Although it’s hardly as famous asStagecoachor some of the later Westerns he made,Tall in the Saddleis crucial to John Wayne’s transformation into a movie icon. Despite having worked in the genre for years ahead of his role inStagecoach, the 1939 film is widely credited for putting John Wayne on the map in Hollywood and setting him up as its top Western star. Both of these things are true ofStagecoach’srole inJohn Wayne’s storied film career, but it alone didn’t carve his image.
FollowingStagecoach’srelease, Wayne’s popularity grew, allowing him to amass leading roles in bigger-budget films than what he was accustomed to in the 1930s. In the early 1940s, Wayne headlined numerous movies, including Westerns likeThe Spoilerswith Randolph Scott,In Old California, andDark Commandwith Roy Rogers. Among the most memorable of his projects from this era in his career wasTall in the Saddle,where he appeared alongside Ella Raines and Western character actor Gabby Hayes.Tall in the Saddlewas a major step forward for Wayne and his best Western sinceStagecoach.
What Tall In The Saddle Is About
John Wayne Is Trying To Solve A Ranch Owner’s Murder In Tall In The Saddle
John Wayne made several movies in the immediate years that followedStagecoach, but none matched the quality of the 1939 classic. However,Tall in the Saddlearguably did come close. In the movie, Wayne takes on the role of Rocklin, a stranger who makes waves in a small Western town when he thrusts himself into the middle of a murder mystery. Rocklin’s actions draw a variety of reactions from the townsfolk, with some welcoming his arrival and others seeing him as a problem. The villains, whose identities remain ambiguous for a portion of the film, predictably try to get Rocklin out of the way.
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These interactions between Rocklin and the locals helpTall in the Saddlebuild a great supporting cast of characters, all of which being people who fit seamlessly into the Western setting. Supporting Rocklin throughout the story is Dave, the old, woman-hating drunk played in classic Gabbie Hayes fashion. Ella Raines also brings a lot to the movie through her fiery performance as Arly, the quick-to-anger cowgirl who grows fond of Rocklin despite her tense relationship with him. Making the cast even more colorful are the additions of the snobbish, high-class Miss Martin and Arly’s stoic but loyal bodyguard, Tala.
Tall In The Saddle Is The Perfect Successor To Stagecoach
Tall In The Saddle Continued What Stagecoach Started
WhileTall in the Saddleisn’t counted among the manymovies John Wayne made with John Ford, it does serve as a fitting successor toStagecoachfor the actor. Its story is completely different from the adventure-style story seen inStagecoach, yet it’s still easy to see its influence on the 1944 Western. In fact,Tall in the Saddleseemingly started off with a homage toStagecoach, which granted John Wayne a famous entrance where he halted the titular stagecoach and came onboard. It’s not likely to be a coincidence thatTall in the Saddlealso kicks off with Wayne getting onto a stagecoach.
Similar to Stagecoach, Tall in the Saddlehas many of the hallmarks of a great John Wayne Western. It presents John Wayne’s character as a mysterious stranger and a catalyst for change in terms of his impact on others. In both movies, Wayne accomplishes this through an air of confidence and an almost stubborn pride. His commanding presence is even reflected by the title itself, which is a reference to Dave’s description of Rocklin as someone who rides “tall in the saddle.” This aspect of his persona also weighs heavily onStagecoach, as evidenced by his unforgettable introductory scene.
In a sense,Tall in the Saddle’sRocklin feels like an evolution of the Ringo Kid character made famous by Wayne inStagecoach.
In a sense,Tall in the Saddle’sRocklin feels like an evolution of the Ringo Kid character made famous by Wayne inStagecoach. Part of that was due to Wayne’s age at the time; Wayne was 37 years old when he madeTall in the Saddle.Lacking the youth of the Ringo Kid helped him come across as a confident and experienced cowboy who knew exactly what he was doing. This aspect of his persona was key to many of his best scenes inTall in the Saddle,and in that respect, it worked better for that movie than it did inStagecoach.
Tall In The Saddle Has Several Great John Wayne Moments
John Wayne Is In Top Form In Tall In The Saddle
The onscreen image that John Wayne forged inStagecoachlent itself well toTall in the Saddle. During a poker game disagreement, the tough-talking brother of Arly held Rocklin at gunpoint when the latter refused to concede a game he had fairly won. A quiet but grim Rocklin simply walked back to his room, culminating in a noteworthy sequence where Rocklin returned - wearing his gun.The quiet intensity demonstrated by Rocklin made it a classic John Wayne moment that shouldn’t be missed.
His bravado was a bit more restrained in a similarly impressive scene where he meets Arly for the first time. Apparently deciding that avoidance is the best way to deal with the ill-tempered cowgirl, Rocklin walked away from her, even as she was firing shots in his direction that came uncomfortably close to hitting him. Here, Wayne’s usually confident walk carried a slight trace of uncertainty, but one that felt believable given the circumstances.
Here, Wayne’s usually confident walk carried a slight trace of uncertainty, but one that felt believable given the circumstances.
Rocklin’s handling of the situations with Arly and her brother stand in perfect contrast with how he dealt with George and Bob Clews, played byfrequent John Wayne co-star Paul Fix.In these scenes, Rocklin proved that he had gravitas both when using force and without. John Wayne’s “tough guy” reputation resonated greatly in the saloon scene where an angry Rocklin grabbed Bob by the face and shoved him to the floor.
Rocklin showcased his physical superiority and alpha male dominance again when he took control of what was supposed to be an old-fashioned Western shootout. Rather than drawing his gun, Rocklin strode up to his opponent and knocked him out. The calm sense of resoluteness that John Wayne carried inStagecoach- and was made even better byTall in the Saddle-was an important building block to the legacy he has today.
Tall in the Saddle
Cast
Tall in the Saddle is a western film starring John Wayne as Rocklin, a rugged cowboy who gets caught up in a range war between two rival ranchers. When he takes a job with one of the ranchers, he finds himself in the middle of a deadly feud, and must navigate treacherous alliances and romantic entanglements to survive.
