Review of Stagecoach (1939) by Mike H — 05 Dec 2010
John Fordâ(TM)s Stagecoach is often held up as one of the all-time great westerns, and itâ(TM)s difficult to disagree. With Geronimo on the warpath, a group of travellers on a stagecoach must complete their journey and meet up with the army before they are attacked.
This group of disparate characters (the pregnant wife of a soldier, a prostitute, an alcoholic doctor, a gambler and an outlaw freshly escaped from prison) are driven out of town by snooty WASPs, despite the threat to their lives.
The sense of foreboding is there throughout the film, while the final chase is exciting and holds up very well. Modern audiences may not get to grips with some of the 1930s characterisation, but those with open minds will enjoy Stagecoach both as a historically important film and a cracking piece of entertainment that helped define the genre.
Itâ(TM)s also a treat to see John Wayne at the beginning of his career, before the persona was fully established.
This review of Stagecoach (1939) was written by Mike H on 05 Dec 2010.
Stagecoach has generally received very positive reviews.
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