Every week we highlight one film airing on Turner Classic Movies. This is an especially good week. It’s been tough to choose just one. Check the schedule to see what’s playing. This week’s pick is the film that made John Wayne a star – John Ford’s Stagecoach.

Westerns were nothing new in 1939. Hollywood had been making them for years. Since the very beginning in fact. What made Stagecoach different was that it was one of the first to be treated as more than just a “B” picture. Filmed on location in Monument Valley (Ford’s favorite location), Stagecoach follows the story of several different people from different walks of life as they share a Stagecoach ride through indian country.

There is some great action in this film, but it’s the characters that really shine. John Wayne is amazing as the misunderstood outlaw Ringo Kid, but this is a true ensemble piece. Every actor shines in his or her respective roles. Definitely check this one out. And stick around all night for an evening of John Ford westerns.

Stagecoach (1939) – Tuesday, May 4 at 8:00pm EST
A group of disparate passengers battle personal demons and each other while racing through Indian country.
Cast: Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine, John Carradine Dir: John Ford BW-96 mins, TV-G