ma-cortes
A forgettable adaptation for TV in 1986 by Ted Post with Willie Nelson , Kris Kristofferson , Johnny Cash , Elizabeth Ashley , Mary Crosby , Tony Franciosa , and John Schneider . Inferior remake with interesting character studio , functional performances and glimmer cinematography from desert lands plenty of cactus . Unnecessary remake to the considered to be first adult Western , ¨Stagecoach¨ by John Ford that changed the course of the modern Western turning into intellectual Western and dealing with a motley crew of roles in a cross-country coach beset by Indians and thieves ; as on board are the followings : an outlaw , a doctor , a banker , a coward swank , a cavalry man's pregnant wife , a gambler , among others . The movie takes place in 1880 in a voyage throughout Arizona , in which a varied group of characters with nothing in common are stuck together inside a coach , they form a strange assortment of individuals , such as : a prostitute with a broken heart (Elizabeth Ashley in classic rendition interpreted by Claire Trevor) , the old John's Whiskey Salesman (Anthony Newley) , a crooked card-player (Waylon Jennings as Hatfield , the Gambler , previously performed by John Carradine) turned into protector to pregnant young wife (Mary Crosby) , a swindler banker (Tony Franciosa , previously by Barton Churchill) , a sympathetic coach driver (John Schneider) , the famous Doc Hollyday (Willie Nelson) , Ringo Kid (Kris Kristofferson , priorly by John Wayne) , an outlaw looking to revenge killings and a sheriff (Johnny Cash , formerly performed by George Bancroft) taking in his prisoner . The motley crew pull off a journey through Indian territory passing Apache Wells and towards Lordsburg . All of them riding to greatness across 2,000 miles of flaming frontier . At the beginning they're protected by a military detachment commanded by a brave lieutenant . The stagecoach is besieged by Apaches and several dangers.....The plot is plain and simple , as the story follows a stagecoach ride through Old West Apache territory , portraying in depth characters and brooding events with allegorical issues running beneath surface . This so-so and old-style TV western written/produced/played by Willie Nelson as well as score composer ; being redeemed by its decent main stars and supporting cast . As protagonists , the notorious Country singers : Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson recorded several albums as The Highwaymen . Based on the story 'Stage to Lordsburg' by Ernest Haycox and this one based on Guy De Mauspassant's novel . Acceptable main cast and secondary cast , passable edition , regular cinematography by Gary Craver and atmospheric musical score make it an average film , and very far from original . Shot on location in Sonoran Desert, Old Tucson and Sierrita Mountains , Arizona . The motion picture was middlingly directed by Ted Post , with no originality . Post gives a slow and some dull direction . He's a Western expert , in fact his best movie is still a Western called ¨The legend of Tom Rooley¨ . Besides , he directed Clint Eastwood many times , starting working on Eastwood's television Western series, ¨Rawhide¨. When Eastwood returned to America after his successful Sergio Leone movies , he called for Post who directed him in Western ¨Hang'Em high¨ and the second entry Dirty Harry pictures : ¨Magnum Force¨. Ted Post also directed notable Sci Fi : Beneath of the planet of apes , Harrard experiment and horror movies : The Baby , Dr Cook's garden . The original ¨Stagecoach¨ is a very superior rendition in 1939 by John Ford , being perfectly played by excellently assembled actors : Claire Trevor , George Bancroft , Louise Platt , Tom Tyler , Tim Holt and Thomas Mitchell who deservedly won Academy Award for secondary actor , and of course , John Wayne , who arose his career languishing in Poverty Row and being first pairing of Ford and Wayne . And stunningly shot by John Ford in the mythical Monumental Valley , capturing its particular air , a place that Ford was often to revisit and he befriended Indians tribes . Besides , ¨Stagecoach¨ (1966) by Gordon Douglas with Alex Cord , Anne Margret , Slim Pickens , Red Buttons and Bing Crosby , Mary Crosby's father .
classicsoncall
If you haven't seen the 1939 original directed by John Ford to make the comparison, this film doesn't stack up too badly. It pretty much follows the script of the earlier movie, with characters who remain mostly the same with a couple of minor variations. Willie Nelson's Doc Holliday is the notable exception, appearing here with fellow country music legends Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. Seeing as how as an actor, Kristofferson is no John Wayne, it wasn't surprising that his entrance as The Ringo Kid didn't have the same high drama as that of Wayne's Ringo. The stakes weren't as high either, "Stagecoach" was the film that launched Wayne's career after only about fifty other films prior that he appeared in.The picture could probably have used a bit more humor to liven things up a bit. One of the things that impressed me about the original "Stagecoach" was how most of the characters started out as caricatures and wound up being people you either cared about, or so repulsive that you wanted to see them get what was coming to them. I didn't get the same sense of that here, as most likely, the celebrity status of the principals kept intruding on their portrayals. I thought Willie Nelson did the best job in his role as Doc Holliday, by contrast I felt Johnny Cash was rather bland as Marshal Curly Wilcox. Waylon Jennings was OK as gambler Hatfield, while Kristofferson's take on the Ringo Kid seemed watered down by his relationship with reformed hooker Dallas (Elizabeth Ashley). It didn't help that the chemistry between them seemed non-existent, except for Ashley's swooning eyes whenever she gazed on The Kid.So if I'm forced to make the call, I'd say see the original "Stagecoach" at some point, but if you're a fan of any of the principals, I don't think you'll come away disappointed. You might even learn a thing or two from the likes of Doc Holliday, like washing your hands with whiskey before delivering a baby. It's supposed to kill germs, right?
ianlouisiana
In "Stagecoach" the late Mr T.Post treads a difficult line between the original Ernest Haycox story "Stage to Lordsburg" with it's frontier values and the rather more liberal views of a mid 1980s audience to some of whom Geronimo might appear to be a freedom fighter rather than a brutish savage. His voice is articulated by Mr W.Nelson,one of the most significant Country artists of the 20th century who appears slightly uncomfortable as "Doc" Holliday,a man plucked from history to be the conscience of the movie. Having appeased contemporary sensibilities,Mr Post goes pretty much down the traditional Western road with a brave if not very bright lawman (Mr J.Cash),a bar girl (Miss E.Ashley),a gambler(Mr W.Jennings) and that most revered of American figures a pregnant lady(Miss M.Crosby) amongst others travelling on a stagecoach through Apache territory. It's a pleasing enough picture that lovers of TV Westerns should enjoy. There are some funny lines,many of which are deftly handled by Mr A.Newley as an itinerant whisky salesman,a role in which he was allowed to retain his English accent.Half - hearing a conversation about Geronimo,he says.."Excuse me..who exactly is this ..Geraldo.. fellow?" a line which,if spoken in American would have been meaningless but as he says it immediately brings to mind that most determinedly English of English bandleaders. Unfortunately,Mr Newley is whisked away in such haste as to almost appear rude,and the picture is rather diminished by his going. Nonetheless the second half is enlivened by the appearance of Mr K.Kristofferson as the Ringo Kid and he is twinkly but determined to get his vengeance on those who murdered his brothers. This is all good TV Movie stuff and my generation can sigh at the appearance of Mr L.Larue whose adventures at the Saturday Morning Pictures set many an 8 year - old heart a - flutter. You don't have to love Country Music to enjoy "Stagecoach" but it sure doesn't harm in any either.
