“Rio Grande” (リオ・グランデ), Original Japanese Re-Release Movie Poster 1963, B2 Size (51 x 73cm) N214A

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical re-release poster printed in 1963 for Rio Grande (リオ・グランデ), John Ford’s classic American Western starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, with Ben Johnson, Claude Jarman Jr., Harry Carey Jr., and Victor McLaglen.

Film background
Originally released in 1950, Rio Grande is the third film in John Ford’s celebrated cavalry cycle, following Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Set on the American frontier, the film follows Lieutenant Colonel Kirby Yorke, played by John Wayne, as he confronts military duty, family conflict, and the pressures of command along the Rio Grande. The film is also notable for reuniting Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, whose screen chemistry would become one of the defining partnerships of classic Hollywood Westerns.

Poster design
A superb Japanese re-release design, dominated by a large, commanding portrait of John Wayne beneath the huge red Japanese title リオ・グランデの砦. Behind and around him, the poster layers dramatic Western imagery: cavalry riders charging across desert terrain, mounted troops moving through dust, and frontier action scenes that emphasise the film’s scale and military setting.

The right-side vertical copy promotes the film as a major work in the tradition of Western spectacle, while the lower section includes the English title RIO GRANDE, John Ford’s credit, and the Nippon Herald distributor marking. The design gives the film a grand, heroic Japanese campaign identity, with Wayne’s face used as the central selling image.

Rarity and significance
Original Japanese posters for John Ford Westerns are increasingly collectible, particularly re-release examples from the early 1960s. This poster is especially appealing for its powerful John Wayne portrait, large red Japanese typography, and dynamic cavalry montage. It is a strong piece for collectors of classic Hollywood, John Wayne, John Ford, Western cinema, and Japanese re-release poster design.

Condition
Very Good / Excellent for the type. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is over 63 years old!

Certificate of Authenticity included.