When it comes to on-screen chemistry, Wayne's and O'Hara's was unique. Photo copyright: Republic Pictures (1950)

John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara had one of the most unique on screen chemistry of any two acting couples. Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford had heat. Tracy and Hepburn were always trying to up the other. Wayne and O'Hara nearly always played a couple that have a love/hate relationship, but one always showed the other one respect. It was never about one dominating the other. When one shoved, the other shoved back, and they loved each other for it.

Rio Grande is one of the best examples of their on screen charm. Upon meeting for the first time in years O'Hara says to Wayne, "Ramrod, wreckage and ruin, still the same Kirby York." Wayne, nonplused, responds, "Special privileges to the special born, still the same Kathleen." Wayne plays a cavalry Colonel who finds his estranged son, Jeff, who recently flunked out of West point, under his command as an enlisted man. O'Hara soon shows up to get her underage son out of the service. Neither father or son want him out. As the Duke puts it, "He must learn that a mans word to anything, even his own destruction, must be honored."

The movie opens with Wayne leading a bunch of soldiers back into a fort. They have just returned from a fight with Apache Indians. The women look on and wonder who was killed or wounded. It is too bad the fight was never shown as it then takes awhile to get to the next action scene. Instead the audience is treated to Wayne and O'Hara dancing about each other as each decides when to let the other know that they still love each other. However, Ford decided, for some reason, to insert several songs, sung by The Sons of The Pioneers. They add some atmosphere but they slow the movie down.

The action picks up the last half of the film and ends in a great sequence. The Apache kidnap the settlers children. O'Hara has a good moment when she breaks the silence of the stunned mothers by simply saying to Wayne, "Kirby, the children." The kids are locked in a church while the Indians drink alcohol. Three soldiers, including Jeff, sneak into the church. When one of the kids rings the church bell and Wayne gives the order, "Bugler, sound the charge." You know it's a bad day to be a drunk Indian.

Although Ford gave too much time to the songs, there is enough fighting, humor and friction between it's legendary stars to make this one a great western.

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