Since I was a kid, I've always wanted to watch the 1939 epic movie STAGECOACH, John Ford its famed director. It stars a young John Wayne as The Ringo Kid and Claire Trevor as Dallas. So, I took an evening and gave STAGECOACH a look and came away impressed enough to recommend it. It's been put in the U.S. National Film Registry, so I'm on solid ground here.

The characters are well-drawn. Andy Devine as Buck the stage driver provides the comic relief while Thomas Mitchell as the drunken Doc Boone (he won an Academy Award) also provides some humor. Claire Trevor is the crusty prostitute with the heart of gold, and the Duke is her love interest. A rail-thin John Carradine is the Southern gentleman-gambler.

A few things bugged me. A double-barrel shotgun blast doesn't kill at a long range. One detail meant as a surprise has very little set up. I can't divulge it without giving a spoiler, so I won't. On the other hand, I liked Trevor's gutsy performance she'd use again in her film noirs, and Carradine would go on to star in some quality horror films. The Monument Valley used to shoot the film gives it a rugged and picturesque setting.

STAGECOACH can be viewed online here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRiiG_...