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How Did "Stagecoach" (1939) Get Past the Censors?
Self | September 9, 2018 | PJ-Comix

Posted on 09/09/2018 3:35:18 PM PDT by PJ-Comix

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 (John Wayne) walked her to her new job and even he realized that Dallas was a hooker which was made obvious by all the hookers hanging out in the section of town where she was going.

Yet somehow, the censors let this pass. Wasn't there at least some sort of objection by the censors (mainly Joseph Bream who was really strict)? Anyway, still amazed that "Stagecoach" made it to the Silver Screen back in those days complete with it's all too obvious prostitute character.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: 1939; censors; clairtrevor; johnford; johnwayne; stagecoach
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Perhaps someone out there has some historical input as to how this movie was approved by the censors.
1 posted on 09/09/2018 3:35:18 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix

1. Like you say, they never came out and said she was a prostitute.
2. John Ford had a lot of pull as a director.
3. Claire Trevor was (along with the rest of the cast) fantastic.


2 posted on 09/09/2018 3:39:17 PM PDT by Artemis Webb (Maxine Waters for House Minority Leader!!)
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To: PJ-Comix

The censors were too busy with GWTW....Damn.


3 posted on 09/09/2018 3:40:38 PM PDT by o-n-money (We should rename California to Newer Mexico.)
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To: PJ-Comix

4 posted on 09/09/2018 3:41:13 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: PJ-Comix

Similar to Marlene Dietrich in “Destry Rides Again,” with James Stewart. Same year. Must have been a good one for frontier ladies of ill repute.


5 posted on 09/09/2018 3:42:27 PM PDT by JennysCool
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To: o-n-money
The censors were too busy with GWTW

I think The Wizard of Oz was also released that year.

6 posted on 09/09/2018 3:44:37 PM PDT by windsorknot
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To: PJ-Comix

Didn’t they similarly have Belle Watling in GWTW put in a positive light despite her obvious line of work ?


7 posted on 09/09/2018 3:44:44 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj ("It's Slappin' Time !")
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To: PJ-Comix

From the TCM website:

“The Breen Office [aka The Hays Office], the censorship watchdog in Hollywood, rejected Dudley Nichols’ treatment because of the story’s sympathetic portrayal of the prostitute Dallas, Doc Boone’s constant drunkenness, the Ringo Kid’s thirst for revenge and the marshal’s involvement in some deaths. Nichols’ first draft script took the Breen Office suggestions to heart and the production went ahead without further objections from the censors.”


8 posted on 09/09/2018 3:45:53 PM PDT by nickedknack
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To: PJ-Comix

Hmm, I was just watching El Dorado with JW, James Caan and Robert Mitchum a week ago on Blu Ray and EVERY woman in that movie was outrageously hot, including the mexican cantina girls.


9 posted on 09/09/2018 3:45:54 PM PDT by max americana (Fired libtard employees 9 consecutive times at every election since 08'. I hope all liberals die.)
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To: PJ-Comix

I read that while filming the popular series, “Gunsmoke”, in the 1950’s, they had to stop showing the “girls” going up the stairs (in the Long Branch Saloon) with guys, because of the “optics” of it.

That was about 30 years after “Stagecoach”.

Of course, I’m sure the censors were a bit more strict for TV, than for the movie theaters.


10 posted on 09/09/2018 3:47:06 PM PDT by FrankR (IF it wasn't for the "F-word", and it's deritiives, the left would have no message at all.)
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To: PJ-Comix

1939, the best year for movies EVA!


11 posted on 09/09/2018 3:47:23 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: JennysCool
"I'm tired
Sick and tired of love
I've had my fill of love
From below and above
Tired, tired of being admired
Tired of love uninspired
Let's face it
I'm tired"

12 posted on 09/09/2018 3:47:28 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: BenLurkin
I started watching "Boogie Nights" on Netflix last night in honor of Burt Reynold's death. Never saw the movie but heard it was one of Reynold's best efforts. Got halfway through it and finally had to stop. I'm amazed that movie got past censors even though it was in the 1990s.

Maybe I'll resume watching tonight. It had a lot of good songs from the 1970s. One of them was "Driver's Seat" by Sniff 'n' The Tears and I was just posting about that song a few days ago!

13 posted on 09/09/2018 3:48:21 PM PDT by SamAdams76 ( If you are offended by what I have to say here then you can blame your parents for raising a wuss)
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To: BenLurkin

“Zee vat za boys in za back room will have ...”


14 posted on 09/09/2018 3:51:33 PM PDT by JennysCool
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To: SamAdams76

Censorship ended in 1968.


15 posted on 09/09/2018 3:52:23 PM PDT by Publius
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To: PJ-Comix

They never said Miss Kitty ran a whore house inside the Longbranch but everyone knew she did.


16 posted on 09/09/2018 3:54:51 PM PDT by eastforker (All in, I'm all Trump,what you got!)
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To: eastforker

Back in 1982, I stayed at a hotel in Cedar Rapids, Iowa called the Longbranch.


17 posted on 09/09/2018 3:55:48 PM PDT by SamAdams76 ( If you are offended by what I have to say here then you can blame your parents for raising a wuss)
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To: max americana

On certain channels, they now skip past the scene where James Caan puts the flower pot on his head and goes “ching chong ching”


18 posted on 09/09/2018 3:56:21 PM PDT by digger48
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To: PJ-Comix

The character was called a “floozy” in the TCM summary of the 1960’s remake when Ann Margaret played the part. And “dance hall girls” was the universal description in every cowboy movie I saw while I was growing up.

It never occurred to me that the girls were prostitutes. Boys were cowboys and the girls couldn’t all be schoolmarms, you know. Not enough school houses...


19 posted on 09/09/2018 3:58:22 PM PDT by Bernard (We will stop calling you fake news when you stop being fake news.)
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To: SamAdams76
Maybe I'll resume watching tonight.

Don't bother, that movie is dark and ugly. I love Burt and MarkyMark, but that movie sucks. I recommend Passengers or The Martian.
20 posted on 09/09/2018 4:01:09 PM PDT by JoSixChip (He is Batman!)
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