Error creating thumbnail: File missing Rio Grande (1950)Rio Grande John Ford starring John Wayne , Maureen O'Hara , and many members of the so-called "John Ford Stock Company", including Victor McLaglen , Ben Johnson , and Harry Carey Jr. . It is the final installment of John Ford's unofficial "Cavalry Trilogy", following 1948's Fort Apache She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
The first two films were made with RKO, while Rio Grande was made with Republic Pictures. John Ford, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara were originally supposed to have made The Quiet Man first, but Republic, one of the smaller studios, wasn't certain about the prospects for The Quiet Man and insisted that Rio Grande be made first to cover any potential losses. (Ironically, The Quiet Man would go on to make more money than Rio Grande .) With Republic, the budget for Rio Grande was roughly half of what was spent on Fort Apache , and indeed some of the more manpower intensive scenes in Rio Grande were recycled from Fort Apache .
This would be the first of five films that paired John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. John Wayne's son Patrick Wayne makes his film debut, but not as LTC Kirby Yorke's son, but as an uncredited boy. (Although many might assume that LTC Kirby Yorke is just an older version of CPT Kirby York from Fort Apache , this is not the case. Victor McLaglen and Ben Johnson play characters who had similar names in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon , but they are obviously different characters as well.)
The following weapons are used in Rio Grande :
Springfield Model 1873 Cavalry Carbine The main weapon of the cavalry is the Springfield Model 1873 Cavalry Carbine .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Replica Springfield Model 1873 Cavalry Carbine "Trapdoor Springfield" built by Uberti Arms - .45-70 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Troopers, including Troopers Travis Tyree (Ben Johnson ) and Daniel "Sandy" Boone (Harry Carey Jr. ) firing upon the Apaches during the surprise attack. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another two troopers return fire during the surprise attack. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dr. Wilkins (Chill Wills ) with his carbine during the surprise attack. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trooper Heinze (Fred Kennedy ) dismounts to fire his carbine during the attack on the caravan. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Troopers fire from behind cover. Error creating thumbnail: File missing CPT Prescott (Steve Pendleton ) with his carbine as he reports to LTC Yorke (John Wayne ). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trooper Boone with his carbine. Colt Single Action Army Cavalry troopers carry Colt Single Action Army revolvers as sidearms. There appears to be a mix of both Quick-Draw and Cavalry models.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt Single Action Army w/ 4.75" barrel, case colored and blued, referred to as "Quick-Draw" or "Civilian" model. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Colt Single Action Army w/ 7.5" barrel known as the "Cavalry" model. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Capt. St. Jacques (Peter Ortiz ) with his SAA Cavalry. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The Deputy Marshal (Grant Withers ) aims at a fleeing Tyree. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trooper Heinze facing off against a charging Apache with his drawn SAA. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Ummm, spoiler? Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trooper Tyree holds off the charging Apache with Trooper Yorke's (Claude Jarman Jr. ) SAA Quick-Draw. Error creating thumbnail: File missing LTC Yorke with his SAA Quick-Draw. Winchester Model 1892 Many of the Apaches are armed with Winchester Model 1892 repeating rifles. Troopers Boone, Tyree and Yorke are armed with them when they sneak into the Indian village.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester 1892 - .38-40 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine - .32WCF/.38-40/.44-40/.25-20. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The one on the left with a Winchester Model 1892. This is reused footage from Fort Apache Error creating thumbnail: File missing The one on the left with a Winchester Model 1892. This is also reused footage from Fort Apache Error creating thumbnail: File missing This is also reused footage from Fort Apache Error creating thumbnail: File missing Trooper Boone with his Winchester Model 1892. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Troopers Boone and Tyree firing upon the advancing Apache while Trooper Yorke reloads behind them. Winchester Model 1873 Some of the Apaches are seen with Winchester Model 1873 repeating rifles. Much of the footage of the Apaches firing is reused from Fort Apache
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester Model 1873 carbine - 1st generation rifle - 44-40 Cal. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The one on the right with a Winchester Model 1873. This is reused footage from Fort Apache Error creating thumbnail: File missing The one on the right with a Winchester Model 1873. This is reused footage from Fort Apache Winchester Model 1876 Some of the Apaches are seen with Winchester Model 1876 musket carbines. Much of the footage of the Apaches firing is reused from Fort Apache
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Winchester Model 1876 musket-carbine Error creating thumbnail: File missing Double Barreled Shotgun One of the deputy marshals (uncredited) is armed with a Double Barreled Shotgun .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing J. Stevens and Company Side by Side Shotgun (Circa 1878) exposed hammers and designed to fire Black Powder shotgun shells - 12 Gauge Error creating thumbnail: File missing Brass cannon A small brass cannon is seen at the fort. It is fired once during the Apache sneak attack.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing The cannon fires. 
