Free Republic

I did not approach this article lightly. I actually went a little overboard in my journey to unveil the film’s mystique. Since we began our Wednesday Western journey a few months ago, "Stagecoach" has been on heavy rotation. Of the movies I watch obsessively, I have probably watched "Stagecoach" the most, or at least as much as " True Grit" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." It just never stops being profoundly beautiful. It’s not just the perfect Western; it might actually be the perfect movie. I read everything I could find, dove into the story as deeply as...

On Coachella’s website, the health and safety page cautions that “there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to COVID-19.” Though it is “strongly recommended,” California’s rules for outdoor mega events — like music or food festivals — don’t require verification of fully vaccinated status or pre-entry negative COVID-19 test results. In October last year, the festivals had already indicated that they wouldn’t be requiring vaccine proof, saying guests could also enter with a negative coronavirus test result. Now, test results won’t be required for entry either.

One question that has intrigued me for years is HOW did the John Ford movie starring John Wayne, "Stagecoach," make it past the censors in 1939. Back in those days the Hollywood Code was strictly enforced yet "Stagecoach" clearly featured a prostitute which would have been prohibited. Even worse, she was portrayed in a sympathetic light. Yeah, I know it did not explicitly say that Dallas the Prostitute, played by Clair Trevor, was a prostitute but the movie left no doubt that was the case. Particularly revealing was the scene in Lordsville when against her objections, the naive Ringo Kid...