Image via United ArtistsThe theatrical version of Red River, familiar to audiences, sees Wayne’s Dunson and his adopted son Matt reconcile after a fiery fistfight, in a Tess-mediated conflict. Tess is played by Joanne Dru. Dunson returns home, humbled but unbroken, his legacy tarnished but with glimmerings of redemption. This contrasts with the source material, which explores a bleaker ending. In it, Dunson, defiant and unyielding, dies alone in the desert after being shot by Valance (played by John Ireland in the screen adaptation), and Matt carries his body for burial to their Texas ranch. The alternative version is much longer, providing a brutal contestation between a father and his foster son. In this ending, Wayne’s Dunson appears as the ultimate villain, with a much less redeeming redemption arc. The differences go beyond mere survival.The theatrical version, though showcasing Dunson’s flaws, allows him to acknowledge his mistakes and earn a measure of forgiveness. The lost ending, however, offers no such leniency. It lays bare the brutal consequences of Dunson’s tyranny, painting him as a tragic figure consumed by his own ambition. But it also offers an elongated fight, with Wayne’s Dunson provoking Matt several times before their violent encounter. Dunson asks Matt to draw his gun, which he declines and eventually shoots at Matt, causing him a facial injury, but Matt doesn’t react until Dunson eventually hits him after taking away Matt’s gun. Then, the two men engage in a fierce fistfight, to Nadine Groot’s (Walter Brennan) refreshing amusement.The differences also extend to the emotional impact. The theatrical version provides a sense of closure, albeit bittersweet. Dunson’s return, while marked by loss, suggests the possibility of rebuilding relationships and legacies, providing Matt the much-deserved recognition at his ranch. The lost ending, however, lingers in the air, leaving a chilling uncertainty and a reminder of the price of unchecked power. There have been arguments on which of the two endings director Hawks preferred, with Bogdanovich, who interviewed Hawks in his later years, stating that the director preferred the released version, while another historian Gerald Mast argues that Hawks preferred the 133-minute lost version.Another marked difference between the two alternative endings to the film is that the lost version had numerous book pages from some diary as transitions. In contrast, Groot, whose character provided hilarious relief amid the film’s melodrama, romance, and action, narrated over the transitions. In the theatrical version, Groot narrates over actual scenes with reaction shots. The lost version also explores Matt’s sleeping issues after surviving the earlier Native American attack. In the scene, he is seen disclosing to Groot his traumatic fears of being constantly watched by attacking Native Americans. This version could be considered to prefigure the exploration of PTSD in today’s cinema. Moreover, the lost ending casts a new light on Montgomery Clift’s Matt. His quiet strength in the face of Dunson’s tyranny takes on a deeper meaning. He becomes not just a son seeking redemption, but a symbol of resilience, choosing moral clarity even in the face of a father consumed by ambition.Who Stars in ‘Red River’?Red River boasts an A-list cast featuring the iconic John Wayne in the lead role, cast opposite Montgomery Clift. Three-time Academy Award winner Walter Brennan reprises his supporting role, adding further depth to the cast. Joanne Dru and Coleen Gray round out the ensemble with remarkable performances. Their work in the film has been critically acclaimed as some of the best in a Western movie, praised highly by both film critics and audiences, including those at Rotten Tomatoes and the esteemed Roger Ebert. As a further testament to its brilliance, the American Film Institute ranked Red River the fifth greatest Western movie of all time in 2008.It might be of interest that Montgomery Clift had never ridden a horse before Red River. In an interview with American Film Institute, director Hawks said that he taught Clift how to ride a horse and with sheer hard work, he was good to go after three weeks. Hawks also spoke about John Wayne’s struggle with his character who had much depth in comparison to his previous roles, advising him not to try too hard. “(John Wayne) was very conscious of the fact that this was the first good story he’d ever had. I said (the) Duke you better quit trying so hard. Make two good scenes in this picture and don’t annoy the audience the rest of the time and you will be good.” Perhaps the director saw in Wayne’s internal conflict a reflection of Dunson’s duality, where the hero and villain dance a precarious tango.The Production of ‘Red River’ Was Marked By ControversiesThe production of Red River, while ultimately birthing a Western great, was anything but smooth sailing. Delays and legal battles, fueled by accusations from Howard Hughes, the director of Jane Russell‘s bra-controversy film The Outlaw that Hawks copied the film’s climax scene from their previous collaboration, threatened to derail the film before it even reached the silver screen. Following the conflict, Red River, which was filmed in 1946, was not released until September 1948. Despite the turbulence, Red River became a critical and commercial success, garnering two Academy Award nominations.While John Wayne, like John Ford, may never have received the well-deserved matching Oscar recognition for his Western persona, Red River is a monument to his nuanced acting range. The film’s alternate ending, a dark, unflinching portrayal of Dunson’s downfall, reveals a depth rarely seen in Westerns. Though lost for some time amid legal battles and artistic disagreements, its recovery whispers a counterpoint to Dunson’s redemption – a chilling reminder of the price of unchecked ambition and the potential hidden within a cinematic masterpiece. Whether the theatrical ending of reconciliation or the ghostly alternative, Red River remains a testament to how films can be used to explore the full spectrum of human experience, leaving audiences to ponder the complexities of family, legacy, and the shadows that lurk even in the heart of the Wild West.Red River is available to stream on Fubo in the U.S.