Destry Rides Again (1939)

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Max Brand (suggested by novel "Destry Rides Again")
Felix Jackson (story) ...

Release Date:

29 December 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

They make the fighting sinful west blaze into action before your eyes!

Plot:

Kent, the unscrupulous boss of Bottleneck has Sheriff Keogh killed when he asks one too many questions...

Plot Keywords:

Crooked Gambling | Catfight | Remake | Alcoholic | Arrest

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Marlene Dietrich	...	Frenchy
James Stewart	...	Thomas Jefferson 'Tom' Destry Jr.
Mischa Auer	...	Boris
Charles Winninger	...	Washington Dimsdale
Brian Donlevy	...	Kent
Allen Jenkins	...	Gyp Watson
Warren Hymer	...	Bugs Watson
Irene Hervey	...	Janice Tyndall
Una Merkel	...	Lily Belle
Billy Gilbert	...	Loupgerou
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Judge Slade
Jack Carson	...	Jack Tyndall
Tom Fadden	...	Lem Claggett
Virginia Brissac	...	Sophie Claggett
Edmund MacDonald	...	Rockwell (as Edmund Macdonald)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #5972) | UK:PG | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1996

Quotes:

[Destry & Dimsdale have stopped the gunfight at the Claggett farm. One of Kent's men points a gun at Dimsdale and Destry hits him on the neck with his gloves]
Tom Destry Jr.: Big bee - about that big - right on the back of your neck. I got him, though.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Beverly Hills, 90210: Destiny Rides Again (#3.12)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Little Joe, the Wrangler

When they say they don't make them like that any more . .

. . . this is what they mean.

I'm intrigued by the voting on this movie as I can't imagine any scale on which it wouldn't get top marks. Where exactly does it drop the ball? Cast - inspired; performances - stellar; script - faultless; direction - millimetre perfect; score - find me one better, ("See what the boys in the back room will have" has gone into the language).

Is it because it's not an arthouse movie? Or because of the dangerous idea that restraint, cool and smarts are more effective weapons than playground bully tactics?

As far as I am concerned, if you want to know how to put a movie together, you can start here. 10/10 is the only possible mark for a masterpiece.