Nine strangers board a stagecoach bound for Lordsburg, by choice like Mr. Peacock (Donald Meek) the whiskey salesman, by happy coincidence like Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell) the drunk, because they're running away like Mr. Gatewood the banker (Berton Churchill), because they're running towards something like Mrs. Mallory (Louise Platt) the soldier's wife, or Hatfield (John Carradine) the gambler, for vengeance like the Ringo Kid (John Wayne), for justice like Marshal Wilcox (George Bancroft), because they were paid to like Buck (Andy Devine) the driver, or because they were run out of town like Dallas (Claire Trevor) the prostitute. Nine people in cramped conditions under the constant threat of attack by famed Apache warrior Geronimo, each with their own secret.
Unlike the majority of Westerns that came after, this is not a homogenous narrative of White People Good, Indians Bad. It's a story of outsiders, people on the fringe of society. Geronimo is a boogeyman here, a name on the wind. Yes, the main cast is all white, but all the Native Americans are played by actual Native Americans, and all the Mexicans are played by actual Hispanic people which is better than most productions from that time. I'm not going to sit here and say it's not racist because how could it not be? But it was at least making an effort.
John Wayne is the big name but this was early enough in his career that he mostly has a supporting role in the ensemble. Claire Trevor is the powerhouse in this film and she carries the vast majority of the emotional connection with the audience, but no one is miscast here. Every story has weight and every character feels fully realized. That is really hard to do in a nine-person ensemble without pacing problems but the script is so tight, it never feels like it's rushed. The denouement does lose a little momentum but your tolerance for that may vary.
It's currently streaming on (sigh) Max and the Criterion Channel for money, Roku, Crackle, and Tubi for free, and Hoopla with a library card. Give it a shot, even if you don't typically like Westerns or John Wayne.
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