
Rio Lobo airs tonight, November 13, 2023, at 10:05 p.m. on ServusTV. The broadcast lasts until 1:15 a.m. The repeat follows at 1:45 a.m. Alternatively, you can watch the film on MagentaTV in the streaming flat rate.
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