El Dorado is a wonderful film. It is elegiac, always entertaining, skillful and I think warm-hearted too. The film looks beautiful, the cinematography and scenery are both a delight to the ears. Nelson Riddle's score is pleasant too, while the film is brilliantly directed by Howard Hawks, the script is thoughtful and entertaining, the story never loses momentum and the pace while deliberately elegiac is spot on. There is also a superbly staged preface, which is one of the assets that gave El Dorado its heart. The acting from the leads is superb, John Wayne is a great charismatic presence here and Robert Mitchum gives one of his best performances, and they work very well together. All in all, a wonderful film and a textbook example of a fine movie of its genre. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Review of El Dorado
