Directed by George Marshall • 1939 • United States
Starring Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Mischa Auer
Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart ride high in this superb comedic western, both a boisterous spoof and a shining example of its genre. As the brawling, rough-and-tumble saloon singer Frenchy, Dietrich shed her exotic love-goddess image and launched a triumphant career comeback, while Stewart cemented his amiable everyman persona, in his first of many westerns, with a charming turn as a gun-abhorring deputy sheriff who uses his wits to bring law and order to the frontier town of Bottleneck. A sparkling script, a supporting cast of virtuoso character actors, and rollicking musical numbers—delivered with unmatched bravado by the magnetic Dietrich—come together to create an irresistible, oft-imitated marvel of studio-era craftsmanship.
In this interview, shot in 2020, film critic Imogen Sara Smith discusses the blend of genres on display in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, as well as the unconventional gender roles the film provides for its stars, Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.
In this interview, shot in 2020, Donald Dewey, author of “James Stewart: A Biography,” discusses DESTRY RIDES AGAIN in the context of Stewart’s long acting career.
Director George Marshall recorded this oral history of his silent film career for the American Film Institute in 1973. It is presented here with images from the films he discusses.
