Essays Contents
River of No Return
May 22, 2023
Released April 30, 1954, this was the first film released by 20th Century-Fox to feature the "CinemaScope extension" fanfare (trumpets) before the opening credits.
After Fox switched to Panavision in 1967, they went back to their old fanfare, so the extension fanfare wasn't used again until it was revived by George Lucas to play before the opening credits to Star Wars. This time, those few extra bars played under the credit "A Lucasfilm Production." Since then it's been re-recorded a few times but remains to this day the intro to every film released by that studio.
The credits themselves do not begin until nearly 2 minutes into the movie.
River of No Return
Movie on a playlist
Internet Movie Database description
link
"The titular river unites a farmer recently released from prison,
his young son, and an ambitious saloon singer. In order to survive,
each must be purged of anger, and each must learn to understand
and care for the others.
added May 30
about the eerie music background
and from one video's comments:
Ernie Ford singing "River of No Return"
in comments:
Joss Ackland's Spunky Backpack
5 years ago (edited)
Always loved that sound effect on some old 50s recordings,
like here at the beginning and end.
Is it a harp put through a tape echo plus reverb?
Nearest thing I can think it is.
You hear it also in Winter Wonderland by Johnny mathis.
also:
someone noted that Mark went back into the cabin
and came out with a book... a Bible?
(and left the bag outside and then forgot it)
end of added text
The more I watch this film... the more clues I see in it.
It is a classic in every sense of the word. It is a perfect film.
My love for this movie began many years ago...
I think it was the well-written songs... and performances.
It doesn't come up on television much as a choice.
It's Marilyn Monroe... in a western.
The movie didn't get very good reviews at the time of release.
Marilyn considered it her least favorite film of them all.
Otto Preminger... one of the industry's best directors...
had insisted that the actors do their own stunts.
Marilyn sprained her ankle during one such scene.
Preminger also banned Monroe's voice coach from the set...
the woman who instructed Monroe to enunciate every consonant.
Marilyn depended on her friend... and won the argument.
Marilyn spent her filming breaks... petting a trained raccoon.
The components of this film emerge as you study it.
The songs... an integral part of the story... are not promotional.
(The lyrics to them are added at the bottom of this page.)
Marilyn's character, "Kay," wrote the songs. They are about her life...
(and... one might think... also about Marilyn's life.)
The film itself is about hustlers... about good and bad... about survival.
Sometimes... what's done is done... and cannot be... undone.
Death itself... is something that we can't come back from.
We should beware... of those things that threaten to destroy us...
and there are many to see in this movie. Watch... listen.
Gold, indians, hustlers, thieves, liars, anger, and revenge... all here.
Good people are here, too.
Do you know one when you see one?
Do you respect good people...? or laugh at them...
and take advantage of their innocence...
like it was cowardice...
The history of those times... is an integral part of the story.
The clues are so subtle that they can be missed easily.
Every character in the film... even the bit parts... tells you a story.
Clues integral to the story... appear in the background... subtly.
It surely was meant to be a movie... forever savored like a wine.
The story takes place in Idaho, along the Salmon River...
which really is referred to as... "the river of no return."
There is a series of steep rapids along its path.
The Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness Area
link
"The Frank Church -River of No Return Wilderness Area" is a protected wilderness area in Idaho... created in 1980 by the U. S. Congress and renamed in 1984 as the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area in honor of U.S. Senator Frank Church. At 2.367 million acres (9,580 km2), it is the largest contiguous federally managed wilderness in the United States outside of Alaska.
The Salmon River itself... is now the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States.
The Salmon River area has been home to people for at least the last 8,000 years. Much of the area was inhabited by several tribes, including the Nez Perce. The river was considered sacred ground and a rich source of food for the indigenous people of the area, who relied on the abundant salmon, trout,
vegetables, berries, and other wildlife.
In the 1860s, placer deposits of gold were found along the river, and a gold rush began. Miners came to the area, causing clashes with the Nez Perce on their ancestral tribal lands. Many historic and present day mines (including dredging operations) can be seen while traveling along the river.
The Nez Perce had once helped the Lewis & Clark expedition survive.
Food and horses were given freely to them. Horses were plenty...
they bred the appalousa horse. Helen Hunt Jackson, author of
"A Century of Dishonor", written in 1889, refers to the Nez Perce
as "the richest, noblest, and most gentle" of Indian peoples
as well as the most industrious.
A series of violent encounters with white settlers in the spring of 1877 culminated in those Nez Perce who resisted removal, including Joseph's band and an allied band of the Palouse tribe, to flee the United States in an attempt to reach political asylum alongside the Lakota people, who had sought refuge in Canada under the leadership of Sitting Bull.
Chief Joseph's life remains an iconic event in the history of the American Indian Wars. For his passionate, principled resistance to his tribe's forced removal, Joseph became renowned as both a humanitarian and a peacemaker. When the process of laying the boundaries of the reservation for the Nez Perce conflicted with
the already established white settlements... there was nothing acceptable left for them. The Nez Perce were dying... left without food and blankets.
Chief Joseph made a memorable speech on behalf of his people.
"From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
Today the gold sleucing areas... are superfund toxic waste sites.
The Nez Perce have spent millions trying to restore the river.
MCCALL, Idaho -- January 10, 2023
A planned open-pit cyanide leach gold mine in Idaho’s Salmon River Mountains would jeopardize public health and clean water, harm endangered species, violate Indigenous treaty rights and permanently scar thousands of acres of public land in the headwaters of the South Fork Salmon River, a coalition of local and national conservation groups said.
BOISE, Idaho, March 31, 2023
/PRNewswire/ - Perpetua Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA) today announced that the United States Forest Service has updated the National Environmental Policy Act permitting schedule for the Stibnite Gold Project with a Final Environmental Impact Statement and draft Record of Decision expected by the end of 2023 and a final Record of Decision anticipated in early 2024.
"We are pleased to have reached this critical juncture, which provides clarity on the path and timeline to a Final EIS and Draft Record of Decision after a successful comment period on our improved project plan and the U.S. Forest Service identifying our project as the Preferred Alternative,"
said Laurel Sayer, President & CEO of Perpetua Resources.
"Recognizing the critical role of domestic antimony to national security, our eyes are firmly set on these key milestones and our readiness to develop the Stibnite Gold Project as a national strategic asset and opportunity to restore this abandoned site."
Perpetua's work toward a final Record of Decision in early 2024 is supported with funding received through the U.S. Department of Defense from a Defense Production Act Title III award of up-to $24.8 million directed by the Department of Defense to ensure the timely development of a domestic source of antimony trisulfide for the production of small arms, medium caliber cartridges and many other missile and munition items. Antimony from the Stibnite Gold Project is the sole domestic geologic reserve of antimony that can meet Department of Defense requirements.
Idaho City was founded in December 1862 as “Bannock” (sometimes given as “West Bannock”), amidst the Boise Basin gold rush during the Civil War, the largest since the California gold rush a dozen years earlier. Near the confluence of Elk and Mores Creeks, its plentiful water supply allowed it to outgrow the other nearby camps in the basin.
The 1870 census reported at 1,751 Chinese who were nearly half of city residents. Annie Lee was one legendary Idaho city woman who like Polly Bemis, escaped from sexual slavery. She escaped from a member of the Yeong Wo Company in the 1870s to Boise to marry her lover, another Chinese man. Charged by her owner with grand larceny, she told a judge that she wanted to stay in Boise City. The judge subsequently granted her freedom.
Idaho City is at an elevation of 3,907 feet (1,191 m) above sea level. At its peak during the mid-1860s, there were more than 200 businesses in town, including three dozen saloons and two dozen law offices. In 1863, St. Joseph's Catholic Church was established; it was the first Catholic parish in the new Idaho Territory and the church was completed the following year.
Senator Frank Church announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president from the porch of the county courthouse in Idaho City in March 1976. His grandfather had settled there in 1871 and his father was born there in 1889. Chase Clark, Church's father-in-law, had announced his candidacy for governor in Idaho City in 1940.
The theme song in this movie was sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford
who has a similar voice to Robert Mitchum's... a deep-throated bass.
Marilyn, "Kay," sings it at the end... as one of her own composed songs
perhaps written the night of this scene... where she realizes that the
man she thought she loved... was a low-life who had left her to die.
And she sees it for the truth it is. He never loved her.
When miraculously surviving the escape down the river...
she finds Harry sitting in a saloon... drinking... playing cards...
not returning to her... to rescue her and the boy.
You know, before there was radio and television, people used to sing
together... and harmonize familiar songs. It's part of this whole picture.
I was going to point out all the special clues in this movie...
but... it's such fun to find the beautiful things for oneself.
Go looking. Enjoy.
Songs in the movie "River of No Return
RIVER OF NO RETURN (Reprise)
as the theme song performed by Tennessee Ernie Ford
(No return, no return, no return, no return)
There is a river called the River of No Return (No return)
Sometimes it's peaceful and sometimes wild and free
Love is a traveler on the River of No Return (No return, no return)
Swept on forever to be lost in the stormy sea
Wail-a-ree (Wail-a-ree)
I can hear the river call (No return, no return)
Where the roaring waters fall
Wail-a-ree (Wail-a-ree)
I can hear my lover call "Come to me" (No return, no return)
I lost my love on the river
And forever my heart will yearn (No return, no return)
Gone, gone forever down the River of No Return (No return)
Wail-a-ree, wail-a-re-e-ee
She'll never return to me
(No return, no return, no return, no return, no return......FADE)
RIVER OF NO RETURN (Reprise)
As performed by Marilyn Monroe
Umm-umm-umm
If you listen you can hear it call, wail-a-ree (Wail-a-ree)
There is a river called the River of No Return
Sometimes it's peaceful and sometimes wild and free
Love is a traveler on the River of No Return
Swept on forever to be lost in the stormy sea.
(Wail-a-ree) I can hear the river call
(No return, no return) No return, no return
(Where the roarin' waters fall)
(Wail-a-ree) I can hear my lover call "Come to me"
(No return, no return)
I lost my love on the river
And forever my heart will yearn
Gone, gone forever down the River of No Return
Wail-a-ree (Wail-a-ree), wail-a-re-ee-eee
He'll never return to me (No return, no return)
Never!
ONE SILVER DOLLAR
Performed by Marilyn Monroe
One silver dollar, bright silver dollar
Changing hands, changing hands
Endlessly rollin', wasted and stolen
Changing hands, changing hands
Spent for a baby's trinket
Won by a gambler's lust
Pierced by an outlaw's bullet
And lost in the blood red dust
One silver dollar, bright silver dollar
Changing hands, changing hands
Love is a shining dollar
Bright as a church bell's chime
Gambled and spent and wasted
And lost in the dust of time
Ooh-aah-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
One silver dollar, worn silver dollar
Changing hearts, changing lives, changing hands
I'M GONNA FILE MY CLAIM
Performed by Marilyn Monroe
I've looked around the country and I've seen it all
And what I want, I'm ready to name
It's big and strong and handsome and it's six feet tall
I'm gonna file my claim
I struck a real bonanza and he's rough and rash
But what he's got I'm ready to tame
He's worth a fancy fortune, but it's not in cash
I'm gonna file my claim
I got the fever, oooohhh the fever
But not for gold in the ground
I want the title to something vital
That I can throw my fences around
A gal should never hustle with a pick and pan
To dig for gold, that isn't her game
I find the man that's found it, then I get that man
Who's gonna help me file my claim
I gotta file my claim
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, lookin' for nuggets?
Uuummmmm, mush!
A-B-C-D, who's gonna file me under love
There ain't a man, not a single man
There ain't a man alive who wouldn't trade his gold
For what it takes to stay in the game
So, have it filed and spend it 'fore you get too old
Who's gonna help me file my claim
Who's gonna help me, help, help me
Who's gonna help me file my claim........tonight!
DOWN IN THE MEADOW
Performed by Marilyn Monroe
When Mister South Wind sighs in the pines
Old Mister Winter whimpers and whines
Down in the meadow, under the snow
April is teaching green things to grow
When Mister West Wind hums in the glade
Old Mister Summer nods in the shade
Down in the meadow, under the brook
Catfish are waiting for the hook
Old Lady Blackbird flirts with the scarecrow
Scarecrow is waving at the Moon
Old Mister Moon makes hearts everywhere
Go bump, bump with the magic of June
When Mister East Wind shouts overhead
Then all the leaves turn yellow and red
Down in the meadow, corn stocks are high
Pumpkins are ripe and ready for pie
Old Lady Blackbird flirts with the scarecrow
Scarecrow is waving at the Moon
Old Mister Moon makes hearts everywhere
Go bump, bump with the magic of June
When Mister North Wind rolls on the breeze
Old Father Christmas trims all the trees
Down in the meadow, snow softly gleams
Earth goes to sleep and smiles in her dreams
Released April 30, 1954, this was the first film released by 20th Century-Fox to feature the "CinemaScope extension" fanfare (trumpets) before the opening credits. After Fox switched to Panavision in 1967, they went back to their old fanfare, so the extension fanfare wasn't used again until it was revived by George Lucas to play before the opening credits to Star Wars. This time, those few extra bars played under the credit "A Lucasfilm Production." Since then it's been re-recorded a few times but remains to this day the intro to every film released by that studio.
The credits themselves do not begin until nearly 2 minutes into the movie.
River of No Return
Movie on a playlist
Internet Movie Database description
link
"The titular river unites a farmer recently released from prison,
his young son, and an ambitious saloon singer. In order to survive,
each must be purged of anger, and each must learn to understand
and care for the others.
added May 30
about the eerie music background
and from one video's comments:
Ernie Ford singing "River of No Return"
in comments:
Joss Ackland's Spunky Backpack
5 years ago (edited)
Always loved that sound effect on some old 50s recordings,
like here at the beginning and end.
Is it a harp put through a tape echo plus reverb?
Nearest thing I can think it is.
You hear it also in Winter Wonderland by Johnny mathis.
also:
someone noted that Mark went back into the cabin
and came out with a book... a Bible?
(and left the bag outside and then forgot it)
end of added text
The more I watch this film... the more clues I see in it.
It is a classic in every sense of the word. It is a perfect film.
link
"The Frank Church -River of No Return Wilderness Area" is a protected wilderness area in Idaho... created in 1980 by the U. S. Congress and renamed in 1984 as the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area in honor of U.S. Senator Frank Church. At 2.367 million acres (9,580 km2), it is the largest contiguous federally managed wilderness in the United States outside of Alaska.
The Salmon River itself... is now the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States.
"From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
Songs in the movie "River of No Return