River of No Return is a pretty ordinary western adventure - heroes including manly man, womanly woman and kidly kid go down river and face dangers including rapids, pumas and nasty prospectors - I essentially watched for two things. One was the Alberta locations, the other was Marilyn Munroe, both gorgeous (though director Otto Preminger is better at shooting the former than he is the latter). I like Marilyn's early career before she was relegated to playing out of breath and someone bubble-headed vamps. Her showgirl has a hard edge and an easy way with a song. Unfortunately, her acting sometimes veers off into melodrama, and she's certainly not helped by Robert Mitchum's smug performance or the scene where he almost rapes her yet keeps on being a viable romantic partner, according to the movie. Heck, they chose that scene to put on the poster! Come on, 1954 Hollywood! At that point, I mentally disembarked the film's raft, though I let the rear-projection adventure run its clichéd course.

Surprisingly good, besides the predictable story. Amazing landscapes, besides the poor cinematography.
Marilyn Monroe at her peak of hotness, besides the regular acting.