I first saw Stagecoach the year it was released 1939, when I was nine years old. I saw it again the other afternoon as a rerun on tv. Despite that technically it is showing it's age, afterall it is 63 years old, and all of it's players are no longer with us, it is still one of the greatest westerns to ever grace a cinema screen. The indian attack, the cavalry to the rescue, the drunken doctor, the bar room floozie with a heart of gold, the gambler, and the hero doing "what a man's got to do" and escaping without a scratch . All the ingredients and more of a classic western but done superbly. Not a scene overplayed, not a (film) shot wasted.

This is the breakout film that helped to propel John Wayne from a B-movie star to first-rate status. Up until 1939, he'd been relegated to series B-movies like the Three Mesquiteers or other rather generic hour-long movies. In this case, he heads an ensemble cast of dynamic supporting actors in one of the best Westerns of the era.

Before I go any further, I should mention that I've seen this film several times but only this last time did I realize that this movie is actually a re-working of the old Chester Morris film, FIVE CAME BACK. In FIVE CAME BACK, the setting was a downed airliner in the jungle and in STAGECOACH the setting is a stage that is trying to avoid Apache Indians on the warpath in the old West. However, apart from this, the films are remarkably similar--with many of the same style characters--such as the "fallen woman" who in the end proves that she is "true blue", the embezzler, and all the rest of the characters are so similar that at times I mixed the movies up in my head.

Both are superb films, but I have got to give the nod to STAGECOACH as the better of the two films due mostly to some amazing stunt and camera-work. The scene where they are being attacked by Indians on horseback is incredible--without the use of cheesy rear projection and top-notch stunts. In addition, the location shooting throughout made it a much prettier film, as FIVE CAME BACK had more the appearance of a stage production with lots of decorative plants--it wasn't bad, really, just not quite as realistic.

Overall, I loved both films but insist you see STAGECOACH if you consider yourself to be a film lover. It is one of the top 5 or 10 Westerns made and is brimming with quality from start to the exciting finish.

UPDATE: I had a chance to actually see this on the big screen last weekend. I enjoyed it immensely. However, I also saw another great Ford film that same weekend ("How Green Was My Valley") and realized that "Stagecoach" actually was more impressive when it came to cinematography. Inventive camera angles, the use of light and dark and impressive framing of the scenes give me an even greater appreciation for "Stagecoach" and because of that I am raising its score to 10. For a relatively low-budget western, it is awfully impressive and is without flaws.

I admit I am not a huge western fan, but there have been some I have really liked. Stagecoach is no exception, in fact it is a brilliant film not just as a western but of any genre really. Everything about it is wonderful, and I can see why Orson Welles watched this apparently 40 times preparing for Citizen Kane. The cinematography is gorgeous, and as always the Monument Valley locations are magnificent. The music is very well done too, and the story while simple always grips. The script is clever and well written and all the characters are credible. On top of that the big chase sequence for me has to be one of the finest action set pieces for any film. The special thing about these characters are that by the end of the film they aren't as they are initially seen to be. John Ford's direction is superb, and the acting is excellent, not just from John Wayne who gives one of his better performances here but also from the likes of John Carradine. Thomas Mitchell though is the one that steals the show. Overall, a fine film and a benchmark in the western genre. 10/10 Bethany Cox