Episode 48: Stagecoach (1939)
"If there's anything I don't like, it's driving a stagecoach through Apache country." It just doesn't get more American than John Ford. Starting his career during the silent film era, Ford soon became the father of the American Western, from silent epics like The Iron Horse (1924) to classics like The Searchers (1956). Stagecoach (1939) is the first film Ford made starring John Wayne, and it was a partnership that would last throughout both men's careers. Although Stagecoach is a Western at heart, it's also a fascinating little character study, plucking several seemingly unrelated and different people and having them interact. Thomas Mitchell won an Oscar for his portrayal of the drunken Doc Boone. Have a comment or question for the host? Email Sean at 1001moviespodcast@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter at @1001MoviesPC, and look for the podcast's Facebook page.