Review of Stagecoach (1939) by Daryl R — 29 Mar 2010
Excellent Western if you're interested in Westerns. Its more than just Cowboys v Indians (even though their is a great battle scene near the end).
The film follows the story of a stagecoach and its passengers as they make a journey across the country to Arizona.
The passengers are a mixture of a drunk doctor, whisky salesman, crooked banker, hooker, outlaw, man of the law and a pregnant lady trying to get to her husband who is in the US army.
The interaction between the passengers is explored as they make the arduous journey whilst forever taking the risk of being confronted by Geronimo and Apache Indians.
The director John Ford makes use for the first time of the splendid Monument Valley, Utah as the backdrop.
Technically very dated. It was made in 1939 after all! However it was the film that raised the profile of Westerns and John Wayne. Oh how it could be remade now in glorious colour and stereo as part of a double bill or something.
Any film that has a whisky salesman called Peacock can't be all that bad!
The stagecoach does eventually clash with the Apache Indians and hence a fantastic five minute gun battle ensues with some splendid stuntwork for the time that ended up being copied by Seven Spielberg in Raiders Of The Lost Ark in 1981. Yet another example of Spielberg copying other fantastic films for over-hyped Indiana Jones films.
This review of Stagecoach (1939) was written by Daryl R on 29 Mar 2010.
Stagecoach has generally received very positive reviews.
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