Stagecoach

This version of Stagecoach is a lesser version of 1939 John Ford classic. But greater than the 60's remake starring Bing Crosby and Anne-Margret.

The Highwaymen and few other stars. Took a shot at actually acting. Now they didn't quit their day jobs. But Kris and Willie did have silver screen experience. This doesn't make this made for TV movie any worse. If you have time to kill and are fans of the Waylon, Willie, Kris or Johnny.

Stagecoach (1986)

** (out of 4)

Made-for-TV remake of John Ford's classic 1939 film is pretty lifeless from start to finish but fans of country music (or at least the actors here) will find some mild entertainment to be had. Willie Nelson (Doc Holliday), Kris Kristopherson (Ringo Kid), Johnny Cash (Marshal Curly Wilcox) and Waylon Jennings (Hatfield) lead the stagecoach into Apache territory where Geronimo is wanting some scalps. I'm somewhat shocked that they even bothered calling this STAGECOACH as it owes very little to the John Ford film. Sure, the entire set up is the same but it seems this film was more interesting in dialogue than any sort of action or drama. I think a lot of people will hate this movie with a passion or turn it off at the half way point unless they're fans of the cast and if that's the case they'll probably be able to make it through simply on their charm. I've always found Cash to be a fairly good actor (see THE GUNFIGHT with Kirk Douglas) and he clearly steals the film with his down to earth qualities that really come off quite charming. I think he fit the role perfectly well and there's not a second where you see Johnny Cash but instead you see the character. Kristopherson also comes off pretty well as he should since he's the most credited member of the cast. Nelson, as Doc Holliday, isn't going to go down as one of the greatest to ever play the role but he's not too bad and he does manage to get a few laughs with that dry sense of humor. Jennings doesn't get as good of a role but he's not too bad either. Fans of the Ford film really shouldn't compare the two movies as they're clearly both trying to do something different. This film here just wants to be fun and the cast delivers that but I think the screenplay is still full of holes and I have to wonder why they waited until the very end of a 100-minute movie to throw in some action. I think the film would have been better had some been sprinkled in towards the start of the film. With that said, country music fans will certainly want to see these legends acting together in one film and we even get the title song sung by Nelson. Look fast for other country folks including June Carter Cash and David Allan Coe.

The acting is fine. The scenery is great. The plot is famous. The directing is good. The country music is fantastic. And if you can't watch Willy, Waylon, Kris, Johnny, and a great cast you should stick with the Hollywood crowd cause you don't understand fine movies by legendary entertainers of several skills. Personally, I love all these guys and they made a thousand movies I'd watch them all.

Some movies just shouldn't be remade. Gone With the Wind, Casablanca . . . and Stagecoach. For some reason, though, Hollywood can't keep its hands off it. It was remade (badly) in 1966, and this one is even worse. It looks like a bunch of wannabe cowboys with some money decided they could make a western better than John Ford could (Willie Nelson was the executive producer of this), and they couldn't possibly have been more wrong. Everything, absolutely EVERYTHING, about this movie is pathetic. Ted Post is normally a first-rate director, especially of westerns (he did most of the "Rawhide" series with Clint Eastwood), but he either had a really bad day, or (what seems to be more likely) everyone in the cast simply ignored what he told them; there doesn't appear to be any discipline at all in this film. Everybody keeps trying to out-ham everyone else, or they're either so laid-back they're practically comatose. The photography isn't particularly good, the editing is horrendous, the scenery around Old Tucson (where this was shot) is completely wasted . . . and on and on. A really sad waste of time and money. Skip it.

The original 'Stagecoach' from 1939 is to me a timeless classic and one of the finest westerns ever made. The 1966 film was a fair one, very much inferior and uneven and one questions the point of it but at the same time it had several big pluses to make it watchable.

Admittedly, when hearing of this 1986 film expectations were very low. As talented as these country and western stars are, the whole concept just screamed of one big gimmick that could easily have gone disastrously wrong. That it had a limited budget too further added to the intrepidation, which had potential to severely diminish the western atmosphere, which ideally should have excitement and tension which was likely not to happen with low-budget.

Seeing it, and judging it on its own merits, 'Stagecoach' (1986) turned out to be not as bad as expected with some serviceable things. As feared though, it is even more uneven than the 1966 version, has more (and bigger) flaws, it is a little gimmicky somewhat and even on its own merits many people (myself included) are likely to question the point of it or find any reason for it to be made in the first place.

Certainly, there are some good things. Things do pick up in the second half, where the pace is given a sharper kick and more happens while the build up to the climax and the climax itself are exciting and suspenseful. The soundtrack is infectious and a lot of fun, while the costumes suit the western genre well. Some of the performances are good. Anthony Newley clearly is enjoying himself in his brief appearance, while Tony Franciosa does his nervous act well, John Schneider is handsome and charismatic enough, Mary Crosby allures and Kris Kristofferson while not as charismatic as John Wayne has far more presence and likability (also appropriately stoic) than the wooden and vacuous Alex Cord.

However, Johnny Cash is somewhat stiff while both Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings look uncomfortable, Jennings actually looks as though he didn't want to be there and Nelson clearly had no idea how to portray the character. Elizabeth Ashley looks pained throughout too, exposing a limited acting ability, lack of experience and lack of connection with her character (which is admittedly not an interesting one in the first place).

Furthering hindering the film are in particular a long-winded and drawn-out script that veers on the preachy at times. The direction is pedestrian, aimless even in the first half and failing to inject any urgency until late into the film. The story lacks the fun and tension of especially the 1939 film, and lacks the necessary grit too making everything feel bland. It also really struggles to come to life in the first half, although improving in the climax and its build up. The limitations in budget hurt 'Stagecoach' (1986) also, with a choppy and drab look that was crying out for more majestic sweep and the production design looking like it was constructed in haste. This is sad because the scenery is actually quite nice.

On the whole, definitely could have been much worse but just didn't see the point. Interesting to see so many country and western stars together, who are very talented at what they do in their own way, but some fare significantly better than others while others flounder. 4/10 Bethany Cox