Rio Conchos (1964 film)
Encyclopedia
Rio Conchos is a 1964 Cinemascope
Western
starring Stuart Whitman
, Richard Boone
, Tony Franciosa, Edmund O'Brien, and in his motion picture debut, Jim Brown
.
Huffaker's novel is reminiscent of both John Wayne
's The Comancheros
of which he co-wrote the screenplay and The Searchers
. The only female role, played by Wende Wagner
in a black wig, has no English dialogue but is highly convincing as are all the cast. Rio Conchos was filmed in Moab, Utah
though the Conchos River and most of the action of the film takes place in Mexico.
Jerry Goldsmith
's complete soundtrack was given a limited release on CD in January, 2000 by Film Score Monthly
that featured a tie-in
title song by Johnny Desmond
.
On June 21, 2001 Shout! Factory
released the film on DVD as part of a double feature with Take A Hard Ride
Army officer (Richard Boone
) named Lassiter revenging himself against Apache
Indians who have massacred his family recovers a stolen U.S. Army repeating rifle
off some Apaches he has killed. The U.S. Army arrests him, offering him his freedom if he leads a small clandestine scouting unit into Mexico consisting of an Army Captain (Stuart Whitman
), a Buffalo Soldier
sergeant (Jim Brown
), a knife wielding Mexican prisoner, and later an Apache woman warrior (Wende Wagner
). After blasting their way through bandits and Apaches they discover another former Confederate (Edmond O'Brien
) has set up a new Confederate headquarters, and is selling guns to the Apaches, including the ones who slaughtered Lassiter's family.
had in 1948's Key Largo
, for which Humphrey Bogart
had been listed first but Edward G. Robinson
was placed in the middle of the three above-the-title leads with his name elevated higher than the other two (the third name being Lauren Bacall
's). In the case of Rio Conchos, Whitman was billed as Bogart had been, with Boone in Robinson's middle slot and Franciosa in Bacall's spot, with his name listed third going left to right and at the same height as Whitman's.
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
starring Stuart Whitman
Stuart Whitman
Stuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
, Richard Boone
Richard Boone
Richard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
, Tony Franciosa, Edmund O'Brien, and in his motion picture debut, Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
.
Huffaker's novel is reminiscent of both John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
's The Comancheros
The Comancheros
The Comancheros is a 1961 western Deluxe CinemaScope color film directed by Michael Curtiz and John Wayne based on a 1952 novel by Paul Wellman starring John Wayne and Stuart Whitman. When health troubles prevented Curtiz from finishing the film, Wayne directed the remainder of the movie, though...
of which he co-wrote the screenplay and The Searchers
The Searchers (film)
The Searchers is a 1956 American Western film directed by John Ford, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May, and set during the Texas–Indian Wars...
. The only female role, played by Wende Wagner
Wende Wagner
Wende Wagner, also known as Wendy Wagner was an actress famed for her roles in The Green Hornet and Rio Conchos.-Biography:Born to a career U.S. Navy officer and swimming and diving coach father Wende Wagner, also known as Wendy Wagner (December 6, 1941 February 26, 1997) was an actress famed for...
in a black wig, has no English dialogue but is highly convincing as are all the cast. Rio Conchos was filmed in Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
Moab is a city in Grand County, in eastern Utah, in the western United States. The population was 4,779 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat and largest city in Grand County. Moab hosts a large number of tourists every year, mostly visitors to the nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks...
though the Conchos River and most of the action of the film takes place in Mexico.
Jerry Goldsmith
Jerry Goldsmith
Jerrald King Goldsmith was an American composer and conductor most known for his work in film and television scoring....
's complete soundtrack was given a limited release on CD in January, 2000 by Film Score Monthly
Film Score Monthly
Film Score Monthly is an online magazine founded by editor-in-chief and executive producer Lukas Kendall in June 1990 as The Soundtrack Correspondence List...
that featured a tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
title song by Johnny Desmond
Johnny Desmond
Johnny Desmond , born Giovanni Alfredo De Simone, was a popular American singer.-Early years:...
.
On June 21, 2001 Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
released the film on DVD as part of a double feature with Take A Hard Ride
Plot
An ex- ConfederateConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Army officer (Richard Boone
Richard Boone
Richard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
) named Lassiter revenging himself against Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
Indians who have massacred his family recovers a stolen U.S. Army repeating rifle
Repeating rifle
A repeating rifle is a single barreled rifle containing multiple rounds of ammunition. These rounds are loaded from a magazine by means of a manual or automatic mechanism, and the action that reloads the rifle also typically recocks the firing action...
off some Apaches he has killed. The U.S. Army arrests him, offering him his freedom if he leads a small clandestine scouting unit into Mexico consisting of an Army Captain (Stuart Whitman
Stuart Whitman
Stuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
), a Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas....
sergeant (Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
), a knife wielding Mexican prisoner, and later an Apache woman warrior (Wende Wagner
Wende Wagner
Wende Wagner, also known as Wendy Wagner was an actress famed for her roles in The Green Hornet and Rio Conchos.-Biography:Born to a career U.S. Navy officer and swimming and diving coach father Wende Wagner, also known as Wendy Wagner (December 6, 1941 February 26, 1997) was an actress famed for...
). After blasting their way through bandits and Apaches they discover another former Confederate (Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A. and his Oscar winning role in The Barefoot Contessa...
) has set up a new Confederate headquarters, and is selling guns to the Apaches, including the ones who slaughtered Lassiter's family.
Cast
- Stuart WhitmanStuart WhitmanStuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
as Capt. Haven - Richard BooneRichard BooneRichard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
as Maj. James 'Jim' Lassiter - Tony Franciosa as Juan Luis Rodriguez aka Juan Luis Martinez
- Jim BrownJim BrownJames Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
as Sgt. Franklyn - Wende WagnerWende WagnerWende Wagner, also known as Wendy Wagner was an actress famed for her roles in The Green Hornet and Rio Conchos.-Biography:Born to a career U.S. Navy officer and swimming and diving coach father Wende Wagner, also known as Wendy Wagner (December 6, 1941 February 26, 1997) was an actress famed for...
as Sally (Apache girl) - Warner AndersonWarner AndersonWarner Anderson was an American actor. He had a small part in a film in 1915. He had supporting parts in several films through the years....
as Col. Wagner - Rodolfo AcostaRodolfo AcostaRodolfo Acosta was a Mexican character actor, typically playing heavies in Hollywood westerns. Acosta was also a regular as Vaquero on The High Chaparral from 1967-69...
as Bloodshirt (Apache chief) - Barry KelleyBarry KelleyBarry Kelley was an actor on Broadway in the 1930s and '40s and in movies during the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. The heavy-set actor created the role of Ike in Oklahoma! on Broadway....
as Croupier at Presidio - Vito ScottiVito ScottiVito Scotti was a veteran character actor who played many roles, primarily from the late-1940s to the mid-1990s. He was known as a man of a thousand faces, for his ability to assume so many divergent roles in more than 200 screen roles, in a nearly 50 year career. He was known for his resourceful...
as Bandit chief - House Peters, Jr.House Peters, Jr.Robert House Peters, Jr. was an American character actor most noted for his roles in 1950s B movies and westerns. He is perhaps best remembered as the face and body of Mr. Clean in the Procter and Gamble cleaning product commercials of the era.- Biography :Peters was born in New Rochelle, New York...
as Maj. Johnson - Kevin Hagen as Major Johnson aka Blondebeard
- Edmond O'BrienEdmond O'BrienEdmond O'Brien was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A. and his Oscar winning role in The Barefoot Contessa...
as Col. Theron 'Gray Fox' Pardee - Robert Adler as Pardee Soldier (uncredited)
- Timothy CareyTimothy CareyTimothy Agoglia Carey was an American film and television actor....
as Chico (cantina owner) (uncredited) - Abel FernandezAbel FernandezAbel Gonzalez Fernandez is a Yaqui/Mexican actor who played in movies from 1953 to 2002. He is best known for his role as Federal Agent William "Bill" Youngfellow on the 1959-1963 ABC Television series The Untouchables...
as Mexican Guard (uncredited) - Mickey SimpsonMickey SimpsonMickey Simpson was an American supporting actor of burly roles, probably most familiar as Sarge, the racist diner, who beats up Rock Hudson near the end of Giant.-Career:...
as Bartender who refuses to serve Franklyn (uncredited)
Billing
The posters used the same approach to billing as Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
had in 1948's Key Largo
Key Largo (film)
Key Largo is a 1948 film noir directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, and Claire Trevor...
, for which Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
had been listed first but Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
was placed in the middle of the three above-the-title leads with his name elevated higher than the other two (the third name being Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...
's). In the case of Rio Conchos, Whitman was billed as Bogart had been, with Boone in Robinson's middle slot and Franciosa in Bacall's spot, with his name listed third going left to right and at the same height as Whitman's.