Stagecoach

Stagecoach_720p(480P)

source: Stagecoach

Stagecoach

Good remake of the John Wayne film. While this is not the best western I've ever seen, it did have some of the most exciting scenes around. I really enjoyed the comic relief of Bing Crosby as the boozed out doctor, Red Buttons as the misunderstood drummer, and Bob Cummings playing the frantic embezzler. Good performances by the entire cast kept the show going right along, and the 2 big shoot-outs near the end were dandies. I really liked the part when Alex Cord came crashing through the window of the saloon and a large piece of plastic remained quivering in the frame.

I kind of liked this movie better than the original. First, it was in color; I realize some films are better in black and white, but I'm not a purist and most films benefit with the addition of color. Second, I thought Bing Crosby did a great job as the drunken doctor, better than the original actor. Third, I felt the roles were played with more believability -- for instance Lucy Mallory actually seems to be pregnant. And last, I like the song at the end. Maybe it was only worth a "7" rating, but I gave it an "8" because it was panned so bad by others.

stagecoach 1966 is a well made film. it only comes up short when compared to the original. Granted Alex Cord is no John Wayne, then again who is. If you look at the other actors and actresses their parts are a little more fleshed out. We learn a little more about the characters throughout the film as compared to 1939. This is another 20th Century Fox Film from my youth that deserves to be at least on VHS if not on DVD, just like the recently released to DVD, What A Way To Go. It amazes me that the film studios will pop out so many dvds that are dreck and ignore classic movies, there are other movies that deserve to be on DVD, such as Major Dundee, Fort Apache, Ride The High Country and others.

Similar cast of characters as its 1939 namesake. But only Bing Crosby as Doc Boone really shines among the passengers on this stagecoach journey. Van Heflin as the sheriff tried, but was disappointing. Silm Pickens as the stage driver always fits neatly into any western like a well fitting glove. Alec Cord as Ringo was rather wooden in his performance. Ann-Margaret seemed uncomfortable in her role. But to me she has always been a heart-throb. She fits all her other film roles like a smooth silky glove! Just watching her is akin to an art connoisseur staring with total appreciation at any of the world's most beautiful paintings! But this movie does have something that Ford's 1939 production lacks. And that is crisp outdoor color photography. And let's add to that, Norman Rockwell's excellent portraits of the main characters, which would have been better served with the opening credits instead of at the end. To me, Norman rockwell's paintings are always enjoyable to look at, anytime.

I remember seeing this in the old Coliseum Theater in Seattle when it came out in 1966. I was 10. I've never gotten over the vibrant colors and the actors that were in it. I've always loved Ann-Margaret. She played the role of Dallas so well. It had some much more than the 1939 Wayne/Ford versions which I don't know why it's a classic. Even seeing it as an adult and liking Golden Age of Hollywood movies, that wasn't one of 'em. The next best version after 1966's, is 1986 with Willie Nelson (yahoo) and his cohorts, Cash, Kristofferson and Jennings. Good fun!

You see Bing, Red, Ann, and so forth, and you might skip this, but if you ignore the "fading star" thing and just enjoy it as a little play put on by some true pros, you'll enjoy this. It has one of the best chase scenes ever, with Indians and Helicopter shots of the racing horses and stage, it has a great performance by Bob Cummings and Kennan Wynn, and I actually felt the hair coming up on the back of my neck during the storm on the cliff, even though I knew it was just a process shot against a painting. It's not Shakespeare, but hey, it's a fun 1960's good ole American film just as TV production values and over lit sound stages were taking over film making and as the last reviewer said, just before the Anti Hero revolution.

Despite Technicolor, some famous performers, and a modern score, this remake is a pale imitation of the original. The 1939 film starred accomplished actors and featured a moving score based on traditional melodies including 'Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie.' My advice: skip this noodle and look for a streaming version of the original Stagecoach, with John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell, and Donald Meek.