Stagecoach *** (1986, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Tony Franciosa, Anthony Newley, John Schneider, Elizabeth Ashley) – Classic Movie Review 13,707  

The 1986 American Western TV movie Stagecoach remakes the 1939 and 1966 films. It showcases country music superstars Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.

Director Ted Post’s 1986 American Western TV movie Stagecoach is based on Ernest Haycox’s 1937 story Stage to Lordsburg, and stars Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Tony Franciosa, Anthony Newley, John Schneider and Elizabeth Ashley.

The four stars were members of the country music supergroup The Highwaymen. Willie Nelson stars as the famous gunslinger and dentist Doc Holliday, Kris Kristofferson plays the Ringo Kid, Johnny Cash portrays Marshal Curly Wilcox and Waylon Jennings plays the gambler Hatfield.  

A very good, exceptional cast and a rock-solid, skilled director are assembled for an acceptable but unwanted second remake of the 1939 John Wayne classic Stagecoach and its 1966 remake Stagecoach with Ann-Margret and Bing Crosby.

A group of strangers boards the east-bound stagecoach from Tonto, Arizona Territory, to Lordsburg, New Mexico Territory, in 1880. But US Cavalry Lieutenant Blanchard (Merritt Butrick) announces that Geronimo and the Apaches are on the warpath, so his small troop will provide an escort to Dry Fork.

Willie Nelson stars as Doc Holliday, Kristofferson is the heroic Ringo Kid, Elizabeth Ashley is good-time girl Dallas, John Schneider is stage diver Buck and Johnny Cash plays the marshal.

With no new viewpoint or fresh perspective, it is all rather pointless, and seems unsophisticated, making the Wayne version look much more modern. Maybe it’s worth the ride for the great cast, especially the country music legends, but enough already. Yet, looked at another way, Stagecoach is being used as a handy useful showcase for its stars rather than the material, and such it is fine. The four stars are just right for it and Ted Post (Hang ’em High) again shows he is a very capable director of Westerns. And the material? Well, James Lee Barrett is a very capable writer too.

The plot is based on the 1939 original film, and its screenplay by Dudley Nichols but changes to events and characters are made, notably that the “Doc” character is Doc Boone MD in the original but is dentist Doc Holliday here.

Filming took place at Old Tucson Studios, just west of Tucson, Arizona, next to the Tucson Mountains.

The film aired on CBS on May 18, 1986.

The cast: Merritt Butrick, June Carter Cash, Jesse Colter, Alex Kubic, David Allan Coe, Bob McLean, Lash LaRue, Michael Haynes, Anthony Russell, Joe Unger, Kal Roberts.

Stagecoach is directed by Ted Post, runs 100 minutes, Heritage Entertainment, Plantation Productions, and Raymond Katz Productions, is released by CBS, is written by James Lee Barrett, is shot by Gary Graver, is produced by Raymond Katz (executive producer), Willie Nelson (executive producer), Jack Thompson and Hal W Polaire, and is scored by David Allan Coe and Willie Nelson.

Willie Nelson (born April 29, 1933).

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,707

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com