The Phantom Stagecoach

Yeah, I love Westerns, especially '50s Westerns. This one had this the right mix of good v evil, action and romance. As in most westerns made in the '50s, at an hour and 15 minutes, the pace is fast with no wasted scenes. A very good watch for western fans or movie fans period.

A stagecoach firm reels over the news of the third holdup attempt in two months, the last of which resulted in the murder of one of their best drivers. Glen Hayden (William Bishop), the man who prevented the most recent robbery, is hired by the firm to drive for them while investigating the murder. What he doesn't know is that a rival firm is responsible for the holdups, and that they have created an armored, driverless stagecoach to rob future deliveries and take all of the business in town for themselves.

The Phantom Stagecoach is a remake of the top notch Stage to Tucson, but it's a light remake as this 1957 programmer has its own legs and it's a nifty, fast-paced one. The action never lets up with plenty of things going, no wasted things added, and lots of chase scenes with stagecoaches rolling. Some of it is stock footage, but I enjoyed this one immensely. It was quite exciting. Love Kathleen Crowley's husky voice. William Bishop was good as the hero ( for a change), but Richard Webb is a whiny dullard who is a duplicitous character working for the bad guys on the sly. I think Ray Nazarro is an underrated western director.