John Wayne's 'best performance' in masterpiece Western available for free
A timeless Western featuring John Wayne originally debuted in 1950 and it is now available to stream for free
This classic Western starring John Wayne becomes available to watch completely free from this afternoon (Monday, 3rd November).
A must-see for fans of the Hollywood legend, the film first hit cinemas in 1950 under the guidance of renowned director John Ford.
Celebrated filmmaker Orson Welles called it a "masterpiece", though it often gets missed by movie buffs as it wraps up Ford's trio of outstanding Westerns, which began with Fort Apache and followed with She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.
In Rio Grande, Wayne plays Cavalry officer Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke, positioned on the Texas border to protect colonists from Apache Native American attacks.
While he gains the advantage by capturing the Apache leader, the story delves into Yorke's troubled past, including his estrangement from spouse Kathleen (Maureen O'Hara) and son Trooper Jefferson Yorke (Claude Jarman Jr), reports Wales Online.
Rio Grande airs at 12:55pm on Film4 today and will subsequently be available free of charge on Channel 4's streaming service for a limited time.
One Letterboxd critic called it "visually stunning and emotionally impactful".
They added: "The chemistry between Wayne and O'Hara is electric, and the film's quiet emotional core makes it far more than just another western - it's a story about love, pride, and redemption."
Another viewer reckoned Rio Grande might display the star's "best performance", penning: "I think this was the perfect role for Wayne. Chemistry between Wayne and O'Hara off the charts.
"The group's camaraderie is tight. We quickly feel a closeness not only between the characters but also with them ourselves."
Another five-star critique declared: "It's hard to judge yesterday's films by today's standards and Rio Grande has a much more complex and rich narrative than you'd come to expect from a 50s western.
"And to top it all off it has some of Ford's best action set pieces and sequences. I mean, f***, Ben Johnson could ride the hell out of a horse.
"And for anyone who has said John Wayne wasn't a good actor (including John Ford) get a load of the closeups on him in this film. He didn't have to say a word. His face spoke volumes."
Meanwhile, Cine Outsider branded it an "enthralling and majestic western from one of giants of the genre", whilst warning that certain aspects of the plot seem quite dated.
"Its honest portrait of a broken family and of a man who has put his career above his loved ones and pays the emotional price feels ahead of its time," the assessment went on, "the performances are terrific across the board, the night-time Apache hit-and-run raid on the camp is thrillingly staged, and the strength of its drama is balanced, as ever, by a delightful line in character-based comedy."
Will you be setting off on a Wild West adventure with John Wayne this week?
Rio Grande airs at 12:55pm on Film4 and will be available to stream on Channel 4.