The diligence

Stagecoach (original title in English: Stagecoach) is a 1939 American film of the genre western directed by John Ford and starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne in their first major roles. Based on the short story "The Stage to Lordsburg" by Ernest Haycox, the film follows a group of strangers who ride a stagecoach through dangerous Apache territory.

As Ford's first sound western after a thirteen-year absence, the film is widely regarded as Ford's first adult western, helping to resurrect the genre. He won two Oscars: for best supporting actor (Thomas Mitchell) and for best music; and had five other nominations: for best film, for best director, for best art direction, for best photography and for best editing. It is part of the AFI's 10 Top 10 in the "Western& category #34;.

In 1995, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. all time by GQ.

Plot

In an Arizona town in the 1880s, the League for Manners and Decency decides to expel Dallas, a prostitute, and Josiah Boone, a drunken doctor, from town. These are forced to board the stagecoach that is going to leave the city bound for Lordsburg, New Mexico.

The stagecoach is joined by Mrs. Lucy Mallory, wife of a cavalry captain, who is pregnant and going to join her husband; Ellsworth Gatewood, a banker who was supposed to close a deal but in fact has stolen money from his bank, and Hatfield, a former Confederate soldier who was now an advantage player and gunslinger, a former friend of the Mallory family, and that he decided to put himself at the service of Mrs. Mallory; and finally Samuel Peacock, an alcohol dealer, who soon has Dr. Boone among his best friends.

Two pieces of news arrive before the telegraph was cut off by the Indians. One is that Geronimo and his Chiricau Apaches were in the region. The second is that the recluse gunman Ringo Kid had escaped and was in the region. There was a handsome reward for his capture. To capture the fugitive and in order to get the reward, the town sheriff, Curly Wilcox, joins the stagecoach as a lookout, despite the fact that he has been friends with Ringo and his family since he was a child.

Further along the way, the stagecoach meets the Ringo Kid. Ignoring that the bailiff is on the stage with the intention of capturing him, Ringo stops the stage to go to Lordsburg, as the Plummers brothers live there, responsible for the death of his father and his brother. However, the presence of the sheriff and the soldiers causes Ringo to surrender his weapons.

The journey continues, the unescorted stagecoach goes from post to post, while the tension between the characters grows, soon love is born between Dallas and Ringo, unaware of her condition, while Dr. Boone, each time More drunk, drink the samples from the alcoholic beverage representative.

In the last post, Mrs. Mallory goes into labor, but thanks to the care of Dallas and Dr. Boone, (previously alert with salty coffee) she manages to give birth without mishaps. When it seems that everything is going to develop normally and the diligence approaches Lordsburg, an Indian appears on top of a mountain. An impressive battle ensues between the Indians and the passengers of the stage, Ringo is freed from his handcuffs and with his Winchester he climbs to the top of the stage and spends his bullets killing Indians. Not far behind are Dr. Boone and Hatfield. However, the bullets run out and the crew of the stagecoach are lost. Hatfield with her last bullet is going to kill Mrs. Mallory so that the Indians will not capture her alive, when he is hit by an Indian bullet and cannot fulfill her purpose. Just then a trumpet sounds in the distance: the saving cavalry arrives and the Indians flee.

The stage is escorted to Lordsburg. Upon arrival, the authorities are waiting for the diligence. But when the bailiff is about to hand over Ringo, the one they are interested in is the banker Gatewood, whose bank has alerted him to the embezzlement committed by him.

While the authorities are busy with the banker, Ringo asks the bailiff, on parole to return, a moment to be with Dallas and a carbine to carry out his mission. The sheriff agrees thinking the gun is empty of bullets, but Ringo has kept three in his hat, one for each Plummer brother.

After opening up to Dallas and instructing the sheriff to take her to his ranch when he pulls him over again, Ringo heads to Main Street to confront the terrifying Plummer brothers. The expected duel is an instant and with an indecisive result: we see Ringo throw himself to the ground and shoot at his opponents. In the next scene we see the oldest of the Plummers walk into a bar and drop dead.

Ringo returns to keep his word with the sheriff, but he makes him get into a wagon with Dallas and go to his ranch with her, knowing that he is innocent of the crime for which he had been accused and considers it just. that he killed the Plummers.

Cast

Bert Glennon (camarograph, left) and John Ford on the shooting The diligence.

• Claire Trevor: Dallas.
• John Wayne: Henry "Ringo Kid."
• Thomas Mitchell: Doc Boone.
• Andy Devine: Buck.
• John Carradine: Hatfield.
• George Bancroft: Sheriff Curly Wilcox.
• Louise Platt: Lucy Mallory.
• Donald Meek: Samuel Peacock.
• Berton Churchill: Henry Gatewood.
• Tim Holt: Lieutenant Blanchard.

Production

At first they wanted Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich as the lead actors, but John Ford refused and cast John Wayne and Claire Trevor instead. He also hired three hundred Indians from the nearby Navajo reservation to act as Apaches. Only Many Mules, who played Geronimo, was truly Apache.

The filming of the film was done in Monument Valley, since it did not have a paved road, which made it an ideal location for filming. It began on October 31, 1938 and lasted 47 days. It was not done in color to save money. It should also be noted that the scene where Wayne appears for the first time was filmed last and that Ford did so because, after the punishment he gave him throughout filming, Wayne already had the suffering face that Ringo's character required.

Reception

The cinematographic work was a box office success and thus helped to restore the prestige of the western genre. It also launched John Wayne to fame and also became the first of many collaborations between John Ford and John Wayne.

Awards and nominations

National Board of Review