Stagecoach

Here is one of the best westerns ever made, possibly the best of all time. The only one that comes to mind that might beat it out is The Searchers, also a John Wayne/John Ford collaboration. In fact, Wayne (who I didn’t like much as a man) is in most of the top ten on my own list. When he had a good script, a part he could sink his teeth into, and a good horse to ride, the man was unbeatable. And what a supporting cast, with Clair Trevor, Andy Devine, John Carradine, and Thomas Mitchell. It was a career-changer, too. Before this, Wayne was the star of an endless series of B-movie westerns, which were a box office staple at the time. After this, he was a star.