Aside from a particularly heinous black-maid role, Destry Rides Again is as close to perfect as a movie gets. We've got Jimmy Stewart sunbathing in the glow of his own Jimmy Stewart-ness. We've got Marlene Dietrich dancing on bars, smashing bottles, and rolling on the floor with another woman. We've got understated direction, beautiful cinematography, and a script that somehow manages to be heartwarming, satirical, action-filled, and incredibly funny all at once.
Judging by the list of writers given credit for Destry, I imagine another thing we've got here is a Casablanca-style accident: everything works because no one had time to figure out all the reasons why it shouldn't. The result is strikingly original, completely entertaining, and quite simply an all-time classic.
If Douglas Sirk made a western he might have done it something like Destry. I felt similar emotions watching Destry as I did All That Heaven Allows, or The Magnificent Obsession. Silliness abounds but all the characters have dark secrets, something inside them that drives them to either succeed or fail. Like a classic melodrama but unusual for a western of its period, the majority of Destry takes place indoors, with specific set pieces taking on a life their own. The female character asserts her struggle for independence in completely irrational ways, and despite the seemingly happy ending she never really comes to terms with the source of her problems.
There are so many unexpected surprises in this film, most gentle and unassuming. The immigrant character that salvages his marriage and his life when given the opportunity to contribute to the community. The slightly effeminate, overweight bartender--full of resentment but resigned to his post--comes straight out of a Billy Wilder movie, where even the smallest roles become complete characters.
Dietrich's songs are magnificent. Her performance is spotty at times--I believe it is her character that most clearly suggests a script altered many times during production. One wonders if she was pulled in too many directions at once. Stewart on the other hand, blesses the film with supreme confidence. This is the kind of role Jimmy could have done in his sleep, and while most actors would have succombed to the temptation, Stewart executes with the comic-timing and precision of a master.
Destry Rides Again is one of the few universally likeable films that has escaped the public consciousness. Perhaps because the director is not a name, more likely because western comedies are often dismissed as trivial. The finest year in Hollywood history gets a little finer with this addition to the list. Destry is worthy of my very best compliment: there is no better way to end a bad day than to curl up with a movie like this.
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