Saturday, August 10, 2013

Stagecoach the Movie\Stagecoach, A Western Classic

http://www.thenedscottarchive.com/hollywood/films/movie-stagecoach.html
Stagecoach the Movie\Stagecoach, A Western Classic
In the history of American film, a small number of movies stand out as more influential than Stagecoach. The film set the design for an entirely new genre, the Western drama. But perhaps just as important, the film established the expansive careers of three of Hollywood's most notable practitioners: John Ford, John Wayne and Ned Scott, Director, actor, photographer respectively.

Stagecoach was made in 1939, it was the first great American Western. The film was directed by John Ford, and starred Claire Trevor with John Wayne in his breakthrough role.

Stagecoach became the first of Fordís many Westerns that were filmed using the spectacular Monument Valley, in the American south-west on the ArizonañUtah border, as a location. Many of which subsequently also starring John Wayne.

During the 1930s Ford and Waye were close friends. Despite this Ford declined to use Wayne in any of his films, wanting Wayne to be patient until he was "ready" as an actor. In 1938, Ford gave Wayne a copy of satagecoacheís script by Dudley Nichols asking for recommendation for someone to play the part of Ringo Kid. Wayne read it and suggested Lloyd Nolan for the role, but Ford was not sold on the idea. Actually the following day, Ford told Wayne that he wanted him to play Ringo Kid.

In following years since, Stagecoach became a movie classic, everyone connected with it including the cast has said they always knew it would be one of the all time great movies. But according to cast member Louise Platt, this wasnít the case at the time. She reflected in 2002, at the time of an exhibit honoring the making of the movie Stagecoach, mounted by the Ned Scott Archive, in collaboration with the Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum ìIt's success was a surprise to everyone but John Ford.î Of John Wayne Platt remembers Ford saying "Hell be the biggest star ever because he is the perfect everyman." Some would tell you Ford was right.

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