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Stagecoach
(1939)
In director John Ford's quintessential western:
- charismatic Ringo Kid's (John Wayne) specially-highlighted
entrance scene in which a tracking shot zoomed in as he was twirling
and re-cocking his Winchester rifle in one hand
- the great spectacular footage of Monument Valley
- the character study of six passengers on a stagecoach
and the seating of the group around a table at the Dry Fork way station
- with prejudice shown toward fallen woman Dallas (Claire Trevor)
- the delivery of Lucy's (Louise Platt) baby
- the great shot of the stagecoach dwarfed by Monument
Valley and the quick pan to the left to an awaiting group of Apache
Indians
- the lengthy ferocious Indian attack/salt flats chase
on the stagecoach as Ringo jumped onto the horses to steer the out-of-control
coach (with great, often-imitated stuntwork by Yakima Canutt)
- the cavalry rescue
- the climactic three-against-one shoot-out with the
Plummers (Ringo Kid blasted his gun directly into the camera) on
the dusty streets of a town
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