Stagecoach (1966) is a pale remake of the original, and mediocre on its own. Actually, I would describe it as a pathetic remake.
What most sets the films apart is that there was moral commitment, whether for good or evil, in almost all the characters in the original. There is hardly any from anyone in this remake, whereas this provided the center of the original. There is here little but stereotyped buffoonery with no felt underlying moral stance. The moral setup is also lacking in that Dallas is now simply a dance hall girl unfairly victimized, instead of the prostitute of the original.
It would be impossible to reprise John Wayne's role, but, most importantly, he serves as the moral center of the earlier film. Alex Cord, however, is hardly anything but a cardboard, almost after thought presence, in setting the tone in the newer production.
Ann-Margaret and Bing Crosby are interesting to see and a cut above the rest of the cast. Van Heflin has presence at the sheriff, and Slim Pickens fulfills his role nicely.
Visually and otherwise, Gordon Douglas, the director, is no John Ford. This by itself, however, doesn't account for the great disparity between this remake and the original.
It's no accident, imo, that no DVD or VHS of this film is available.
**** minor spoilers ****
The best sequence in the new film is the chase of the stagecoach. The original's classic rescue by the calvary, however, is replaced with the stagecoach passengers now amazingly holding off the Indians themselves, shooting enough of them to constitute whole tribes.
The gunfight at the end is slightly above the standard where one overcomes many. It was, however, a virtue of the original that John Wayne's defeating his three vicious antagonists is off-screen. Better to keep unreality invisible where it can't be plausibly depicted. An understated, and therefore of more consequence, than the stereotyped victory of the good guy while maintaining the requirements, back then, of good triumphing
What most sets the films apart is that there was moral commitment, whether for good or evil, in almost all the characters in the original. There is hardly any from anyone in this remake, whereas this provided the center of the original. There is here little but stereotyped buffoonery with no felt underlying moral stance. The moral setup is also lacking in that Dallas is now simply a dance hall girl unfairly victimized, instead of the prostitute of the original.
It would be impossible to reprise John Wayne's role, but, most importantly, he serves as the moral center of the earlier film. Alex Cord, however, is hardly anything but a cardboard, almost after thought presence, in setting the tone in the newer production.
Ann-Margaret and Bing Crosby are interesting to see and a cut above the rest of the cast. Van Heflin has presence at the sheriff, and Slim Pickens fulfills his role nicely.
Visually and otherwise, Gordon Douglas, the director, is no John Ford. This by itself, however, doesn't account for the great disparity between this remake and the original.
It's no accident, imo, that no DVD or VHS of this film is available.
**** minor spoilers ****
The best sequence in the new film is the chase of the stagecoach. The original's classic rescue by the calvary, however, is replaced with the stagecoach passengers now amazingly holding off the Indians themselves, shooting enough of them to constitute whole tribes.
The gunfight at the end is slightly above the standard where one overcomes many. It was, however, a virtue of the original that John Wayne's defeating his three vicious antagonists is off-screen. Better to keep unreality invisible where it can't be plausibly depicted. An understated, and therefore of more consequence, than the stereotyped victory of the good guy while maintaining the requirements, back then, of good triumphing