Stage Coach

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

Stage Coach is an American Western filmed by John Ford , starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne.  The film's dynamic is that a group of strangers are riding on a stagecoach in the dangerous territories of Apache.  The people who are traveling on the stagecoach find it difficult because they are threatened by Geronimo. Stage Coach was set in 1880 and was elevated to "A" movie status. The cost to create the movie was about $400,00 and once created grossed over $1 million.  At the time John Ford was a B movie actor but the creation of Stage Coach launched his career and made him famous. 

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/What-s-the-Big-Deal-Stagecoach-1939-899179.php

The article expresses how John Wayne played a huge role on American Western films. As talked about in class, John Wayne and John Ford go hand in hand. Eric D. Snider writes, " For movie-history enthusiasts, it goes further: You can't think of John Wayne without thinking of director John Ford, and if you think of John Ford you gotta think of Stagecoach. The 1939 film is still considered a classic of the genre."  John Ford was always a creator but the creation of Stage Coach brought his career back to life, that one film was respected because it brought realism and respectability back to Western films.  Stage Coach made John Wayne a star. 

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.  

The structure of the film is simple and classic. If one is paying attention, they will notice that ford uses close ups in  this film which says he is trying to display something. The characters in the film play a huge role in Stage Coach because they all are the subject of the film. The film's dynamic is about the strangers riding on the stagecoach. The movie is so special because it had no clear cut main character. 

4) Write a critical analysis of the film

Seven strangers board a stagecoach bound to Lordsburg, New Mexico.  Each one is either running away from their past or trying to catch up with it. he film is contextual to the events of the Depression Era and becomes representational of the situation at hand.  As the stagecoach comes under fire from the Indians, the passengers whom have had disagreements before, bond together against a common foe.