Stagecoach (1939)

Best movie ever!

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

John Ford made many a masterpiece, particularly in the western genre. Stagecoach was the first of many. The film is full of great, well rounded characters who all have their own personal journeys. The cinematography is breathtaking for its time and the action is suspenseful and exciting. The story is full of great moments and I only wish it was longer so we could learn more about the characters. I've seen this story redone several times, most notably in "The Hateful Eight". That's a good film, and adds a nice mystery element, but it pales in comparison to "Stagecoach" Granted, the depictions of native Americans in the film leave something to be desired, and some of the less important characters lack character development (even though all the characters have their fair share of it). This does not deter the movie though. The acting is excellent. John Wayne, John Carradine, Claire Trevor and Thomas Mitchell are deserving of much praise. This movie is a top notch western still after all these years and is up there with the best of the genre. It also lives up to Ford's other masterpieces like "The Searchers" and "The Grapes of Wrath" 1939 is called by many historians and critics as the greatest year for film. This film is a great starter for people who want to watch westerns and get into classic movies. A timeless, must see classic.

Relegated to B-movie status, the Western was Hollywood's stepchild and was never thought of as a serious movie. Stagecoach changed all of that and movie history was made. Moral ambiguity abounds as a cast of disparate characters are put together in claustrophobic environments and forced to deal with each other in the ultimate road trip movie (still used today: Rain Man, Little Miss Sunshine). Orson Welles watched Stagecoach over 40 times while filming Citizen Kane and incorporated scenes with ceilings (a practice rarely used). Akira Kurosawa was inspired so much by this movie he went on to make The Seven Samarai. Stop and think about this for a minute, Stagecoach was responsible for two of the greatest movies ever made!! Combine this with being John Ford's first talking film, his first time filming in Monument Valley and John Wayne's star- making role makes this not only an influential Western genre film but also one of the most influential films of all time.

They Just Don't Make Westerns (Or Any Genre) Like This Anymore ... Critics Claim This Is The Movie That Made John Wayne A Star And It's Easy To See Why ... This Reminds Me Of The Movie "12 Angry Men" As These Travelers Make Their Way Across Apache Territory After Geronimo Has Declared War ... The Things They Learn About Who They Really Are Is The Corner Stone Of An Excellent Character Study ... John Ford's Brilliant Direction Moves Seamlessly Between Action And Calm Without Ever Losing Pace ... Even In Black And White The Scenery Is Marvelous ... Truly A Movie That Should Be Seen By Any Fan Of The Golden Era Of Movies ...

John Ford created a Western that has every element you can have. It has a bank robber, a pregnant lady, a man falsely accused, some bad guys that accused him, a prostitute with a heart of gold, gunfire, Indians, the cavalry coming in at the last minute, John Wayne who, of course, never did anything wrong. These people are all travelling on a stagecoach so it becomes ensemble acting as they try to keep alive and get where they're going. Ford was a master director with a great eye for the camera. In addition to some really good plot elements and characterization, we see camera angles, close-ups, a wide shots that give the uninitiated an excellent interpretation of the Old West. This is worth seeing if only because it is a benchmark film, not merely a Western.