Stagecoach is a landmark in American cinema and a defining moment for the Western genre. Directed by John Ford and featuring John Wayne in his breakout role, the film helped elevate the Western from pulp entertainment to serious art—using Monument Valley’s dramatic desert landscape as a powerful storytelling force.

This screening is presented in direct conversation with the exhibition Desert Dreams and Coastal Currents, which traces how artistic representations of desert and coastal landscapes have shaped regional identity, artistic production, and popular expectations of the American West.

With its rich character development and innovative storytelling, the film was among the first Westerns to receive critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, solidifying its influence on the genre. At the same time, it reflects the deeply ingrained racial attitudes of its era, particularly in its portrayal of Native Americans as faceless threats rather than fully realized characters. Revisiting the film today allows viewers to hold both its cinematic achievements and its role in perpetuating harmful stereotypes in view.

Introduced by Rosanne Welch, Executive Director of MFA in Screenwriting, Stephens College

Directed by John Ford | Written by Dudley Nichols from the book by Ernest Haycox | Starring John Wayne, Claire Trevor, and Thomas Mitchell

The What Is a Western? Film Series explores the wide range of movies that can be considered Westerns, and the ways in which they shape our understanding of the American West. Each screening features a guest lecturer who introduces the film and explains its significance within the genre.