narrator) the western began to attract the most innovative directors, howard hawks anthony mann john sturgesohn ford, who would shape the new form as would the man who personified the western more than any single american, john wayne. i've established a character on the screen that may be rough, may be cruel. may have a different code than the average person, but it's never been mean or petty or small. (narrator) in 1948, howard hawks cast john wayne and screen newcomer montgomery clift in red river, a tale of ruthless authority written in western language. (arthur penn) when you get a film like "red river," what you had was something with not only good acting, but i think montgomery clift elevated john wayne's acting by the sheer fullness of what it was he was doing, which has nuance and subtlety and change of posture. i'm gonna hang ya. no, no you're not. what? you're not going to hang them. who'll stop me? i will. you're a lot more interested in people and personalities and characters of the people who were in the picture, than you are the old plots. and we don't pay much attention to plo