Stagecoach

The iconic characters of Ernest Haycox's Stage To Lordsburg is given yet another remake with four country/western legends in the cast. Kris Kristofferson is the Ringo Kid, with Johnny Cash as the US Marshal, Willie Nelson is Doc Holiday, and Waylon Jennings as the gambler Hatfield. It's not the desert poetical version that John Ford made, but this can hold its own.

As you can see the doctor on the trip is the famous true life Doc Holiday instead of the inebriated former Union Army surgeon that Thomas Mitchell won an Oscar playing in the first version. There are other plot changes as well.

However without the showdown of Ringo Kid with Luke Plummer and the Apache attack on the moving coach this would not be Stagecoach and rest assured it is most definitely included. They are staged well if different from the 1939 and 1966 versions.

Others in the cast are John Schneider as the driver and he's not the comic figure that Andy Devine was. Anthony Newley is the whiskey salesman and Anthony Franciosa is the banker Gatewood who makes a very sudden decision to travel just as in the original.

The women are Elizabeth Ashley as Dallas the saloon girl and Mary Crosby plays the pregnant army captain's wife Mrs. Mallory. Her father Bing Crosby was Doc Boone in the 1966 remake.

The quartet of legends makes this one really work.

While watching this film, I was really wanting to enjoy the experience. All my favorite country singers were assembled into a cast that would make any fan of music quiver with anticipation. But soon into the film it was obvious that the quiver turned into shivers as most of the acting was low-quality.

The idea for the story was actually a nice idea. But what was missing was someone that could write a teleplay that would bring the idea to life and make the story interesting. In this movie, nothing seemed to gel. The writing was weak and the words delivered by people that really were not actors.

Johnny Cash, who is one of my all time favorite singers, was stiff as a board and seemed to be reading the lines with little, if any, emotion. Willie Nelson was nearly shameful playing Doc Holliday and having him deliver a baby was absolutely embarrassing and painful to watch. Throw in Waylon Jennings that seemed mortified to be on camera and you have a cast that brings nothing to the table. With the weak script and the poor acting- this movie never had a chance.

I will credit Kris Kristofferson, John Schneider and Elizabeth Ashley with their acting ability as they are the bright spots in this dismal cast. Even Anthony Newley and Mary Crosby did a nice job with their character but it was not enough to help the unfortunate situation.

It was a movie I so wanted to enjoy but felt uncomfortable the entire time. Not sure anything could have helped this troubled project.

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.

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.

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.