Destry Rides Again (1939)

Director:

George Marshall

Writers:

Felix Jackson (screen play) &
Gertrude Purcell (screen play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 December 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

THE GREATEST CAST EVER CORRALLED for a frontier drama like you've NEVER seen in all your born days!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Mayor | Deputy | Sheriff | Singer | Town Drunk

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Marlene Dietrich	...	Frenchy
James Stewart	...	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)
Lillian Yarbo	...	Clara
Joe King	...	Sheriff Keogh
Dickie Jones	...	Claggett Boy
Ann E. Todd	...	Claggett Girl (as Ann Todd)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Silver Tip Baker	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Chief John Big Tree	...	Indian in Saloon (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher	...	Pianist (uncredited)
Loren Brown	...	Juggler (uncredited)
Ralph Bucko	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Roy Bucko	...	Barfly (uncredited)
George Chesebro	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Dora Clement	...	Woman (uncredited)
Bill Cody Jr.	...	Townsboy Telling Wash of Destry's Arrival (uncredited)
Spade Cooley	...	Fiddle Player (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Creepy - Lends Tom Guns (uncredited)
Carmen D'Antonio	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Harold DeGarro	...	Juggler (uncredited)
Florence Dudley	...	Small Role (uncredited)
O.K. Ford	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Sam Garrett	...	Rider / Roper (uncredited)
William Gillis	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Lloyd Ingraham	...	Express Agent with Box of Rabbits (uncredited)
Marjorie Kane	...	Saloon Floozie (uncredited)
Harley Luse	...	Accordion Player (uncredited)
Cactus Mack	...	Musician (uncredited)
Frank McCarroll	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Bud McClure	...	Stage Driver (uncredited)
Merrill McCormick	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Philo McCullough	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Robert McKenzie	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Charles Murphy	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Mary Shannon	...	Woman on Street (uncredited)
Rudy Sooter	...	Bass Player (uncredited)
Betta St. John	...	Singing Girl in Wagon (uncredited)
William Steele	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Leo Sulky	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Al Taylor	...	Townsman (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Stage Shotgun Rider (uncredited)
Jack Tornek	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal	...	Mrs. DeWitt (uncredited)
Leslie Vincent	...	(uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Hank West	...	Musician (uncredited)
Dan White	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Blackie Whiteford	...	Juror (uncredited)
Alex Woloshin	...	Assistant Bartender (uncredited)
Duke York	...	Townsman (uncredited)

Directed by
George Marshall

Writing credits
Felix Jackson		(screen play) &
Gertrude Purcell		(screen play) &
Henry Myers		(screen play)
Felix Jackson		(original story)
Max Brand		(suggested by novel "Destry Rides Again")

Produced by
Islin Auster	....	associate producer
Joe Pasternak	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Frank Skinner

Cinematography by
Hal Mohr		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Milton Carruth

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vernon Keays	....	assistant director

Art Department
Martin Obzina	....	associate art director
Dorothea Holt	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound supervisor
Robert Pritchard	....	sound technician

Stunts
Cliff Lyons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank McCarroll	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Helen Thurston	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duke York	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents: A Joe Pasternak Production) (as Universal)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Universal Picture)
• Universal Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Realart Pictures Inc. (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• M.P.E.A. (1948) (Austria) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (video)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (3 film set)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2012) (Canada) (DVD) (3 film set)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #5872) | UK:PG | Norway:16

Filming Locations:

Kernville, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The role of Tom Destry was originally intended for Gary Cooper, but he wanted more money than the producers were willing to pay him. It was then offered to James Stewart, who took it.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Destry first demonstrates his ability with a firearm by shooting at the knobs on the sign, he shoots a total of seven times. Although he is holding two Colt "Six-shooters", one in each hand, he fires only the pistol he holds in his right hand. Thus, he fired one round more than the gun could hold.

Quotes:

Tom Destry Jr.:Well, you will fool 'em, Wash. We'll fool 'em together.
Washington Dimsdale:The only way to do that is fill 'em full of lead.
Tom Destry Jr.:No, no, no, what for? You shoot it out with 'em and for some reason or other, I don't know why, they get to look like heroes. But you put 'em behind bars and they look little and cheap, the way they oughta look.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "House Calls: The Weatherbys Ride Again (#3.21)" (1982)

Soundtrack:

You've Got That Look

A Classic Western in Old Bottleneck

`Howdy, Stranger! Let me show you around the town of Bottleneck. Folks here can be plumb rowdy on occasion. Over there's the saloon - it's run by a right pretty gal named Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich). She's a real spitfire - don't get her riled. We like to say she runs the town, but we all know the real boss is her lover, Kent (Brian Donlevy), a mean, slick hombre who's buying -or stealing- all the land straight across the valley; he means to charge for each head of cattle run through here. Our last sheriff (Joe King) disappeared real mysterious like, and the mayor (Samuel S. Hinds), who's in cahoots with Kent, appointed the town drunk (Charles Winninger) as the new sheriff. He's surprised us all by bringing in as his deputy Tom Destry (James Stewart), son of the famous lawman who was shot in the back a few years ago. The boy looks kind of sheepish, but I'll bet he's got some backbone to him, just like his old man. Yes, sir, if Kent gives him any trouble we just might get to watch while DESTRY RIDES AGAIN.'

This is one of the great Western films, with all the pieces falling into place. It's got a sense of humor & does not take itself too seriously. And the women are as strong as the men, unusual in a Western: Dietrich & Una Merkel have the best fight in the film and it's the entire body of townswomen, lead by Merkel & Dietrich, who take matters into their own hands at the conclusion to thrash the bad guys.

All of the above named cast is excellent (this was considered a comeback of sorts for Dietrich, after her parade of elaborate, but not terribly popular, costume epics; Stewart is a delight as his usual laconic self.) Jack Carson is also on hand as a tough cattleman. Lighter moments are handled by Mischa Auer, as a Russian émigré who wants to be a cowboy, and Billy Gilbert, as a temperamental barkeep.

Dietrich gets to sing three splashy, dance hall numbers: `Little Joe', `You've Got That Look' and, most famously, `See What The Boys In The Back Room Will Have'.