Red River paired a western star with a newcomer who had never made a film.

John Wayne played rancher Thomas Dunson. Montgomery Clift played Matt Garth, the young man he raised.

All 33 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are positive, giving the film a perfect 100%. Its Popcornmeter trails at 87%, from more than 5,000 audience ratings.

In June 2008, the American Film Institute ranked it No. 5 among the greatest Westerns ever made. Only The Searchers , High Noon , Shane and Unforgiven rank higher.

James Agee covered Red River for Time:

“It is a rattling good outdoor adventure movie,” he wrote.

Bob Thomas filed his verdict for the Associated Press:

“ Red River contains everything a western should have and throws in a few things more.”

The tension between the two leads strengthened their scenes together, but Wayne and Clift had their differences off camera.

John Wayne as Thomas Dunson, and Montgomery Clift as Matt Garth in the 1948 western film Red River .…