TV and Radio Reviews : New ‘River’ Flows Down Some Familiar Channels

To what will be no one’s surprise, the new TV movie based on the classic “Red River” (Sunday at 9 p.m. on CBS) doesn’t match up to the original 1948 film, but that aside, it’s very well made and acted.

James Arness takes John Wayne’s part as trail boss Tom Dunson, and Bruce Boxleitner plays protege Matthew Garth (Montgomery Clift’s first film role), while Ray Walston tries to fill Walter Brennan’s shoes as cantankerous cook Groot.

There’s some extraneous material--mainly a new subplot about a black cowboy’s attempt to fit in with the others--but for the most part, TV’s “River” flows down channels familiar to the movie’s fans. It even duplicates many camera setups and editing touches, right down to the famous scene that quickly cuts from one wrangler to another as they yelp with joy (and to get the cattle going) at the beginning of the drive.

The new version is efficiently adapted by Richard Fielder and directed by Richard Michaels, though there are lapses--notably an unintentionally funny scene where Cherry Valance (Gregory Harrison) exchanges cute talk and looks with Kate (Laura Johnson) . . . while they’re encircled by arrow-shooting Indians!

“Red River” was not only a great film but also a great Borden Chase story: Trail bosses are supposed to be tough but Tom Dunson is more than that--he’s embittered by personal tragedy (a loss of a loved one that the TV version’s too-abrupt start poorly conveys). When he becomes too cruel for others--including young Garth--a stirring clash of wills ensues.

So does a pretty decent way to spend a couple of hours, though there’s a better one--renting the original (it’s on Key Video).