Tom Destry, son of a legendary frontier peacekeeper, doesn’t believe in gunplay. Thus he becomes the object of widespread ridicule when he rides into the wide-open town of Bottleneck, the personal fiefdom of the crooked Kent.
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Reviews
talisencrw
9
By talisencrw
This was very interesting and I enjoyed it significantly. It's weird watching very early James Stewart--he's not what one would consider a conventional romantic male lead--and this is a very bizarre Western/comedy/musical. Anything starring Dietrich of this vintage is priceless, no doubt. Very weird, especially considering America's ever-present right-to-bear-arms controversy, watching a film like this, too. A purely magical film that's essential to own and re-watch for any Stewart, Dietrich or Western enthusiasts--and a strong reason why 1939 was the greatest year ever for American cinema.
CinemaSerf
7
By CinemaSerf
Brian Donlevy ("Kent") and Malrene Dietrich ("Frenchy") pretty much run the town of Bottle Neck. Everyone comes to their saloon where they blow off steam and where she regularly serenades them with some toe-tappers. Upstairs, "Kent" runs a crooked poker game and together they fleece gullible old "Claggett" out of his ranch. He goes to the sheriff who promises to intercede, and pretty soon the town drunk has a new job! This new sheriff "Dimsdale" (Charles Winninger) worked for the original "Destry" back in the day, so determined to clean up the town for good, he sends for his son "Tom" (James Stewart). Nobody is prepared for the rather dapper gent who disembarks from the stage without a gun. Everyone assumes he is going to be a bit of a washout, but of course there is more than one way to skin a cat - as we are about to discover. Stewart is on good form in this much more subtle and enjoyable western. He plays a perfect foil to the undoubted star in Marlene Dietrich whose face just lights up the screen, and whose voice with "See what the boys in the backroom..." and "Little Joe" has that legendary tone to it that has this raucous crowd eating out of her hand. There is a solid and entertaining supporting cast, and though the conclusion is maybe a bit rushed, it all ends the only way it can and Emmeline Pankhurst would have been proud.
