Stagecoach (1966)

A group of unlikely traveling companions find themselves on the same stagecoach to Cheyenne. They include a drunken doctor, a bar girl who's been thrown out of town, a professional gambler,... See full summary »

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writers:

Ernest Haycox (story), Dudley Nichols,

Stars:

Ann-Margret, Red Buttons, Mike Connors

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ann-Margret	...	Dallas
Red Buttons	...	Peacock
Mike Connors	...	Hatfield (as Michael Connors)
Alex Cord	...	Ringo Kid
Bing Crosby	...	Doc Josiah Boone
Robert Cummings	...	Henry Gatewood (as Bob Cummings)
Van Heflin	...	Marshal Curly Wilcox
Slim Pickens	...	Buck, Stagecoach Driver
Stefanie Powers	...	Mrs. Lucy Mallory
Keenan Wynn	...	Luke Plummer
Brad Weston	...	Matt Plummer
Joseph Hoover	...	Lt. Blanchard
John Gabriel	...	Capt. Jim Mallory
Oliver McGowan	...	Mr. Haines
David Humphreys Miller	...	Billy Pickett

Storyline

A group of unlikely traveling companions find themselves on the same stagecoach to Cheyenne. They include a drunken doctor, a bar girl who's been thrown out of town, a professional gambler, a traveling liquor salesman, a banker who has decided to embezzle money, a gunslinger out for revenge and a young woman going to join her army captain husband. All have secrets but when they are set upon by an Indian war party and then a family of outlaws, they find they must all work together if they are to stay alive.

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Plot Keywords:

indian war | stagecoach | outlaw | color remake of black and white film | battle | 

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Taglines:

These Were The Ten Who Fought Indians, Outlaws And Each Other As They Rode To Greatness On The Stagecoach To Cheyenne!

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Genres:

Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 June 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

San Fernando

Filming Locations:

Arapaho Falls, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min 110 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono 4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bing Crosby's last cinema movie.

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Goofs

During the Indian attack when the view is from above and the camera pans to a helicopter shot, you can see the shadow of the helicopter briefly at the top of the screen, behind the horseback riders. This occurs around 1h29m into the film on some prints.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: The Devil with Hitler (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Stagecoach Theme (I Will Follow)"
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Lyrics by Ruth Batchelor
Orchestrated by Harry Betts
Vocal arrangement by Bill Brown
Performed by the Bill Brown Singers

User Reviews

OK but what was the point?

Dudley Nichols wrote a great screenplay for a great film - 1939's Stagecoach, that is, directed by John Ford, not the 1960s remake we have here.

As the Ringo Kid, Alex Cord lacks the menace, dynamism, and screen presence of the young John Wayne - meaning that the focus of this Stagecoach has to be on other participants. Ann-Margret is very good as Dallas (the part originally played by Claire Trevor); while Stefanie Powers makes her mark as Mrs Mallory. Bing Crosby is the boozy doc with a heart (not a patch on Thomas Mitchell's turn thirty years earlier but Crosby was always worth watching); while Red Buttons is disappointing as the liquor salesman with eight kids (far better was the twittery Donald Meek).

Using the 1939 screenplay, this film is pretty much a straight remake, but in standard class. Slim Pickens does a fair imitation of Andy Devine as the hapless coach driver, and Bob Cummings is just plain irritating as the crook who has a mysterious case he won't let out of his sight.

So, 'Stagecoach' is OK as a time-filler, but was not needed - why bother when the film has already been made and stands as a classic. Liked the end portraits of the cast though, and always good to see Keenan Wynn, however brief a role he has (and it is pretty brief here), although pivotal.