Set in 1884, Indian chief Geronimo is on the rampage and terrorizing the sparsely populated region. A stagecoach is determined to cross Geronimo country. The passengers have various motives to make the hazardous journey to Lourdsville. The Ringo Kid (John Wayne), a young and likeable outlaw, seeks revenge on murderer Luke Plummer (Tom Tyler). Lucy (Louise Platt), a beautiful but humorless young woman, wants to rejoin her army officer husband, despite a late-term pregnancy. Notorious gambler Hatfield (John Carradine) accompanies her, as an act of chivalry. Ill-tempered banker Gatewood (Berton Churchill) is attempting to abscond with a large sum of stolen money. Wimpy whiskey salesman Peacock (Donald Meek) wants to return to his family in Kansas City, Kansas.
Two passengers are there because they have been run out of town. They are prostitute Dallas (Claire Trevor), a woman of heroic potential but low self-esteem, and Boone (Thomas Mitchell), an alcoholic doctor with delusions of grandeur. Both soon find reasons to remain on the stagecoach, however. Dallas begins an unlikely romance with the surprisingly gentlemanly Ringo Kid, who is unaware of her past. And once Boone learns Peacock's occupation, he clings to his side to relieve him of "free samples."
How others will see it. Many regard Stagecoach as the greatest western ever made. However, it is less popular among the many Ford-Wayne collaborations than The Searchers, perhaps because the latter movie is in color, and also because Wayne has a larger role.
The imdb.com user ratings are high, but there is a large gender spread, especially among viewers over 45 (7.9/10 for men versus 5.5/10 for women). Women may be suspicious of Lucy's delivery, since she is not showing to any visible degree. They may also feel Lucy's personality is as bland as rice cakes for dinner, and may wonder why the Ringo Kid proposes to Dallas. Surely it's not really because of the way she holds a baby.
1939 was an uncommonly good year in Hollywood, and its crop of outstanding films included Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. Despite heavy competition, Stagecoach was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and won two Oscars, for its score and Thomas Mitchell's half drunk, half sober supporting performance.
How I felt about it. We like it. The characters are colorful, the dialogue is to the point, the action is riveting, and we wonder exactly how John Wayne is going to shoot three gunmen and win first-billed Claire Trevor. We know its bogus that Geronimo would waste half his braves attempting to take out the stagecoach, but we enjoy seeing him try.
The acting is magnificent. Our favorite is Andy Devine, the only man who can talk off-key. Donald Meek is perfectly cast as the milquetoast salesman. It's nice how all the characters come around to appreciating Claire Trevor. Spending several days in close quarters might just change your opinion from what society wants you to believe.
Still, Doc Boone seems less heroic to us than he pretends to be. He delivers a baby, which probably involved cutting an umbilical cord and slapping a behind. For the remainder of the movie, he then acts as if he has just accomplished successful brain surgery. We are to be amused by his previous behavior as a man cadging drinks and grinning like a loony. We also wish that Gatewood had been just a bit less unpleasant. He's too obvious a villain.