Destry (1954)

[Scott]

DESTRY (1954) - Good Western starring Audie Murphy in the sequel 15 years after DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939). Murphy plays the son of Destry and does a very good job of playing Jimmy Stewart's character only as the son. Murphy comes into town after a land grabbing saloon owner kills the sheriff and the new sheriff sends for Destry's son to help clean up the riff raff. When he arrives he doesn't wear any guns and is helping a lady with her bird cage. Little by little he shows them just how methodical he is. Western fans should definately check out this film. There is a wild catfight near the beginning of the film.

(8 out of 10 Stars)  Really enjoyed this film. 

[Raffine]

Actually, it's a remake of DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, not a sequel.  And James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, et. al. are sorely missed by me. That fight between Dietrich and Una Merkel in the original has to be one of the greatest in screen history!

There was even an earlier version from 1932 starring Tom Mix and Tony the Wonder Horse. In 1959 there was a Broadway musical version starring Andy Griffith as Destry, and in the early 60's there was a Destry tv series starring John Gavin.

We're long overdue for another version of Destry.

[indianasmith]

Audie Murphy was from my home town - we have a huge statue of him.  A decent actor, and the most highly decorated American combat soldier of WWII - 22 decorations for valor!

[Scott]

The story is rather similiar with Destry and the dancing girl. Even the bar fight is copies to some degree. Destry is really Jimmy Stewart's best character ever and Audie Murphy did a good job also.

What town are you from IndianaSmith?

[BoyScoutKevin]

I've seen both the version with Jimmy Stewart and Audie Murphy. The Jimmy Stewart one is superior, but this one with Audie Murphy is not bad for a remake.

What I always hated about this remake, was seeing Edgar Buchanan get shot. He always came across, to me, as such a lovable old cuss, that I always hated to see him get shot, either as one of the villains, as in this film, or as one of the good guys, as in "Rawhide."

Please no more remakes, but I did see that a decade after this film was released, "Destry Rides Again," was made into a short lived television series called "Destry" w/ John Gavin as the title character.

[Scott]

A good Western like this one will always bring BoyScoutKevin out of the woodwork. 

I was surprised I didn't even know about this one till a co-worker let me borrow it recently. The 50's did have some good Westerns. There was a time that I wasn't that fond of the Westerns from the 50's, but I've changed my mind after seeing a number of good ones over the Summer like DESTRY and a bunch of Anthony Mann films.