All legends may die, but some are sure to live forever. With the passing of legendary country music star and actorKris Kristofferson, it’s easy to want to jump back into some of his older material. Whether it was his solo albums, Western pictures, or other collaborative works, Kristofferson left an impact on the entertainment industry that won’t be so easily forgotten. On one occasion, he combined some of his most notable accomplishments into one made-for-TV movie alongside outlaw country heroJohnny Cash. Somehow,these two convinced CBS to let them remakethe John Ford classicStagecoachwith a few of their friends, and the results are, well, made exclusively for television.
On paper, this movie sounds like it should be unforgettable. Alongside Kristofferson, who plays the outlaw Ringo Kid, who wasonce made famous byJohn Wayne, are his three amigos in The Highwaymen quartet.Willie Nelson, also an executive producer on the picture, stars as Doc Holliday (replacingThomas Mitchell’s Doc Boone character from the 1939 original). Alongside him isWaylon Jennings, who played the gambler Hatfield. According toThe New York Times, the project started because Waylon Jennings was told he’d make a good Ringo Kid in aStagecoachremake, but when he and his buddies decided to make it happen, Kristofferson ended up in the coveted role instead. The Man in Black himself also stars, this time as the lawman Marshal Curly Wilcox. Cash, of course, had his own fascinating film career,which included appearances onWagon TrainandLittle House on the Prairieback in the day. Often appearing with him on camera wasJune Carter Cash, who likewise shows up here. Additionally,John Schneider, a friend of Cash’s and a fellow country artist best known for his role onDukes of Hazzardand laterSmallville, played the stage driver.With a group like that,Stagecoachshould’ve been a sure-fire success.
It’s hard not to compare this 1986 remake to the original film, made nearly 50 years prior.John Wayne and John Fordshowed the world that they’d be one of the best filmmaking duos with this film, telling a thrilling, well-paced, and even better-acted adventure that highlighted the dangers of the American frontier. Wayne, in particular, is a bright spot in the film, and while Kristofferson had previously proven in bothA Star Is Bornand the critically pannedHeaven’s Gatethat he has some acting chops of his own, he’s not quite a match for the Duke. There are some worthwhile moments in Cash and Kristofferson’sStagecoach, of course. The action is generally exciting, and, more than anything,it’s fun to see this quartet play cowboy together on the (understandably small) screen, but even that doesn’t much warrant this movie’s existence. With a slow drawl that keeps viewers in their seats a bit longer than desired and a script that feels like it had been left out a bit too long to dry, the made-for-TVStagecoachfails to recapture the beautiful and electric essence of the original.
‘Stagecoach’ Struggled to Find Its Own Voice, but Still Garnered Some Praise
Western fans will know that the originalStagecoachhas been critically acclaimed since its release, earning itself not one but two Oscars in its day. Even the 1966 remake — which hit theaters 20 years before the made-for-TV version — starringBing CrosbyandVan Heflin(ofShaneand3:10 to Yumafame) was largely praised. In contrast, the Kristofferson/Cash adaptation doesn’t ring any of the same award bells.The performances themselves sometimes fall a bit flat, with Kristofferson playing the Ringo Kid with far less charismathan the Duke. Cash and Schneider (arguably the best actor of the bunch) have some real chemistry, speaking to their off-screen friendship, but it’s sometimes sidelined by the former’s deadpan delivery line. But where the film really struggles,the way some other ’80s Westerns did, is with an undertone of campiness that never takes itself too seriously.
Despite that,the made-for-TVStagecoachearned itselfa Western Heritage Award for Fictional Television Drama, with Kristofferson, Cash, Nelson, Jennings, their co-starElizabeth Ashley, and executive producerRaymond Katzbeing honored by name. A time capsule to one of the most important periods in country music history, one wishes thatStagecoachwere a bit more like the quartet’s firstHighwaymanalbum, which highlighted each of their respective strengths and unified the group in a common vision. By comparison,Stagecoachdoesn’t add much to the original material, nor does it turn any of these four legends into instant movie stars, but it’s still at least sort of enjoyable to watch them on screen altogether. As an interesting piece of Western and country music media (though only Willie Nelson manages to utter a tune), the 1986Stagecoachis one longtime fans of Kristofferson, Cash, Nelson, and Jennings might not want to miss.
Stagecoach
In Stagecoach (1986), a disparate group of passengers embarks on a perilous journey across Old West Apache territory. Among them are a pregnant cavalry officer’s wife, a heartbroken prostitute, a Marshal with his prisoner Johnny Ringo, a crooked gambler, and the notorious Doc Holliday.
