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April 24, 2014
Enter the Ringo Kid.
Every actor in in westerns could twirl a pistol, so that was out. Besides, the script specified a rifle cocked quickly with one hand, but later in the scene than what Ford was planning. In addition, Ford wanted him to do something flashy, but it couldn’t happen too quickly for the audience to take it in. All the possibilities seemed to cancel each other out. - - Never Yet Melted
Posted by gerardvanderleun at April 24, 2014 1:51 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
Stagecoach is just an amazingly well done movie anyway. Its one of Wayne and Ford's best, despite being so early in their careers.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 24, 2014 2:05 PM
There's scene in "The Searchers" where Ethan (Duke) decides too much talkin' has taken place and action is required as for the proper dispatch in the here after of a dead indian, so while on horseback, he pulls his pistol and twirls it in mid air before firing 2 rounds into the eye sockets of the indian dooming him to ever wander the ether in vain. He pulled and twirled effortlessly while controlling that steed as if he'd done it thousands of times. Take a look, it's worth it, and it's in the front third.
Posted by: ghostsniper at April 24, 2014 7:06 PM
I love that scene. Its a really harsh scene that is kind of shocking that John Wayne is playing such a brutal character.
Wayne was wrangling horses and doing long range riding shots for movies before they even cast him in a speaking part, he was a regular centaur. By the Searchers, he had like 80 cowboy movies under his belt so it probably was old hat to him.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 24, 2014 8:16 PM
HA! He said centaur. Very appropriate.
Posted by: ghostsniper at April 25, 2014 4:13 AM