Overview
A town drunk becomes an unlikely hero when he calls upon a legendary lawman to restore order.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- playful
- warm
- classic movie night
- western marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a highly entertaining and inventive western comedy elevated by its unconventional casting and warmly humorous performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tom Destry Jr. rejects the expected gunfighter persona, while the film turns the corrupt frontier town and saloon culture into playful comic material.
Destry works to restore order without guns, making his refusal of conventional western violence central to the story.
Marlene Dietrich’s Frenchy is a loud, brusque saloon singer whose comic performance contrasts with her established glamorous image.
Kent controls Bottleneck through a rigged poker game, a compromised mayor, and the killing of Sheriff Keogh.
Films like Destry Rides Again, and why
Support Your Local Sheriff!
comic revision of western conventions with a charismatic lawman and playful tone
Blazing Saddles
irreverent western comedy built around corrupt townspeople, eccentric characters, and genre spoofing
My Little Chickadee
classic western comedy combining frontier lawlessness, romance, and broad ensemble humor
Movie Details
- Director
- George Marshall
- Release Date
- 1939-11-30
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (205)
Cast
- James Stewart
- Marlene Dietrich
- Mischa Auer
- Charles Winninger
- Brian Donlevy
- Allen Jenkins
- Warren Hymer
- Irene Hervey
- Una Merkel
- Billy Gilbert
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Destry Rides Again about?
- A principled deputy and a reluctant sheriff confront a corrupt frontier town through wit, restraint, and unruly saloon comedy.
- What is Destry Rides Again like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Destry Rides Again as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Destry Rides Again violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Destry Rides Again as mild.
- What did critics think of Destry Rides Again?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a highly entertaining and inventive western comedy elevated by its unconventional casting and warmly humorous performances.
- Which films are like Destry Rides Again?
- Films with a similar feel include Support Your Local Sheriff!, Blazing Saddles, and My Little Chickadee.
- How long is Destry Rides Again?
- Destry Rides Again runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Destry Rides Again?
- In United States, Destry Rides Again streams on fuboTV.
