Friday the 6th of April 2012
Outlaw Wayne joins prostitute Trevor and others on a perilous stagecoach trip through Indian country. Prior to this, westerns were largely regulated to the Poverty Row studios who churned out formula pictures with cardboard characters indistinguishable from one picture to the next. Ford changed the game by showcasing a cast of characters painted in shades of grey, all while still delivering the thrills the genre was known for, including a pulse-racing Indian attack that stands as the best of its kind.
Stagecoach also marked the debut of the “John Wayne” persona that the Duke would refine over the next 40 years. Though the film didn’t make Wayne a mega-star, it did give him a sizable career boost, and while would still be taking second and third billings for years to come, his days of Poverty Row productions were behind him.
seen via TCM HD