Cheap Destry Rides Again (DVD) (Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart) (George Marshall) Price

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Customer Reviews of Destry Rides Again

Another Great Film Produced in 1939
In DESTRY RIDES AGAIN Jimmy Stewart is an easygoing deputy sheriff trying to clean up a corrupt frontier town without much help from his drunken boss. The movie has everything. It has action, suspense, comedy, romance and at least one very memorable song by Marlene Dietrich who plays a dance hall singer. Charles Winninger is the alcoholic sheriff and Brian Donlevy owns the dance hall which spawns most of the trouble in the area.

Marlene Dietrich is the sparkle which makes this film far superior to most other westerns and she is the reason it will remain a classic for a long time. A strong supporting cast includes Samuel S. Hines, Jack Carson, Mycha Auer and Allen Jenkins.

The movie received no Oscar nominations undoubtedly because of the stiff competition provided by its numerous first-class competitors in 1939 such as GONE WITH THE WIND. George Marshall also directed YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN starring W.C. Fields in that same year.

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Marlene Goes Out West
It's hard to imagine Marlene Dietrich starring in a Western, but oddly enough it works - and it works well. James Stewart stars as Tom Destry, the son of a famous lawman, who is brought into an out of control town to restore law and order. One look at the tall, gangling boy scout has everyone laughing at the folly of it. Among those laughing is tough saloon singer Dietrich, who's opinion of him soon changes. Destry Rides Again mixes comedy with typical Western action, and does so to good effect. Both Stewart and Dietrich are great in tailor-made roles. Dietrich is famous for singing the "Boys in the Backroom" song, and I must confess I don't understand why her singing is so well remembered, other than to politely say that it is certainly unique. Mischa Auer is very funny in a supporting role as one of Stewart's sidekicks, and Dietrich has a well staged and memorable cat fight with Una Merkel that is a highlight of the film. Fans of the stars or the Western genre will want to check this film out, since it is unusual, well made, and a real classic.

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DESTRY RUNS INTO TROUBLE ON DVD!
"Destry Rides Again" is a five star, ten gallon hat of an adventure that casts gangly James Stewart as the unassuming Marshall of a lawless town. At first, Tom Destry's unassuming good nature pegs him as a push over amongst the criminal element in the neighborhood, as well as by the spurious ladies of the evening, fronted by the erotic intercontinental harlot, Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich). However, very soon Destry begins to reassert his power as the law of the land - a pivotal epiphany that leads to violence and death. There's also some great comedy to be had - particularly in a scene in which Destry decides to cool Frenchy off - literally, by soaking her with some ice water. Dietrich's rendition of "See What The Boys In The Backroom'll Have" proves why she was the toast of Berlin cabarets for many years before coming to Hollywood. The forgotten Mischa Auer co-stars as Boris - a simple-minded philanderer in a comedic subplot, who gets his comeuppance in the end. Jack Carson, Una Merkel and Charles Winninger also give credible performances.
THE TRANSFER: The genuine disappointment is that Universal doesn't quite understand they have a winner in this film. The transfer is so terribly marred by fading, age related artifacts and a poorly balanced print that there is very little to recommend this film on DVD. Contrast levels appear under exposed during night scenes and slightly over exposed elsewhere. There's a glaring and distracting amount of film grain present throughout the transfer that really distracts from the visual style and performances. Fine detail is lost in most scenes. Rarely does the quality of this disc surpass mediocrity. The audio is mono and fairly presented, though the critical ear will note distortions present.
EXTRAS: As usual for Universal classics - NONE!
BOTTOM LINE: This film should be seen because it is a gem among westerns - just not in its current condition!