Destry Rides Again

Released in 1939 and starring James Stewart alongside Marlene Dietrich, Destry Rides Again is one of the more popular westerns I knew very little about before watching. Westerns of this time were a dime a dozen and the quality wasn't always there as studios knew money was to be made, a bit like the superhero genre today, and so I went into this cautiously knowing that I still had Stewart who was already a reliable leading man by this point.

Set during an undisclosed time in the old west, Stewart plays Destry Jr. who has been called in to help bring a frontier town out of its lawless ways following the murder of its former sheriff by the town's saloon owner. Dietrich plays the glamorous saloon singer who tries to lure Destry away from getting involved in a war he can't win but he is determined bring all accountable to justice without carrying a gun. 

In writing it all sounds very serious but Destry Rides Again is played more as a comedy with plenty of comedic flirtatious moments between the two leads. A stoic John Wayne western this ain't. This is a bustling town that is thriving with opportunity and a far cry from the deprived settlements seen in A Fistful of Dollars. And it is perfectly enjoyable to watch with fun performances from Stewart and Dietrich who are great together in this 95 minute flick that is best enjoyed on a lazy afternoon. 

Destry Rides Again uses broad strokes to paint its archetypal cast of characters and it doesn't reinvent the wheel but will make this easily accessible to anyone who doesn't mind the creaky genre or black-and-white films. I wouldn't go out of your way to watch this but the US National Film Registry selected it for preservation and if you catch it on TV then prepare a cup of tea and enjoy.