River of No Return

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River of No Return

TV-PG

1954

1h 31m

Western

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Popcornmeter

60%

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15 Reviews

54%

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5,000+ Ratings

After serving a prison sentence, farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) returns to his 19th-century Pacific Northwest gold rush town and retrieves his adolescent son, Mark (Tommy Rettig). Meanwhile, good-hearted barroom singer Kay (Marilyn Monroe) is heading downriver with her boyfriend, Harry (Rory Calhoun), to explore a potential gold claim. When their raft sinks, Harry robs Matt of his gun and horse to continue without Kay on land. Sailing downriver toward the claim, the trio plan their revenge.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Oct 23, 2007

The striking beauties of the Canadian Rockies co-star with the blonde charms of Marilyn Monroe and the masculine muscles of Robert Mitchum in River of No Return.

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Empire Magazine

Oct 23, 2007

Some decent performances, but with this story they didn't have much of a chance.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Oct 23, 2007

One of the first films to discover the potential of CinemaScope and a fine example of Preminger's rational approach to the mysteries of personal morality.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Aug 23, 2025

8/10

The predictability doesn’t stop the film from being consistently entertaining, even without a significant amount of originality for the Western genre.

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Josephine O'Neill

Daily Telegraph (Australia)

Mar 26, 2019

Marilyn Monroe here meets the West for the first, and, I am sure, the last time.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Jul 17, 2012

C+

Though nicely shot in CinemaScope, this Western is not one of director Otto Preminger's or stars Robert Mitchum's and Marilyn Monroe's strong films.

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G L

@RT09869090 Aug 5, 2026

A great movie w/ three good/great actors.

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Bill B

@RT38216115 Apr 19, 2026

Sure it’s corny. But nevertheless iconic.

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Kevin A

@RT53451703 Jun 21, 2025

My take is, considering when it was made ,it still holds up extremely well, some critics nitpick performances , but I say any time I can watch young MITCHUM AND MONROE with great cinematography man I'll take it. Definitely Hollywood royalty, good watch..sEnuff said ABERNATHY .

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Aug 23, 2023

Very good movie starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe highly recommend it James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas, August 23, 2023

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James P

@RT66446657 Jun 10, 2023

For its time this is a great little movie, good cast, story, and directing; I watch this at least once every year or so.

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david f

@dfulmer Oct 22, 2022

This film has got really spectacular scenery of the Canadian Rockies, which is almost worth the cost of admission alone. The story is nicely integrated into the landscape, scenery, and setting, with an epic voyage over river rapids to register a claim to a gold mine. Lots of western cliches in this one - gun fights, Indians, and landscapes - but handled in a very entertaining way. Plus Marilyn Monroe singing and dancing. This is a great studio film.

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Otto Preminger

Director

Robert Mitchum

Matt Calder

Marilyn Monroe

Kay Weston

Rory Calhoun

Harry Weston (gambler)

Tommy Rettig

Mark Calder

Murvyn Vye

Dave Colby (prospector)

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Synopsis

After serving a prison sentence, farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) returns to his 19th-century Pacific Northwest gold rush town and retrieves his adolescent son, Mark (Tommy Rettig). Meanwhile, good-hearted barroom singer Kay (Marilyn Monroe) is heading downriver with her boyfriend, Harry (Rory Calhoun), to explore a potential gold claim. When their raft sinks, Harry robs Matt of his gun and horse to continue without Kay on land. Sailing downriver toward the claim, the trio plan their revenge.

Director: Otto Preminger
Producer: Stanley Rubin
Screenwriter: Louis Lantz, Frank Fenton
Distributor: CBS/Fox, 20th Century Fox, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: TV-PG
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 30, 1954, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track

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