When movies were movies

I happened to catch a part of this classic at work today. Rio Bravo, starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan, Angie Dickinson and Claude Akins. Filmed back in 1959, it was one of the Duke's best. And here's a scene where the four heroes are sitting in the jailhouse guarding the brother of the town's baddest man. Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson casually sing as the men prepare for the big showdown that everyone knows is coming. They don't make movies like this any more and it's a damned shame. Of course Hollywood today doesn't have this sort of talent to draw on either. Could you see that effeminate poser George Clooney standing tall on the big screen like these guys? I can't either.





Of course the film is chock full of conservative values like Honor and Integrity. We see real men taking the hard road and accepting probable death just because it's the right thing to do. But they still have a good time and watching them, you can't help but have one yourself. See if you don't wind up humming one of these songs later...I'll bet you do.