Giddy up for this installment of Letterboxd Lists! That’s right, we’re taking a look at Letterboxd’s Top 100 Western Films. Admittedly, I am not as well-versed with the Western genre as I would like to be. So, to start to remedy that we have #38 (as of this writing) on the list…Wagon Master (1950).
Title: Wagon Master
Director: John Ford
Released: April 22, 1950 (United States and Canada)
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Available to stream on: Tubi
Travis (Ben Johnson) and Sandy (Harry Carey Jr.) are a couple of savvy horse traders. With a fresh haul of horses at their disposal, they’re looking to cash in. As their luck would have it, a Mormon wagon train is about to embark on a journey to the San Juan Valley. Looking to secure more horses for their travels, Elder Wiggs (Ward Bond) pays out the nose for all the horses that Travis and Sandy can offer up.
Now with plenty of cash between the two of them, they turn down the Mormon’s offer of being their guides. Although, after just a day, they grow bored and chase down the train, agreeing to be their guides to the San Juan Valley. Not long into the journey, the wagon train comes across a couple of sheisters in the form of a medicine show. The group welcomes them into their fold and continues on.
It’s a good thing everyone seems to be getting along, their travels are far from over.
Well, one thing is for sure, Wagon Master (1950) is not your typical Western.
For starters, I definitely wasn’t expecting as many musical numbers as there were. It might seem a bit odd on a first viewing, but it never took me out of the moment. While there were a few instances where the random song sort of felt repetitive, it never felt shoehorned in.
Something else that I wasn’t expecting was the lack of action. Whenever I think of a Western, I have an image in my head of multiple action sequences. Don’t get it twisted though, Wagon Master (1950) isn’t without action of its own. It just so happens that John Ford decided instead to have the story be more about the decisions, choices, and actions of the characters rather than the action the characters get into.
But then again, this is John Ford. If there’s anyone who can slightly venture outside the lines and still make a Western work, it’s him.
Would I say that this is a genre-defining film? No.
But would I say it’s worth checking out? At a brisk 86-minutes, absolutely.
So, what about you? Have you seen Wagon Master (1950)?
If so, let me hear what you thought of it in the comments below or by reaching out to me on Bluesky!
As always, follow me over on Letterboxd to see everything else that I’ve been watching lately.