Mike-764 Review of Destry Rides Again

Destry Rides Again (1939)

This film reminds me of a fella I once knew.......

[10/10 · 6 December 2004]

Gambling hall owner Kent practically runs the rowdy town of Bottleneck and is driving all the ranchers and homesteaders to ruin by imposing tariffs on all cattle passing through and acquiring ranches through poker games, where Kent has his main saloon hall girl Frenchy work the cheating. One of the ranchers who lost his place in a game gets the sheriff to confront Kent, but is killed and the body disposed of. Needing a sheriff, Kent appoints Washington Dimsdale, the town drunk, to the position thinking he'll be a yes man, but Dimsdale takes the position seriously, saying he'll send for the son of the famous law man Tom Destry as a deputy. Destry, Jr. arrives, but to the dismay of Dimsdale he is a peaceful, anecdote reciting man. Destry has an idea of what's going on and tells Dimsdale that Kent and his mob can be legally rounded up pending they find the body of the late sheriff. Tom, Dimsdale, and Boris (hen-pecked wife of the owner of the boarding house) trick Kent into revealing the location of the body, and arrest Gyp Watson for the murder. Kent has the crooked Judge Slade preside over the murder case, but Tom sends for a federal judge to take the case. Kent knows now that he must free Watson from jail before he will talk. Excellent movie from start to finish with great and lively performances by the entire cast, spirited direction from Marshall, enjoyable script (nice anecdotes from Stewart), and great musical numbers. One highlight of the film is the barroom catfight between Frenchy (Dietrich) and Callhan (Merkel). Rating, 10.