#83: Stagecoach

Stagecoach (Ford, 1939)

A pretty straightforward Western. There's a stagecoach of people trying to cross from one town to another, and there are Indians trying to kill them. What strikes me most about the film is that there's no actual gunplay until over an hour in. The first hour is spent on character development, and it's very good character development. The characters are set up as opposites to each other. A refined lady and a prostitute, a Union soldier and a Confederacy soldier. And then John Wayne, a criminal escaped from prison to kill the guys who killed his father. They fight, then Indians attack them, then they've bonded. It's pretty simple, but John Ford and John Wayne play it well enough that it works.

Rating: **** / 5

42/101

Next: The Apartment, Duck Soup

Others:

Amores Perrors: **** / 5

A perfect example of multilinear storytelling done right.

Dancer In The Dark: *** 1/2 / 5

A musical it's okay for guys to like. Depressing as hell. The music is written by Bjork.

The Taste Of Others: *** / 5

A French comedy of impressions about a lot of people with different points of view. The characters are brought together in intertwining ways, and in every case, you can tell each character has a completely different interpretation of the situation. It works, but it's a little boring.

Newer movies:

The Secret In Their Eyes: 5/10

A former detective is writing a novel about a rape/murder case twenty years ago, and in doing so reconnects with a woman he worked with. The acting is good. The director likes the shaky cam a little too much. Not all the plot twists are believable.