RIVER OF NO RETURN is a fairly standard western adventure that features the pairing of movie tough guy Robert Mitchum and the iconic actress Marilyn Monroe. It's one of those river-themed movies which, like THE RIVER WILD, features the characters rafting down a sometimes turbulent river for much of the running time.It's an acceptable enough piece of fare, one which has dated somewhat but still works as a harmless time-waster. Rory Calhoun's bad guy is never quite as villainous or as imposing as he ought to be, but there's a nice twist ending and Mitchum's bravado keeps you watching. Monroe is quite gracious although she does spoil things by singing a little too much. The back projection effects don't look very good these days but there are some fun stunt scenes to enjoy.

Great Canadian scenery, but episodic storyline, at best. To escape marauding Indians, farmer Mitchum, son Rettig, and barroom showgirl Monroe escape down a roaring river on a raft, encountering a number of perils along the way. With this kind of adventurous premise, the movie should overflow with suspense, but it doesn't.What the result shows is that legendary director Preminger was much more at home with drawingroom intrigue, e.g. Laura (1944), than with outdoor adventure. Here he films a spotty screenplay in unengaged fashion, adding nothing to the action. In short, events in the movie unfold without pulling us in. Then too, many of the river process shots are clumsily blended with the live shots, a constant reminder that this really is a movie.Mitchum's excellent in a tailor made role. He looks fully at home as a macho man in the Canadian wilderness. For Monroe, however, this is her only starring role in an adventure film and it's understandable. She looks decidedly uncomfortable, except when doing her showgirl act, which is when the engaging side of her personality really comes out. Nonetheless, the movie exploits her tangible assets with frequent dips in and out of the water, in provocative fashion. All in all, however, I see why this film is infrequently mentioned in her list of cinematic highlights.Anyway, unless you have a yen for grand Canadian vistas or Marilyn's buxom appeal, my advice is to skip it.

I would like to see as many films starring the famous leading actress from Gentleman Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot as possible, and I spotted this one in another different genre, I was most intrigued, from director Otto Preminger (Laura, Carmen Jones, Anatomy of a Murder). Basically widower Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) has recently return home and to his young son Mark Calder (Tommy Rettig) after serving time in prison for killing another man defending another. Mark has been looked after by dance hall and saloon singer Kay Weston (Marilyn Monroe), and his father promises him that as virtual strangers he will do everything possible to bond at the homestead, with hunting, fishing and farming. Kay's fiancé Harry (Rory Calhoun) plans to get to Council City and file the deed to a gold mine he won in a poker game, but they get in trouble going down the rough river on a raft, and they are rescued by the father and son duo, only to have their gun and horse stolen by Harry and let him get away. Indians are roaming the premises, so the three of them continue down the river on the raft, and stopping to rest Matt questions why Kay wants to marry a man who threatens a child, and her defence is that he is worse having killed a man, and overhearing this discussion Mark finally learns the truth about his father's past. The three of them again continue down the river, and she slowly becomes grateful towards the father figure as he looks after them with bravery and tenderness, against such challenges as a lion attack, prospectors Dave Colby (Murvyn Vye) and Sam Benson (Douglas Spencer) who want Harry's gold, and more Indians. Matt, Kay and Mark manage to get through more rapids and arrive in Council City, meeting back up with Harry, and after a struggle Kay's fiancé is shot and killed by Mark, and in the end Matt and Mark take Kay with them back to their farm. Also starring Don Beddoe as Ben - Council City Storekeeper and Paul Newlan as Prospector. Monroe is absolutely beautiful here, especially as this is the first time I saw her with long blonde hair, and her singing is good too, and Mitchum does alright mumbling and being cool all the way through, the bits between them are alright, I think the best bits are probably on the raft and against Indians and a lion, at least they make the film reasonably exciting, a not bad western. Worth watching!

Average western which again proved that Marilyn Monroe could not act. Here, she attempted to strum on a guitar, as a dance hall queen in love with gold prospector Rory Calhoun. Coming off his successful airplane pilot two years before in the smash-hit, "With A Song in My Heart," Calhoun, as the evil person here, comes off rather calmly.Robert Mitchum, as the jailed man, who picks up his son in a camp where Monroe is singing and Tommy Rettig, of television's "Lassie Fame," steal the film here.Rettig learns that his father was jailed when he shot someone in the back. Ironically, he will learn that cruel lesson once again at picture's end. Exploring the relationship that develops while rafting with Mitchum and Monroe forms the basis of the film. It's only partially successful at best.