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Rating: 5 out of 5
The Western is a film genre set in the American West. In most films, you have a small town or someone struggling, and they go on a journey to the new frontier. I think of great Western films like The Wild West, and who wouldn’t want to see gunslingers in a saloon and epic shootouts. For a little history lesson, The Great Train Robbery, a 1903 film, is considered the start of the genre. Westerns were pioneers of the silent era, and they continued to grow and became the go-to genre when sound was introduced. Westerns peaked from 1945 to 1955, where one in four films were Western films from studios. Stars like Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, and many others have produced iconic films in this genre and are known as the go-to stars. If you need some recommendations for some great Western films, then you should watch “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “Once Upon a Time in the West,” “Unforgiven,” “Shane,” “High Noon,” and many others.
One of the best Western films ever made must be Stagecoach from 1939. I am pleased to write a review of this classic film. Stagecoach is a film directed by John Ford and starring Claire Trebor and the legendary OG movie western star, John “The Duke” Wayne. The film is intense and full of drama as it follows a group of strangers riding on a stagecoach through the hostile Apache territory. Ford starts his epic western in June 1880. A group of strangers boards a stagecoach from Tonto, Arizona Territory, to Lordsburg, New Mexico. On the stagecoach are Dallas, a prostitute who must dip out of town by some Karens and bitches who call themselves the “Law and Order League”; an alcoholic named Doc Boone; Lucy Mallory, a pregnant woman who wants to travel and meet up with her cavalry officer husband and the man with the good stuff and whiskey salesman Samuel Peacock.
The group meets Buck, the stage driver, who goes around town looking for his shotgun guard, but while he is looking, he runs into Marshal Curley Wilcox, who tells him that his guard is out looking for the ruthless Ringo Kid. Ringo had enough of prison and escaped after hearing his pops and brother were murdered by Luke Plummer and will stop at nothing until a bullet is in Luke. Buck tells Marshal that Ringo is headed towards Lordsburg, and he will be safe as the shotgun man.
Ford continues his film as the stagecoach sets out. During the trip, they run into U.S. Cavalry Lieutenant Blanchard, who announces that the legendary but bloodthirsty Geronimo and his Apache are on the warpath. Blanchard and his calvary provide an escort to Dry Fork, and along the way, they pick up Hatfield, a Southern gentleman and gambler who offers to protect Mrs. Mallory and joins the party. The group makes it no more than ten paces when another person flags down the party. This time, it is Henry Gatewood, a banker on the run for embezzling money. I told you there were some characters on board.
Things get real as the stagecoach is riding along, and boom, they run into the one and only Ringo Kid, who is stranded as his horse goes lame. Ringo and Curley are friends, but Curly arrests Ringo and throws him into the crowded coach. When the group reaches Dry Fork (what a freakin western name), they find out the calvary has dipped and rode on to Apache Wells. Buck wants to go back, but the group outvotes him and continues. Drama ensues when Ringo invites Dallas to have lunch at the main table. Things become even more awkward when Hatfield states that he served under Mrs. Mallory’s father in the Confederate Army.
During the next stop at Lee’s Ferry, the Apache destroyed the town and then attacked the stagecoach. This scene is intense as bullets are flying and people are getting shot. After a long chase, some of the party is injured while Hatfield turns into a snake as he saves his last bullet to shoot her in the head, only to be killed himself. When all hope is lost, the 6th U.S. Cavalry rolls up and rescues the day. Yayyyy!!
What is great about the setup and everything with this film is that Ford perfectly involves each character’s motivation and journey throughout the film. As the film progresses, we learn about the lives of the characters and how each one affects the other. You have a prostitute who is ostracized for her profession, but she finds love and happiness in the arms of an outlaw who doesn’t care about her past. That is love right there. This was looked down upon back then, but it is a standard in most Western films, with a girl working in a brothel becoming a housewife. Everyone deserves love. What I also love is that Ford puts in characters that are running from their troubles. Dude put in a banker who was stealing money along with a whiskey salesman. The only thing he was missing was a priest who spread the word of God and then takes it upon himself to shoot a person to save himself.
The ending of this film was damn near perfect. Dallas and Ringo meet up, but Ringo states he has something to do: kill all the Plummers. As the pair walk through town, he notices the brothel she will work at, but Ringo walks into a saloon and sees Luke and his two brothers. They decided to go out and have a 3-v-1 shootout. Ringo somehow survives that shit and asks Curly to take him away. The ending is sweet, with Ringo and Dallas riding off to their ranch.
There are so many great performances in this film that it is hard to point out any single one because each person made this western great. First, John Wayne was in the film. I thought this was one of his first films, but it was actually the film that put him on the map. He had starred in some mediocre movies, but this was his major breakout role. Thomas Mitchell as Doc Boone won the Academy Award for his portrayal. When you look and play an alcoholic, that was your way to the award back then.
Stagecoach is an ICONIC Western film that is considered one of the greatest of all time. It is regarded as the genre’s gold standard, and many consider it the most influential Western film. The film was John Wayne’s jumping-off point and brought him to A-Star status. Credit needs to be given to Ford for his direction. Watch this film while watching other great Western films.
