[Quick Summary: Under the threat of a possible ambush by Geronimo, a group of stagecoach passengers work together on their journey to safety.]
THE DIRECTOR: This is the film that made Hollywood forever notice director John Ford.* The action! The spectacular vistas! The drama!
However, he couldn't have done this film without:
1) the short story by Ernest Haycox; and
2) screenwriter Dudley Nichols** to adapt it and juggle the storylines of 7 actors.
THE SHORT STORY: Ford's son first read this short story in Collier's and told his dad about it. If you ever have writer's block, read this for its pacing alone.
THE SCRIPT: Once you read the short story, you'll see what a wonderful job Nichols did to fill in the holes.
First, he flesh out each character's background, which was thin. Second, he created situations for them to interact and pull together, which also was absent.
My favorite scenes looks bland on the page, but is elevated in the hands of director John Ford:
- The stagecoach has stumbled upon the Ringo Kid (John Wayne), a stranded outlaw. The marshal on board insists he come with them to a rest stop.
- Ringo has connected with another outsider, Dallas, a female passenger of ill-repute.
- At the rest stop, Dallas helps another pregnant passenger have her baby. Afterwards, she walks outside for some air, and Ringo starts to follow her.
- Before he goes outside, his friend Chris, the Mexican station manager, warns him of upcoming danger.
- This scene may seem so-so written here, but I urge you to see it in the film because it's clearer there that Ringo's attention is torn between his heart and his head.
...Dallas comes out of a door father down the passage, putting a shawl round her shoulders, and walks down the corridor away from camera without seeing Ringo. Ringo starts to follow her. Just before he reaches her, Chris comes out of another door carrying a lamp. Ringo stops. [This is the moment where head and heart clash.]
Chris, seen from the side holding the lamp, stands close up to Ringo, his manner secretive.
CHRIS (in a low, warning voice): Kid, I know why you go to Lordsburg, Kid. I like you. I knew your poppa. He was a good friend of mine. If you know who's in Lordsburg you stay away...I think.
RINGO (guardedly): You mean Luke Plummer?
He lights his cigarette from Chris's lamp.
CHRIS: Luke...Ike...Hank... all there together. I saw them.
A wild shine comes into Ringo's eyes and he grips Chris's arm eagerly.
RINGO: You sure of that, Chris?
CHRIS: Sure I can tell you the truth.
As Chris nods, Ring's eyes gleam.
RINGO: Thanks, Chris. That's all I wanted to know.
He moves away towards the door, watched by Chris.
CHRIS: You crazy if you go...I think. You stay away, Kid. Three against one no good.
Ringo takes no notice and goes outside.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The script seems like it's no big deal that "Chris comes out of another door."
However, add this to Ford's actual staging (Ringo goes down a hall and is stopped when Chris comes out of a hall/door to the left), and it's really effective psychologically.
Stagecoach (1939)***
by Dudley Nichols and Ben Hecht
Based on the short story, "Stage to Lordsburg," by Ernest Haycox
*I find this ironically funny because Ford had already won an Oscar for best director in 1936 for The Informer, yet he didn't seem to gain any ground from it. He was again nominated for best director for Stagecoach, but didn't win.
**Nichols was a four time Oscar nominee. He won his only Oscar for the script of The Informer (1935), which was also John Ford's first Oscar for best director.
**This script has been published in several forms: anthology (Nichols edited); script and the short story by Haycox; script alone (online).
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