Stagecoach




STAGECOACH-1939
Directed by John Ford



1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

             Between the years of 1939 and 1941 aspiring films that defined the art of movie making were released, providing fans with what is often considered American Movie Making’s “Greatest Period”. Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, and the Grapes of Wrath are but a few examples of the classic stories brought to light during this time. Among these giants of the industry there was 1939’s Stagecoach, which raised the bar for the not so respected category of Westerns. Directed by the highly respected John Ford, whose work prior to the film was valued, but was told the film would be the ruination of his career.



the Stagecoach

Westerns were out of favor among fans, usually reserved for younger followers. Simple stories with good vs. evil conflict and easy to follow plot points, westerns had become B-movie affairs. Stagecoach would be the turning point for westerns, revitalizing the category while raising it up to A-movie status. Westerns could now be thought provoking, more than the shoot-em-up’s from the past. The film appealed to intelligent movie goers, using the western to dissect society as whole. Social and sexual prejudice, addiction, revenge, redemption, and the conflict among social classes were under the microscope in the film. It allowed audiences to realize that the once fledgling western can be a stage for artistic story telling.

          The film was nominated in seven categories in Academy Awards, most notably for best picture and best director. In a year with tough competition it took home the Best Supporting Actor for the work of Thomas Mitchell, and Best score. It mad a star of the “Duke”, the one and only John Wayne. It has been imitated many times over throughout the years, included death defying stunts, and cast aside any doubts that a western can serve as powerful medium for storytelling.

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content

TCM article the stage coach= http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/91227/Stagecoach/articles.html
By Scott Mcgee and James Steffen

          The Turner Classic Movie Article basically summarizes the rocky road the film had from its initial inception to the final product. Much of the information provided in the classes viewing of behind the scenes look was presented, but with additional content to supplement the notion that this film had so much going against it, yet reached critical success in the face of struggle. It has a similar story to the Gold Rush and it Happened One Night. Regularly the stories behind the making of the film can be just as interesting as the film itself. The road to making a feature length film (even a bad one) can be long and arduous.  

          The film’s concept and original screenplay was among the first of the problems. The Production Code Administration, better known as the Breen office, rejected Dudley Nichol’s original treatment. By modern standards the story elements are common place. 1939’s censorship standards however had issue with the “considerate portrayal of the prostitute Dallas, Doc Boone's constant drunkenness, the Ringo Kid's thirst for revenge and the marshal's involvement in some deaths. Nichols' first draft script took the Breen Office suggestions to heart and the production went ahead without further objections from the censors (Mcgee/Steffen).”



Stunt work

 Studio support and an agreeable budget also proved hard to come by. After Ford had bought the rights to the story from Nichol’s, he began shopping the idea around. He couldn’t find support in any of the major studios. Fox, MGM, and Warner Brothers had all turned down stagecoach. Ford finally found some interest among an old drinking buddy, Merian C. Cooper, head of production at Selznick International Pictures. However more problems were abound, David O. Selznick himself showed signs of reluctance despite initial interest, demanding big name stars (i.e. Gary Cooper) to portray the “Ringo Kid”. Producer Walter Wanger provided a low budget of $500,000. Ford took a pay cut of $50,000, Nichols and the films cast also agreed to inferior wages in order to get the project on its feet.

          We all know John Wayne as the tough, gun toting, no-nonsense hero. At the time he was still a relatively unknown relegated to B-movie status. Ford had toyed with Wayne, during a boat trip. It is said he sought Wayne’s advice on what actor can play the part of the” Ringo Kid”, all the while having Wayne in mind. Ford had a tough time convincing the studio that Wayne was the man for the job, and had an even harder time negotiating with Republic studios. Wayne was still under contract. Wayne didn’t even take top billing, that honor went to Claire Trevor. Trevor was the highest paid cast member at $15,000. Supporting player Tim Holt earned $5,000, John Wayne earned a shocking $3,700. The world didn’t know what it had with the “Duke”.

          Ford’s mistreatment of Wayne didn’t end on their boat trip. He was a tough man to work with often bullying actors during filming. Throughout the films shoot, Ford made a frequent target of Wayne’s performance. Everything Wayne did was incorrect in the eyes of the director. Wayne’s walk, talk, facial expressions were all criticized by Ford. All of Wayne’s mannerisms were scrutinized. Ford once had told supporting actor Andy Devine a “fat tub of lard”, wondering why he had used him in the picture. Andy’s response-“Because Ward Bond can’t drive six horses”. Ford may have been one of the greatest directors, but was by no means a great man to work with.



Monument Valley

 The final difficulty was the terrain. The beautiful landscapes that supplied the film with breath taking backdrops were not easily accessed. Monument Valley, the selected location, was challenging to reach, especially with a large film crew. It was desolate and unpopulated, making long shoots problematic. Ford had his moments of kindness however. He employed more than 200 Navajo Indians, paying them at full union scale, going on to use them for many of his future films. He had established a long standing friendship which brought the Navajos to refer to him as “Natani Nez” which translates to “Tall Leader”.

Facing many concerns the final product was still a success. Ford was not the easiest of directors to work with, but is a visionary none the less. Man obstacles presented themselves before this film could be made, but it rose above it all to become the classic often placed on many critics “Best of” lists.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.   How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

 

The TCM article, as well as he extra features on the DVD, shed some new light on Ford. A man I was aware of in the past, but only in passing. The real man had a very hard exterior. It was his way or nothing at all. We often allow the work of a great writer or director to dictate how we characterize said individual. The truth is a person can have a horrible personality, yet still produce quality work with real merit. Genius and insanity are considered to be divided by a fine line, for all we know this can be Ford. His character may leave something to be desired, but his work transcends time with its social and moral themes.



The "Duke"

Then there’s the “Duke”, John Wayne, a man whose legend is bigger than life. I knew of John Wayne as the iconic film actor, like so many I mistook his onscreen persona for the actual man. The article shed light on how much hardship he dealt with while working with ford, and the little respect he was given considering his role in the film. Marion Michael Morrison (Wayne’s real name) had humble beginnings; we all have to start somewhere.

          I approached the film with an open mind after discovering all the hard work that went into it, particularly the stunt work. Yakima Canutt's stunts provided the chase scenes with danger and excitement. Reaching the onsite locations in order to provide the film with jaw dropping backdrops is no easy feat. Actors and directors taking a pay cut, for a film they believed in. We like in a time where everyone’s a critic, quick to ridicule the creation of others, yet unable to create anything worthwhile for themselves. Coming to this realization allowed me to value the merits of the film and the work that went into it.  

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article



John Ford

Director John Ford is said to have a gruff exterior. From what I seen and read, that seems to be true. But there was also a method to his madness. He had a vision for what he knew would work on screen and was uncompromising in that vision. He tended to bully actors, but if the words of others can be taken at face value, he did so in order to garner greater performances. He showed concern for the Navajo’s he worked with, and refused to put Yakima Canutt at further risk after a high risk stunt.  He took a chance at a film very few had faith in. The western wasn’t highly appreciated at the time, but Ford infused quality adult storytelling and real world themes to raise the bar for what a western could be.

        Would John Wayne, be John Wayne if Ford hadn’t taken a chance on him? Stagecoach was the defining moment in a long career that would last decades. Ford easily could have bent to the will of studio heads, but he stood true to the promise he made Wayne. Again his uncompromising ways were correct.

          Looking at the film today, it’s seems like the plot has been done a million times over. Many people from different walks of life are forced together in a dire situation, and come to learn something about themselves and the people they have come to view in a new light. Stagecoach however was the originator. It touched down on issues that were subject to criticism at the time. It was a metaphor for civilization, the travelers were each the embodiment of differing members of society.



The Cast

          The prostitute had a kind heart, and had more integrity than anyone but the “Ringo Kid” had given here. Today it might be considered the “hooker with the heart of gold” premise, but it was done with more respect, and again was a first. The “Ringo Kid” was something of an anti-hero. Most westerns involved the obvious black vs. white conflict. Wayne was a man with revenge on the forefront of his mind, but carried himself with dignity. The drunkard of a doctor was a flawed man, whose addiction defined him, but rose to the occasion when the lives of others were on the line. The faithful wife was judgmental, only coming to respect Dallas after she cared for her child. The banker, a profession normally associated with reverence was corrupt and taking advantage of the hardworking everyman.

          I would recommend the film to any film fan. Some might be turned away by a black and white film without today’s big budget special effects. But like music, the films of today owe credit to the work of the past. They build upon on another, growing and maturing. Rather than writing off classic work, it should be appreciated for its contributions to the industry as a whole. Stagecoach is one of those classics.   

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2) (x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) (x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) (x) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) (x) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) (x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) (x) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) (x) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Benjamin Novoa   Date: 3/11/2013