River Of No Return is showing at Cinéma Le Vincennes near Paris on Tuesday, April 14, at 8:30 pm.
“Upon his release from prison, Matt returns to a gold rush camp to reclaim his son, whom a saloon singer has taken under her wing. From a commissioned film—his last contract for Zanuck and Fox—Preminger crafts a masterpiece. A lyrical ballad, a contemplative western that intertwines, against the backdrop of the conquest of the West, the themes of the passage of time, relationships, and the bond with a child, following the wanderings of individuals lost in the birth of a nation. This is Preminger’s first film in CinemaScope, shot in the majestic Rocky Mountains, where beauty emanates from every shot thanks to the talent of cinematographer Joseph LaShelle. Fluid and unpretentious direction: the filmmaker initiates a stylistic shift, lingering in shots and avoiding the shot-reverse-shot technique. It’s also the meeting of two legendary figures: the rock-solid Mitchum, and Marilyn, with her captivating presence – and whose songs, interspersed throughout the film, further enhance the myth. A suspended, sublime moment.”
This original French poster was recently featured in a retrospective for the Ukrainian-born artist Constantin Belinsky at the Pontarlier Museum in eastern France.
River Of No Return is one of several Monroe films showing at Le Vincennes this month, with The Seven Year Itch coming on April 21, and Some Like It Hot on April 28 (replacing The Misfits.) The series is hosted by Laura’s Film Club, with each screening followed by a discussion.
“By turns fantasy, vulnerable heroine, and woman in crisis, Marilyn Monroe transcends her iconic status here and reveals an actress of rare intensity. From the urban comedy of The Seven Year Itch to the wide-open spaces of River of No Return, everything reminds us of her presence: luminous, fragile, profoundly modern.”
The Marilyn Report 