Rio Bravo

Hawks’ magisterial chamber western sees a sheriff somewhat reluctantly surrounding himself with a motley crew of assistants – a gambler, a garrulous old-timer, a drunk and a rookie (the latter two played by singers Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson) – while trying to prevent his prisoner’s family springing him from jail. A characteristically seriocomic study of group dynamics, professionalism, (self-)respect and strength of character, it deploys a handful of smalltown locations to claustrophobically suspenseful effect.