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One John Wayne movie convinced Quentin Tarantino to retire
One John Wayne movie is so bad that it convinced Quentin Tarantino to retire early, as he does not want to spoil his oeuvre.
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Film
Sun 16 March 2025 17:19, UK
Quentin Tarantino was, for a time, set to cement his legacy as one of the most influential filmmakers of modern cinema with the release of his long-anticipated tenth and final film, The Movie Critic. While the director has now put the idea for that picture to bed, he has still kept his eyes firmly on retiring with a bang.
Over a career spanning three decades, Tarantino has absorbed the lessons of Hollywoodâs finest, carefully curating his own approach to storytelling, style, andâmost notablyâhis exit strategy. Unlike many of his heroes who continued directing past their prime, Tarantino has long maintained that he wants to bow out before his work starts to decline. And, rather unusually, a terrible John Wayne western played a crucial role in solidifying that decision.
The film in question is Rio Lobo, released in 1970 and directed by the legendary Howard Hawks, a filmmaker Tarantino has openly admired. Starring John Wayne, Rio Lobo was the third iteration of Hawksâ familiar âsheriff against the outlawsâ concept, following Rio Bravo (1959) and El Dorado (1966). While both of those films found their place among western classics, Rio Lobo failed to capture the same magic. Despite Hawksâ esteemed legacyâmarked by groundbreaking films like Scarface (1932), The Big Sleep (1946), and Red River (1948)âhis final feature was a critical and commercial disappointment. Tarantino took it as a cautionary tale.
A lifelong devotee of Hawks, Tarantino has often cited Rio Bravo as one of his favourite films. His admiration runs so deep that he famously uses it as a test for romantic compatibility. If a date doesnât enjoy Rio Bravo, the relationship is unlikely to go far. However, when it comes to Rio Lobo, Tarantinoâs feelings are far less affectionate. To him, it epitomises what happens when a great director overstays his welcome.
A lacklustre retread of familiar themes, Rio Lobo was criticised for its uninspired storytelling and weak performances. Wayne, despite his towering reputation, was already showing signs of age and repetition. Hawks, who had once revolutionised Hollywood with his sharp dialogue and effortless cool, delivered a film that felt tired and out of step with the times. The lack of innovation and the diminishing returns of revisiting the same story struck a chord with Tarantino. He didnât just dislike Rio Loboâhe saw it as a warning.
Speaking at a Q&A hosted by American Cinematheque in 2010, following a double screening of Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino laid out his philosophy on quitting while ahead. âAs far as an artist is concerned in this business, itâs about the filmography. Thatâs what itâs about. Itâs about every one being of a piece. And thatâs why I want to get out, at a certain part in the game. I want to live or die by that filmography.â
Tarantino has repeatedly expressed his belief that the coolest, most innovative filmmakers often donât know when to call it quits. âThe most cutting-edge artist, the coolest guys, the hippest dudes, theyâre the ones that stay at the party too long. Theyâre the ones that make those last two or three movies that are completely out of touch and do not realise the world has turned on them. And they have no idea how corny they are.â His goal? To avoid that fate at all costs.
He pointed to Rio Lobo as a prime example of an icon losing touch. But it wasnât just HawksâTarantino also referenced another western legend, John Ford, whose final film, Cheyenne Autumn (1964), lacked the bite and brilliance of his earlier works. And, in the same breath, he mentioned Billy Wilderâs Buddy Buddy (1981) and Fedora (1978) as further cautionary examples of directors who overstayed their welcome.
Tarantino doesnât want to make Rio Lobo. He doesnât want to make Cheyenne Autumn. He wants his final film to be as fresh and exhilarating as his debut. Whether The Movie Critic lives up to that standard remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Tarantinoâs exit is as meticulously planned as the movies that made him a legend.
Related Topics
Howard HawksJohn WayneQuentin Tarantino
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