Stagecoach

Stagecoach
1939 - United Artists/Walter Wanger Productions
Directed by John Ford



SYNOPSIS

A stagecoach full of troubled souls must travel through hostile Indian Territory with Geronimo on the warpath. Along the way, they pick up a wanted outlaw, the Ringo Kid (John Wayne) who is on the way to avenge the killings of his father and brother. One the way he falls for a female passenger with a secret (Claire Trevor.) Every one's plans for the future are put on hold... when the Apaches strike!



MY THOUGHTS

John Ford and John Wayne's first major team-up propelled them both into the stratosphere... while remaining in the old west.

The film succeeds on numerous levels.
The small stagecoach is crammed with interesting characters that bring color to the black and white film. Claire Trevor plays a prostitute, being kicked out of her town by a legion of decency. Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell) is also given the boot for his continual drunkenness (he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the role.) Boone takes a liking to a timid whiskey maker (Donald Meek) who carries samples with him. A notorious gambler (John Carradine) takes a liking to a woman (Louise Platt) on her way to meet her soldier husband. She becomes ill and we soon find out why when she gives birth to a baby daughter. A cantankerous banker (Berton Churchill) is also aboard, with loot stolen from his bank. To round out the group, the noisy Andy Devine drives the stagecoach, with the tough as-nails Marshall (George Bancroft) riding shotgun.
John Wayne offers little different from his screen persona. This film elevated him from B-movie western hero to a full-fledged star. He's not even given top-billing in the credits (Trevor is.)

All the characters contrast against each other well in a very credible way. All are from different walks of society and clash with each other at first... but through the course of the journey learn to understand, tolerate, and some even like each other.

The film's short run time (1:30) keeps the epic story moving at a fast pace and there's rarely a dull moment. When there's no physical action, the verbal conflicts between the characters propel the story thanks to the great script.
The climactic battle with the Apaches is the highlight of the film. The stunt work is amazing. The horses alone should have won an Oscar for all their amazing stunts. The stuntmen were also shockingly good.
The camerawork is equally breathtaking. There's only a few static shots. Most of the cameras were moving (likely on trucks) in and around the action. That gives a real feeling of 'being there' amongst the fight.
The camerawork also shines a bit earlier in the film when the stagecoach forges the river. The camera is actually set up on the top of the stagecoach looking over the shoulders of Devine and Bancroft, also adding to the 'being there' feel.

The film clearly shows John Ford's mastery of film and he was nominated for an Oscar, and the film for Best Picture, but both lost to Gone With The Wind. Ford did however win Best Director the next two years for The Grapes Of Wrath and How Green Was My Valley.
This film is not his masterpiece, but comes close.