Stagecoach (1939)
Stagecoach (1939)
1939. One of the best years EVER in cinema’s history. There are instant classics such as Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights, and now you can add one more: John Ford’s Stagecoach. This movie is considered the father of modern Westerns. Yes, there have been many Westerns (including some directed by Ford) prior, but they were all seen as B-films. Nothing that would make its mark on cinema. Not until Ford pressured studios to turn the genre from B-films to A-films. This movie is considered to be one of Ford’s greatest films and he made plenty of them. As for my own personal opinion, I loved this film. I can see why it influenced many other Westerns in years to come. It really is a film ahead of its time, especially with that heart-wrenching action sequence.
The film is the beginning of a long partnership between John Ford and star John Wayne. Ford has made many silent films to put himself on the map. John Wayne has been in nearly 40 Westerns up to this point, from extra to lead. He still wasn’t well known to the general public and that is one of the biggest reasons why Ford had trouble getting this picture made. Even after securing financing, he had to combat internal battles regarding the actor. Claire Trevor, a big name at the time, had to be given top billing. Ford complied. For fans of film and Westerns, this culminated in the rise of John Wayne, the everyman that people loved.
If seen for the very first time today, you would ask yourself, “How can this film be considered original?” It’s about a group of nine very different individuals gathered to face extraordinary circumstances. Well, it was this film that influenced countless other films. Ford and screenwriter Dudley Nichols got the idea for this film from a Ernest Haycox short story which you can actually read if you purchased the Criterion version of the film.
It’s after the Civil War in Arizona. There is a caravan that goes from Tonto to Lordsburg. As the stagecoach is about to ship out of Tonto, they learn that Geronimo and his Apaches are on a warpath, so they travel at their own risk. The passengers include: Buck, the squeaky-voiced driver (Andy Devine), Lucy Mallory (Louise Platt) who is going to see her husband and holds a secret, gambler Hatfield (John Carradine) whose intentions are not entirely clear, a drunkard doctor, Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell), Dallas (Claire Trevor) who pleases other men and got kicked out of Tonto, and the Marshal Curley Wilcox (George Bancroft) who provides security when he learns that Ringo the Kid (John Wayne) is on the loose, amongst other travelers. Ringo actually meets up with the stagecoach on its journey and could be a helping hand on the journey to come.
There are noticeable names within the cast, but I liked how Ford gave each actor their own chance to shine. I think each major character received an equal share of screentime. The characters are all stereotypic (different personalities), but Ford made the characters humanistic and three-dimensional. The actors were all were fantastic too. Thomas Mitchell rightfully won the Academy Award for his performance as the drunk Doc Boone. His character was funny and quite a joy to listen to. John Carradine, with the skinniest face ever, delivers a really interesting performance as Hatfield. Is his mysterious character villainous or not? Then, there is John Wayne! This is the film that turned Wayne into a star. At 32, his youthful appearance is about gone, and he is more rugged. But the tenderness and the gracefulness is within his character. Westerns have a way about treating women as an escape method for the male characters, but Wayne is able to do away with that trope.
I loved the location shooting for the picture. Films have not been shot in Monument Valley before simply due to not being near any civilization. Monument Valley became Ford’s favorite location shooting and it does work wonders in terms of cinematography. The pillars certainly gave the film an intimidating feel.
There is one instance of negativity: Ford’s treatment of the Apache Indians. Contemporary viewers claim this is racist, while it’s really just how the Native Americans were portrayed back in the 1930’s. The Apaches are the villains and film does not bother to explain their reasonings behind the warpath. I found that a tad disappointing, but I understand the time period. The extended action sequence involving the Natives is excellent. It’s well-choreographed and of course, no CGI. Which impresses me considering how well-made this sequence is.
Stagecoach is a fantastic film that brought together the collaboration of John Ford and John Wayne. It also began the years when John Ford cranked out great movie after great movie earning many accolades in the process. It turned the Western genre into something the mass audience could watch. The characters are fleshed out and the actors breathe life into them. I loved this film and I agree with the statement that it is one of the best Westerns ever made.
My Grade: A
1939. One of the best years EVER in cinema’s history. There are instant classics such as Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights, and now you can add one more: John Ford’s Stagecoach. This movie is considered the father of modern Westerns. Yes, there have been many Westerns (including some directed by Ford) prior, but they were all seen as B-films. Nothing that would make its mark on cinema. Not until Ford pressured studios to turn the genre from B-films to A-films. This movie is considered to be one of Ford’s greatest films and he made plenty of them. As for my own personal opinion, I loved this film. I can see why it influenced many other Westerns in years to come. It really is a film ahead of its time, especially with that heart-wrenching action sequence.
The film is the beginning of a long partnership between John Ford and star John Wayne. Ford has made many silent films to put himself on the map. John Wayne has been in nearly 40 Westerns up to this point, from extra to lead. He still wasn’t well known to the general public and that is one of the biggest reasons why Ford had trouble getting this picture made. Even after securing financing, he had to combat internal battles regarding the actor. Claire Trevor, a big name at the time, had to be given top billing. Ford complied. For fans of film and Westerns, this culminated in the rise of John Wayne, the everyman that people loved.
If seen for the very first time today, you would ask yourself, “How can this film be considered original?” It’s about a group of nine very different individuals gathered to face extraordinary circumstances. Well, it was this film that influenced countless other films. Ford and screenwriter Dudley Nichols got the idea for this film from a Ernest Haycox short story which you can actually read if you purchased the Criterion version of the film.
It’s after the Civil War in Arizona. There is a caravan that goes from Tonto to Lordsburg. As the stagecoach is about to ship out of Tonto, they learn that Geronimo and his Apaches are on a warpath, so they travel at their own risk. The passengers include: Buck, the squeaky-voiced driver (Andy Devine), Lucy Mallory (Louise Platt) who is going to see her husband and holds a secret, gambler Hatfield (John Carradine) whose intentions are not entirely clear, a drunkard doctor, Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell), Dallas (Claire Trevor) who pleases other men and got kicked out of Tonto, and the Marshal Curley Wilcox (George Bancroft) who provides security when he learns that Ringo the Kid (John Wayne) is on the loose, amongst other travelers. Ringo actually meets up with the stagecoach on its journey and could be a helping hand on the journey to come.
There are noticeable names within the cast, but I liked how Ford gave each actor their own chance to shine. I think each major character received an equal share of screentime. The characters are all stereotypic (different personalities), but Ford made the characters humanistic and three-dimensional. The actors were all were fantastic too. Thomas Mitchell rightfully won the Academy Award for his performance as the drunk Doc Boone. His character was funny and quite a joy to listen to. John Carradine, with the skinniest face ever, delivers a really interesting performance as Hatfield. Is his mysterious character villainous or not? Then, there is John Wayne! This is the film that turned Wayne into a star. At 32, his youthful appearance is about gone, and he is more rugged. But the tenderness and the gracefulness is within his character. Westerns have a way about treating women as an escape method for the male characters, but Wayne is able to do away with that trope.
I loved the location shooting for the picture. Films have not been shot in Monument Valley before simply due to not being near any civilization. Monument Valley became Ford’s favorite location shooting and it does work wonders in terms of cinematography. The pillars certainly gave the film an intimidating feel.
There is one instance of negativity: Ford’s treatment of the Apache Indians. Contemporary viewers claim this is racist, while it’s really just how the Native Americans were portrayed back in the 1930’s. The Apaches are the villains and film does not bother to explain their reasonings behind the warpath. I found that a tad disappointing, but I understand the time period. The extended action sequence involving the Natives is excellent. It’s well-choreographed and of course, no CGI. Which impresses me considering how well-made this sequence is.
Stagecoach is a fantastic film that brought together the collaboration of John Ford and John Wayne. It also began the years when John Ford cranked out great movie after great movie earning many accolades in the process. It turned the Western genre into something the mass audience could watch. The characters are fleshed out and the actors breathe life into them. I loved this film and I agree with the statement that it is one of the best Westerns ever made.
My Grade: A
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