On one side is an army of gunmen dead-set on springing a murderous sidekick from jail.

On the other is Sheriff John T.

Chance and his two deputies: one a drunk, the other a cripple.

Place your bets. John Wayne is Chance in Rio Bravo, a lean Western classic packing solid heroics and a strong emotional core.

Hes joined by Dean Martin as the deputy coming off a two-year drunk, Walter Brennan as the old coot whose spirit outmatches his hobbled stride, Ricky Nelson as a youth out to prove himself and Angie Dickinson as a scarlet woman with her eyes on Chance.

Director Howard Hawks lifted the Western to new heights with Red River.

Capturing the legendary West with a stellar cast in peak form, he does it again here.