JLRVancouver Bear with the silly and dated 'yuks' of the first few minutes of the film (in which the lawlessness of 'Bottleneck' is established) - once Destry steps out of the coach (parasol and canary in hand) the film takes off. Jimmy Stewart plays Jimmy Stewart in a cowboy hat, Marlene Dietrich plays Marlene Dietrich in a dance-hall dress, and both are marvellous. The story, which has "No-gun Destry", son of a legendary, tough, fast-shooting sheriff, taking on the local black-hats using just his wits and the rule of law (mostly), is clever and well scripted. The supporting characters are good, especially Brian Donlevy's slimy-smooth 'Kent' and Una Merkel's bossy 'Lily Belle'. Destry's fellow lawmen, Wash (Charles Winninger ) and Boris (Mischa Auer) are played a little broadly (e.g. lots of pop-eyes and 'double takes') for my taste, but the on-going jokes about Boris' pants and name are pretty funny. The movie takes a bit of a darker turn entering the third act, but the climatic showdown is whimsical, with a great twist on the traditional barroom brawl. Like most films of the era, "Destry Rides Again" shows its age, but only in a few scenes, and Stewart's meandering, laconic delivery is timeless. I like Jimmy Stewart's numerous westerns and only wish that he had capped his Western career with one outing as a (really, really) bad guy, like his buddy Henry Fonda did in "Once Upon a Time in the West".

Prismark10 This is a hybrid comedy western musical but to me it is rather dark as people are cheated out of their land, shot dead but it has a few laughs and the butt of the joke is James Stewart.He plays Tom Destry jr, the new deputy in Bottleneck, sent for by elderly family friend Dimsdale who has been appointed as sheriff as the last one was shot dead for asking too many awkward questions.Dimsdale worked under Destry's father who was a famous and feared lawman. Bottleneck is overrun by the likes of Kent (Brian Donleavy) a wicked landowner with a vicious mob who cheat people out of their land in a rigged game of cards. Kent is helped out here by Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich) the local saloon singer and good time girl. He also has the town mayor on his side.They initially find Destry to be a figure of fun, even a coward. He does not carry a gun for a start and seems to be an easy going country hick. They soon find out that Destry is here to enforce law and order and willing to use guile and cunning before he reaches for a gun.Stewart uses his easy charm for full effect, Dietrich is great as Frenchy but she is really a bad girl as she is in cahoots with Kent so you know she is never going to get it on properly with Destry despite the flirting. Her character and the film really did inspire Blazing Saddles.Still despite the levity it does lead to a violent showdown. The film did introduce a seamy side to westerns with glamorous sexy females rather than spunky tom boys. It just does not feel like a spoof to me or a comic western but it is enjoyable without being po-faced.

Byrdz It's a FUN film from start to finish. Jimmy Stewart - Marlene Dietrich - Brian Donlevey - Charles Winniger - Micha Auer and a gaggle of classic character actors hanging out in the Last Chance Saloon in the rough, tough town of Bottleneck. Who could ask for anything more ? Well, if you insist on more, there is the classic cat fight with Marlene and Una Merkel that left them both bruised for weeks. There's a mighty large fight at the end with all of the townsfolk, the bad guys and the women folk of the town involved. The town has a awful large population at this point. It looks like Times Square on New Years eve only with broom and mops.Dietrich SINGS a couple of songs including "See What the Boys in the Back Room Will Have" and she square dances with Stewart. this alone is worth a peek. If you somehow have not seen this one ... make an effort to find it. It's worth the search.

jc-osms Yet another classic from Hollywood's most golden year, 1939, a highly entertaining light- hearted Western which sees James Stewart's Tom Destry Jr, son of a renowned but slain lawman, recruited by his pa's old deputy, the now alcoholic Wash (played in the style of Oliver Hardy) by Charles Winninger to clean up the god-forsaken town of Bottleneck way out west, coming up against the shifty mayor-come-judge, played by and the town's Mr Big, Joseph Kent played with his usual vigour by Brian Dunlevy. Kent's sometime girlfriend and willing accomplice in his nefarious plans, is bar-room entertainer tart-with-a-heart Frenchy (well they could hardly have called her German-y) by the irrepressible Marlene Dietrich, her eyes (and thighs!) flashing everywhere.It actually takes Stewart over twenty minutes to arrive on screen, as we're introduced to top-billed Deitrich's feisty nature and see her drinking what the boys in the back are having, sing raucous songs and help Dunlevy to cheat ordinary townsfolk out of their home and land so that he can create a new, highly profitable cattle run to exploit. Young Destry seems on the slow and simple side at first, allowing himself to be the butt of Dunlevy and his henchmen but as usual with Stewart, softly softly catchy monkey and wrongs are righted by the final curtain.Both stars are great, Deitrich's journey from hard-nosed to vulnerable essayed very skilfully while Stewart just drawls and moseys along in his time-honoured. They contrast and combine beautifully while Brian Dunlevy is also very good as the counterbalancing ruthless criminal kingpin who's due his just desserts.Director George Marshall directs with verve and although one or two of the supporting characters seem a little too eccentric, particularly Russian émigré "Don't call me Callahan", it's all great fun with many memorable scenes, including Deitrich's musical numbers, Stewart's first display of his gun-toting skill and of course the celebrated, no-holds barred cat-fight between Deitrich and Una Merkel.This is a great rollicking, roistering Western like they don't make 'em any more, more's the pity.