Stagecoach

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Stagecoach

Released Mar 2, 1939

1h 36m

Western

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100%

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49 Reviews

86%

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10,000+ Ratings

John Ford's landmark Western revolves around an assorted group of colorful passengers aboard the Overland stagecoach bound for Lordsburg, New Mexico, in the 1880s. An alcoholic philosophizer (Thomas Mitchell), a lady of ill repute (Claire Trevor) and a timid liquor salesman (Donald Meek) are among the motley crew of travelers who must contend with an escaped outlaw, the Ringo Kid (John Wayne), and the ever-present threat of an Apache attack as they make their way across the Wild West.

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Critics Consensus

Typifying the best that the Western genre has to offer, Stagecoach is a rip-roaring adventure given dramatic heft by John Ford's dynamic direction and John Wayne's mesmerizing star turn.

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John C. Mosher

The New Yorker

For the sake of the view, you forgive all. In Stagecoach, the view is certainly something, and it hardly matters at all what goes on. The credit for the valuable things in this film unquestionably belongs to the cameramen.

Aug 15, 2022

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Variety Staff

Variety

Directorially, production is John Ford in peak form, sustaining interest and suspense throughout, and presenting exceptional characterizations. Picture is a display of photographic grandeur.

Feb 18, 2020

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TIME Staff

TIME Magazine

The rugged background of Monument Valley, Ariz..., the admirable pace given to the screen play by Writer Dudley Nichols and Director John Ford, the unostentatious acting of a well-chosen cast make it one of the season's most satisfactory pictures.

Feb 18, 2020

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Stagecoach raised the genre from being routinely dismissed as the home of lightweight matinee fodder to the realm of artistic works capable of complex characterizations and profound psychology.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 10, 2025

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Bianca Garner

InSession Film

Stagecoach seems so familiar and ingrained into our conceptions of what makes a good story. It’s simplicity is what makes the film so easy to ingest.

Jul 31, 2024

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Zita Short

InSession Film

Ford directs with characteristic reserve and passion for capturing the beauty of the natural world, and his dramatic camerawork helped to make this a landmark entry in the genre.

Feb 1, 2023

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David K

A truly essential classic, this is the first film we watched in my film appreciation class in college. Beautifully filmed, acted, directed with all the classic conventions of the Westerns genre. Which is, of course, the very reason it was the lead film shown and the only western. It also brings so many of the touches that John Ford used so successfully throughout his career, including Monument Valley. Did I mention it was the film that made John Wayne a star? And, for me, I will always appreciate the introduction of Claire Trevor into my movie awareness. Did I mention I love this film?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/02/25

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William B

I'm not into western films, but this one is definitely good. It's worth it. Recommended.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

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Garrett B

A western classic. The Duke delivers

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/24

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Keith N

Words cannot describe how much I loved this film, it was shown during my Intro to the Film class and I was super invested and it was just that good

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/25/24

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Rosana B

Assistindo alternadamente às versões de 1939 e 1966, poucas ou quase nenhuma mudança, uma modernização e adequação abismal entre as duas, ambas coloridas, mas a qualidade de filmagens, as atuações mais primorosas. Peguei amor pelos personagens (super carismáticos, engraçadinhos e fofos) mas torci pelos indígenas. Na versão de 66 o final foi um bang-bang de luxo. Aqui encanta me a qualidade da produção considerando toda limitação da época, um faroeste cômico, leve, despretensioso e apaixonante…

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/13/24

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Audience Member

I've never gotten around to seeing this until very recently, despite the fact that I've seen a couple of the remakes, and it was really worth the wait. Despite it's old age, the film doesn't creak at all. The dialogue is crisp, the action is very good and the direction is first class. The acting is uniformly good and never corny, and it's easy to see why this film made John Wayne a star. Pretty much a must see for anybody interested in classic films, particularly westerns.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/26/24

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Synopsis

John Ford's landmark Western revolves around an assorted group of colorful passengers aboard the Overland stagecoach bound for Lordsburg, New Mexico, in the 1880s. An alcoholic philosophizer (Thomas Mitchell), a lady of ill repute (Claire Trevor) and a timid liquor salesman (Donald Meek) are among the motley crew of travelers who must contend with an escaped outlaw, the Ringo Kid (John Wayne), and the ever-present threat of an Apache attack as they make their way across the Wild West.

Director: John Ford
Producer: John Ford
Screenwriter: Ernest Haycox, Dudley Nichols, Ben Hecht
Distributor: UCLA Film and Television Archive [us], Warner Home Vídeo, United Artists
Production Co: Walter Wanger Productions, Inc.
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 2, 1939, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2011
Runtime: 1h 36m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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