Stagecoach

Starring: Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell, Louis Platt, George Bancroft, Donald Meek, Berton Churchill, Tim Holt, Tom Tyler
Directed by: John Ford
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Adventure, Western
1939

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A group of people traveling on a stagecoach try to avoid Geronimo's rampage.

Review:

Tim: I'll try and explain how much I love Stagecoach. I've seen a lot of Westerns in my day, but this is one of my all time favorite. It ranks right up there with Rio Bravo. It's an exceptionally entertaining, well-made movie. I loved the characters, the action sequences, the drama. This is one of the best Westerns of all time and another reason why 1939 was one of the greatest years in film history.

This was the film that really launched John Wayne to stardom, and for good reason- he's quite strong in the role. From what I read, director John Ford deserves some credit for eliciting such a great performance form him (although he resorted to some pretty harsh treatment to do so). But one of the things I love about this film is that Wayne feels like part of an ensemble. I truly believe Wayne was at his best when he was surrounded by a strong cast. The films where everything rests on him feel less effective to me. I just love him in an ensemble, though- which is what we get here.

The film is brilliant because it takes a single stagecoach and populates it with a number of unique, different personalities. Over the course of the film, we get to know these different people and we grow to care about them. When they're in danger, we feel nervous. This is a movie that puts its characters front and center and benefits greatly as a result. Now, I already mentioned how good Wayne is in the role. And yet, he's not the best actor in the cast. That honor goes to the great Thomas Mitchell. I have to say- the more I see of Mitchell, the more I absolutely love this guy. He had a unique look and is undoubtedly one of the greatest character actors of all time. He has this presence that is magnetic. I wanted to watch every second of his screen time because his performance is so fantastic. He plays an alcoholic doctor and just nails everything required of him. He spends much of the movie drunk and he's so believable, so funny during those scenes. At a certain point, he needs to sober up and the transformation is remarkable. Mitchell was called upon to show some real range in this film and he lives up to that challenge. I was overjoyed that Mitchell won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor here- it's one of the great Western performances I've seen and he deserved all the accolades for his portrayal.

Wayne and Mitchell are great, but it doesn't stop there. Claire Trevor was so effective in her role. She starts out on the margins of the group, but her story and her performance fundamentally change how we feel about her. We grow to care about her through the emotional performance she gives and the movie is better for it. Andy Devine was incredible in his supporting role. His comedic timing was impeccable and his voice and demeanor were exceptionally entertaining. He brought great levity to the film and I loved every line he uttered. John Carradine is a solid actor and adds a lot to what could have been a forgettable role. Donald Meek made me laugh numerous times. George Bancroft could have been overlooked in the cast, but he was so enjoyable to watch as well. Louise Platt adds a solid performance as well. The cast is fantastic, but I have to give Ford so much credit for expertly balancing the time devoted to each actor. It felt like everyone was given sufficient screen time and no one was shortchanged. It was quite impressive how he achieved that.

As much as I loved the characters here, this movie isn't just about the people. It featured some of the greatest action sequences I've seen in Western movies. The scene where the guy gets dragged underneath the horses was a stunning achievement. My jaw actually dropped as I watched that unfold. The whole stagecoach vs. Indian chase scene near the end was one of the finest examples of Western action I can recall. Everything was staged perfectly- it felt so believable, intense, and exciting. I was quite frankly stunned how a single film could establish such remarkable, memorable characters, while also delivering such intense action sequences. It's not a fluke that this film was nominated for Best Picture.

I also have to acknowledge the film's score. The music was excellent and added significantly to the film. It was true Americana and felt so appropriate for the story. How Ford used the score to highlight the drama, excitement, and scope of the film was incredible. I was happy the film won the Academy Award for Best Musical Score.

I could go on, but John Ford's Stagecoach is an excellent movie and one of the best Westerns ever made. In a genre that comes with self-imposed limitations, this is an example of how great filmmakers can highlight certain aspects of the genre while giving it its own voice and feel. This is a truly great movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Rio Bravo, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Quiet Man, The Searchers