Two-Movie Tuesday: Rio Fargo

Wherever you go, in sand or in snow, a sherrif’s job is no easy load.

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Rio Bravo (1959)

It dawdles (see the silly romance; two songs in a row to show off Martin and Nelson), but in the end that’s part of its charm (bashful Wayne and chatty Dickinson are a fun pair; Nelson’s such a dreamboat) and along with the repeated settings (jail, hotel, saloon), laugh-out-loud humour (Stumpy had me in stitches every scene he’s in), and character drama (see Dude’s development) it really makes you feel a cozy sense of familiarity along with the excitement you get from the bursts of action.

7

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Fargo (1996)

The bleak snowy setting is perfect for this tightly spun tale of cold-blooded murder (see the red on white in the chilling wood-chipper scene). The three well-acted main players each add their own engaging element to the mix: The anxious Jerry a compelling character deterioration; the volatile Carl and his silent thug both odd-couple comedy and brutal violence; the down-to-earth cop Marge both slick smarts and small-town sweetness (“There’s more to life than a little money, you know”).

9

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Would love to hear your thoughts on this week’s pair of movies:

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“And here ya are, and it’s a beautiful day.”