* AdaptationDisplacement: The film is much more well known than the story that inspired it.
* AntiClimaxBoss: Tom Dunson turns out to be this when the fight suddenly interrupted be Tess, being the pacifist she is.
* AwardSnub:
** It received two UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Screenplay and Editing and didn't win either.
** It wasn't nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Cinematography or Score. Creator/MontgomeryClift was nominated, albeit for ''Film/TheSearch''.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Music/DmitriTiomkin at his most EPIC! This score is so awesome, he even recycled part of it (sort of) for a scene in ''Film/RioBravo''.
* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: One of Creator/JohnWayne's best performances. After seeing Wayne's performance, Creator/JohnFord is quoted as saying, "I never knew the big son of a bitch could act".
* HilariousInHindsight: Walter Brennan's character is named [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014 "Groot"]].
* HoYay: Matt and Cherry. Particularly the scene where they compare guns. It helps that Creator/MontgomeryClift and Creator/JohnIreland apparently had an affair during filming.
* MemeticMutation: The final showdown between Matt and Dunson. [[NeverLiveItDown For more reason than one.]]
* MoralEventHorizon: When Dunson wants to hang two cowhands as "deserters".
* NeverLiveItDown: The anti-climatic final showdown which unrealistically gets broken up by Tess abruptly after two hours of animosity.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/ShelleyWinters has a bit-part as a dance hall girl.
----