Destry Rides Again (1939)
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Destry Rides Again Movie Review
Destry Rides Again is a 1939 western film directed by George Marshall and starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. It is a surprisingly entertaining movie.
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“All I want is to be a cowboy
and to wear my own pants!“
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I usually do not care all that much for straightforward westerns so I was thrilled when I quickly realized what I got myself into here. Yes, this is not just a typical western flick, but a genuine comedy as well as a romance too. It has it all, and for the most part it really works.
Yes, I’ve seen this story many times before where a man comes to a lawless town to get it under control. I’ve visited these storytelling pools before, but still I liked it again because it’s very well-crafted and a lot of fun. The romantic or sensual moments really worked thanks to strong chemistry between the leads, but the comedy itself is terrific.
The movie features a plethora of characters, and most do not get their proper due unfortunately. I have never liked huge cast movies and those films which feature abundant characters and plot points, and certainly this one makes the mistake of being too short and too dense in those areas.
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However, the humor still worked splendidly as it’s very funny how they made fun of western conventions and “tough guys” with the slapstick in particular working tremendously well. I am of course talking about the fights, the curses and particularly that famous cat fight which was actually filmed as it happened for real between Dietrich and Una Merkel. That fact made the movie seem even more raw and real.
Speaking of Dietrich, she is the true star here, and not Stewart. Well, let’s talk about James first. I liked him as I always do, and he’s both very memorable, exceedingly likable and ultimately terrific in the titular role, but this is the regular go-to pacifist role for Stewart and I’ve simply seen him too many times in such a role before. So this one is great also, but not one of his most remarkable.
But back to Marlene Dietrich. While Stewart would revisit this genre a couple of decades later in much superior ‘The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance’, Dietrich I think never starred again in a western film so this role makes it a unique turn for her. Seeing her in such a movie was instantly intriguing, but she herself killed it here. Her Frenchy is just the right amount of crazy and ultimately endearing, and all of her scenes are frequently the best of the entire film. She’s so eclectic in this very different role for her.
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Again, I really liked some of the other characters, but they mostly serve to fulfill the comedic bits and parts here and there. And those are very funny, yes, but I wanted more meat to their personalities. As for the dialogue, it’s terrific, grounded in reality and sometimes even very amusing.
Destry Rides Again is also very well shot, well scored and well-made really across the board. The direction itself is just solid, and the pacing really could have been better, but for the most part this was a fun 90 minutes of old-fashioned Americana which for once treats the wild west in a comedic and more genuine instead of cool manner.
Destry Rides Again has too many characters, messy pacing and a somewhat familiar storyline, but it ultimately works because it’s so skillfully crafted in most areas. James Stewart is likable in his typically pacifist role and Marlene Dietrich killed it in such an unusual, but ultimately scene-stealing role for her. The flick is a lot of fun thanks to its more comedic and realistic approach with the western genre.
