Just Watched... (Another Western!)

 Stagecoach

Starring: John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell

Rating: None, it's 1939 after all


Score: 3/4


A fun western in the true vein of westerns; we have: a rugged outlaw, bandanna and all, a beautiful woman who finds it hard to open up about her feelings, a wisecracking drunk, and the constant threat of an Indian attack. It's 1880 and a group of diverse passengers board a stagecoach bound to Lordsburg, NM from Tonto, Arizona.
Dallas is the main girl; she is a prostitute being driven out of town. She has had a hard life and is now hoping to start over.
Doc Boone is the drunk, he can perform medical offices rather well but has a terrible propensity for whiskey.
Lucy Mallory is a lady, she is pregnant and traveling to meet her husband, a cavalry officer.
Samuel Peacock is a salesman, a whiskey salesman to be exact.
Buck is the dopey driver.
Curly Wilcox is a Marshal, he is searching for fugitive Ringo Kid.
Ringo Kid is the main man; a fugitive, he is looking for revenge for the murders of his father and brother. Both of them were killed by Luke Plummer.


Before the stagecoach departs the passengers are warned that Geronimo and his Apache warriors are on the warpath. Because of this, Southern gentleman Hatfield joins the party in order to protect the gentle lady, Mrs. Mallory. Henry Gatewood, that pompous old man, decides to join the party as well. No one is polite to Dallas; something about her tips them all off to the fact that she is not a decent lady. But she tries, she offers assistance and advice but no one heeds her. Along the way, the group picks up the sought after Ringo Kid. His horse is lame and he needs a ride so that he can get to Lordsburg and fight the Plummers.


Of course the group have their trials and tribulations, Mrs. Mallory even goes into labor. Throughout it all we see Dallas and Ringo's burgeoning relationship. She begs him to give up his idea of revenge. The group's biggest challenge is the ever present threat of an Indian attack, how will certain passengers step up? How will others fail in their duty to protect? Who will die?


It was a fun watch, there was of course much less actual violence than a modern western (like True Grit) but it was thrilling none the less. The only aspect I found unrealistic was the instant feelings between Dallas and Ringo; but of course they don't have that much time to get to know each other. I will say this, Ringo of course survives all and makes it to Lordsburg for his shootout with the Plummers.