Destry Rides Again

• Directed by George Marshall
• December 29, 1939 (US)
• Suggested by Max Brand’s 1930 novel Destry Rides Again

The son of a legendary lawman tames the town of Bottleneck which includes the local sultry saloon singer.

Destry Rides Again is certainly a starring vehicle for Marlene Dietrich as local saloon singer Frenchy though it features a star making performance for Jimmy Stewart as Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson “Tom” Destry Jr. When we first see Stewart as Destry he is the kind of Jimmy Stewart you would expect. Charming, maybe sly, and witty. A clearly intelligent person who is occasionally reaching for his words. Destry has a folksy story for just about every situation. He’s affable yet he’s not a pushover. Destry is not the manliest man, but he is this strongest man. He has personal strength and strong principles that he adheres to.

Dietrich just oozes sexuality as Frenchy. I do chuckle that she is implied to be Cajun in order to explain away her thick German accent. This was decades before Ahnuld could be a lifelong resident of Nashville, TN and nobody would question his accent. She knows how to turn the head of a man.

Frenchy has taken up residence in the town of Bottleneck and she and a handful of others have come up with a land scheme to charge anyone driving cattle through the area. Through a combination of local corruption and general brains along with brawn her and her friends have a firm grasp on things and are well on their way to success at the start of the film. 

There is a distinct connection between Frenchy and Destry. It never gets to quite full-blown romance though he does change her heart to the side of good. They are on opposite sides of the law after and he knows once everything is all said and done she’ll be facing some consequences as well.

What this does differently from other Westerns is that the hero is not a rootin’ tootin’ gun toting, quick shooting individual. Destry is certainly more capable than most of handling a gun. He chooses to go around unarmed because of personal reasons. He’s not there to solve every situation with fisticuffs and bullets. His goal is to bring law and order to the town of Bottleneck by adherence to the law and procedure. Through a mixture of charm and whit he often gets the best possible outcome if not a good outcome. That is until the finale and you need something that devastates the criminals. Anywho…

He understands that the only way to truly stop them and end the threat is to expose what really happened to the previous sheriff. He knows that the man is dead but has no proof. Once that proof comes, he can connect it to villains of the story. 

Like many movies of the day this contains a mixture of humor and drama. Unlike other movies from around this time the swing is not as wild. It definitely is a little more into comedy than it does anything serious. Destry is a deputy and the marshal that hires him who was also a friend of his father is most definitely the comic relief throughout the movie though even he has serious moments.

The more older films I watch the more I love the economy of story in each and every one. They establish the characters in the scenario and waste little to no time with extra. It’s all about getting from Point A to Point B in a way that makes sense and entertains. They knew how to do set up much more effectively than most do today.

There’s one song called “Little Joe the Wrangler” sung by Marlene Dietrich. After viewing I found it stuck in my brain. It’s catchy and bouncy. Or maybe it’s stuck there because it does bookend the film. The man who brought Destry to town, Sheriff Washington “Wash” Dimsdale (Charles Winninger) doesn’t make it to the end of the movie, but he was very front and center singing it at points. In the closing of the story it serves as a bittersweet reminder of the character. 

And that’s one more thing that stands out about this movie for the time. The ending is not unrealistically joyous nor is it oppressively downbeat. There are real consequences for the characters in this movie. It’s not a one-off adventure, but something with permanent ramifications. And those that do make it through-namely Destry-are changed maybe even just a little.

Destry Rides Again is a great film that returned Dietrich to the top and certified Jimmy Stewart as a star. It has action and comedy and is a great treat for Western fans!