River of No Return

Play trailer

River of No Return

TV-PG

1954

1h 31m

Western

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Mar 25, 2006

3/5

Director Otto Preminger has thrown all the grandeur and menace of these features upon the eye-filling CinemaScope screen.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

G L

@RT09869090 Aug 5, 2026

A great movie w/ three good/great actors.

See more

Bill B

@RT38216115 Apr 19, 2026

Sure it’s corny. But nevertheless iconic.

See more

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 .

See more

Aug 23, 2023

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

See more

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.

See more

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.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

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)

Love Me Tender

58%

65%

Love Me Tender

Watchlist

Warlock

%

75%

Warlock

Watchlist

My Darling Clementine

100%

85%

My Darling Clementine

Watchlist

The Tall Men

80%

62%

The Tall Men

Watchlist

The Far Country

100%

75%

The Far Country

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, CBS/Fox
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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings