Destry

When the Sheriff of Restful asks one too many questions about the legitimacy of Decker's card games, he winds up dead and the new sheriff is the town drunk. The corrupt forces behind Restful think that things will be just how they like it from now on but don't figure that the drunk will call in help in the form of a deputy, Tom Destry – son of the famous lawman. However Destry Jr turns out to not only be against carrying guns but also be soft-spoken and good-humoured – not characteristics that Rags hoped for in his deputy. However with a culture of silence, gun crime widespread and the town in the grip of the sultry and dangerous Brandy, can Destry make an impact?

Just to prove that modern Hollywood does not have the sole rights to the concept of the totally unnecessary remake, we have this film made 15 years after the definitive version starring Stewart and Dietrich; and true to form, this version is just that – unnecessary. The plot is pretty much a carbon copy and indeed a lot of the scenes are almost copies of the 1939 version and the only thing this achieves is to highlight that it has all been done before – and better. Although it is a copy, it isn't as free-wheeling, fun or energetic as the previous film and it does show.

The main reason for this is the cast as this bunch show how important the cast were in 1939. Murphy bravely plays against type but he just isn't as well suited to the role as Stewart was – he plays naïve well enough but it isn't that funny or fun. Blanchard does the best she can and in fairness she does pretty well filling Dietrich's boots. Mitchell is always fun and does well enough but the rest of the support cast aren't really there. The musical numbers are quite fun but again feel like it is aping other numbers rather than going out on its own territory.

Overall nothing in this film is bad, in fact it is quite enjoyable across the board. However when you watch the 1939 film you have to wonder why they bothered to go back and remake it at all since all it manages to do is highlight how the "original" was better in the first place – and that only knocks the fun out of it that bit more.

Sadly, remakes of successful movies are seldom as good as the original films. Destry -- director George Marshall's remake with Audie Murphy of Destry Rides Again, which starred Jimmy Stewart -- is one of the rare exceptions. No, Audie Murphy was not a better actor than Jimmy Stewart. But, given a good script and good direction, Audie Murphy was a far better actor than his many B movies would lead one to expect, and Destry was one of his best performances.

The fact that director George Marshall chose to remake his black and white Jimmy Stewart hit, Destry Rides Again, in Technicolor with Audie Murphy as Destry clearly indicates that Marshall felt his original film could be equaled or improved upon. And, in this viewers opinion, he was right. Both the original and the remake are good westerns but, if one can get past bias toward Jimmy Stewart -- and his co-star Marlene Dietrich -- and evaluate the movies purely on their merit, I believe that Audie Murphy's Destry is the better film. At worst, it is at least as good as the original and deserves to be recognized on its own merits.

Sometimes remakes do turn out for the best and Audie Murphy was a perfect in the casting of another edition of the Destry saga. I will say this though, Destry's grown up considerable. Audie uses some forensic science to clean up the town and the final gunfight is played a bit more seriously than in the James Stewart-Marlene Dietrich classic.

For those who haven't seen either film, a certain crooked saloon keeper/ town boss has been grabbing land by hook or crook and kills the sheriff who's opposing him. Lyle Bettger is every bit as nasty as Brian Donlevy was. Bettger gets the idea to make the deputy, Thomas Mitchell, the sheriff. Mitchell is the town drunk, but Mitchell fools them and sends for the son of legendary lawman Tom Destry to be his deputy.

When Audie Murphy as Destry comes to town it's without wearing firearms, but in his own quiet way Audie gets results.

Of course saloon girl Mari Blanchard ain't a patch on Marlene Dietrich, but that's pretty stiff competition for anyone. Edgar Buchanan is the mayor and does his usual foxy and calculating part and we're not quite sure where he'll wind up in the end.

Destry is one of Audie Murphy's better B westerns from the Fifties and it shows with the right casting, a classic can be done well a second time.

Destry is directed by George Marshall and adapted to screenplay by Edmund H. North and D.D. Beauchamp from a story by Felix Jackson; itself suggested by the novel Destry Rides Again written by Max Brand. It stars Audie Murphy, Mari Blanchard, Lyle Bettger, Thomas Mitchell, Edgar Buchanan and Lori Nelson. Music is by Joseph Gershenson and cinematography by George Robinson.

When the sheriff of a small frontier town is shot and killed in mysterious circumstances, mob boss Decker (Bettger) and the crooked mayor (Buchanan) appoint the local drunk, Rags Barnaby (Mitchell), as sheriff. Thinking it will be easy to control the town now, Decker is surprised to learn that Barnaby has sent for help in the form of Tom Destry (Murphy), the son of a famous hard nosed lawman. However, when Tom arrives, he isn't exactly the all conquering macho lawman the town were expecting, in fact he doesn't even carry a gun!

OK, when judged against the James Stewart/ Marlene Dietrich starring Destry Rides Again from 1939 (also directed by George Marshall), this Audie Murphy led remake is standard stuff. The third attempt at adapting Max Brand's novel (there was also a Tom Mix version in 1932), George Marshall's movie has good production values, is well represented by the cast and all told is an amiable way to spend an afternoon. Three songs light up proceedings: Bang! Bang! If You Can Can-Can and Empty Arms (words and music by Herbert & Hughes), while the Technicolor is gorgeous (check out those costumes) and the final gun play is very well staged by Marshall and his team.

Sadly much of the picture is spent within the confines of the town, with a number of dialogue based scenarios that come off as samey. This means we miss out on ample usage of the Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, location exteriors. Yet in the capable hands of Marshall and Murphy it rounds out as a safe recommendation to B Western fans. 7/10

RELEASED IN 1954 and directed by George Marshall, "Destry" is about a tough Western town run by corrupt local mogul Decker (Lyle Bettger) and the Mayor who's in league with him (Edgar Buchanan). They appoint a drunk as the new Sheriff (Thomas Mitchell) because they know he'll be easy to control, but the Sheriff hires as his deputy the out-of-town son of an expert lawman for whom he used to work (Audie Murphy). Unfortunately, when Destry (Murphy) comes to town he quickly becomes a laughing stock because he refuses to even carry a gun!

The film is a remake of Marshall's 1939 hit "Destry Rides Again," which was a remake of the 1932 movie of the same name, a closer rendition of Max Brand's novel. Marshall desired to do the film again because he wanted to do it in color and thought he could improve upon it. While most critics say "Destry" is inferior I give it the edge because (1.) it's in color, (2.) Murphy is stalwart as the humble-yet-confident protagonist, and (3.) Mari Blanchard is hotter than Marlene Dietrich as the saloon entertainer and has the mojo to pull off the challenging role. Blanchard's saloon babe of dubious character is counterbalanced by Lori Nelson's character.

Another thing I appreciate about "Destry" is that it supports the concept of LIMITED pacifism, which is the ideology that one should only resort to violence when there's no other recourse, after more peaceable means have been sought and proved ineffective. This, by the way, is what Christ and the early church subscribed to, as detailed in the New Testament, not the idea of TOTAL pacifism, which is the idiotic mindset that a person should NEVER resort to violence in any form, even when loved ones and innocents are threatened.

The Messiah's teaching on "turning the cheek" didn't refer to responding to criminal acts and, particularly, not to a law officer responding to potentially violent criminality. Slapping someone on the cheek was considered a personal insult in 1st century Near East and therefore when Jesus instructed people to "turn the cheek" he was simply illustrating that ignoring an insult a couple of times (you only have two cheeks) is a matter of wisdom & self-control and is a good way to stave off unnecessary strife, which effectively squelches the escalation of violence (not always, but generally speaking). It helps prevent you from being victimized by fools who want to draw you into their darkness and ruin your day (or week or life). This was nothing new at the time because the Old Testament taught the same principle (e.g. Proverbs 19:11).

THE MOVIE RUNS 95 minutes and was shot at Universal Studios, Universal City; Janss Conejo Ranch, Thousand Oaks; and Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California. WRITERS: Edmund H. North & D.D. Beauchamp from Felix Jackson's story based on Brand's book.

GRADE: A-