Destry Rides Again
Seen it?1939 | 94 min | Western, Comedy
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Blazing Saddles or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 34 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1939: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Tom Destry, son of a legendary frontier peacekeeper, doesn’t believe in gunplay. Thus he becomes the object of widespread ridicule when he rides into the wide-open town of Bottleneck, the personal fiefdom of the crooked Kent.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 43K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by George Marshall
- James StewartTom Destry Jr.
- Marlene DietrichFrenchy
- Mischa AuerBoris
- Charles WinningerWashington Dimsdale
- Brian DonlevyKent
- Allen JenkinsGyp Watson
- Warren HymerBugs Watson
- Irene HerveyJanice Tyndall
- Una MerkelLily Belle
- Billy GilbertLoupgerou