Shadows at the Shootout
In Ringo's shootout with the Plummer brothers, he walks through the shadows of Lordsburg at night. At some moments he is illuminated by the moonlight, and at others he is obscured by darkness. This image reflects the murkiness of his situation, the fact that no one knows what is going to happen, as well as the moral ambiguity of the American West, in which complicated personal issues are settled by shootout. The image of the two parties approaching one another is at once calm and suspenseful, building tension.
Geronimo and the Apache Warriors
As the stagecoach makes its final journey towards Lordsburg, its passengers think that they have finally found safety in what has been a treacherous journey. We see the stagecoach make its way through the vast Monument Valley from behind, when suddenly the camera swiftly pans over to Geronimo and a group of Apache watching them from a cliff nearby. The speed of the pan heightens the tension. Ford then zooms in on the face of Geronimo and another Apache, stoic expressions on their faces. This imagery is meant to heighten the tension and foreshadow that a battle is about to take place.
Monument Valley
John Ford was known for his use of on-location natural landmarks in his Westerns, choosing iconic and vast spaces as backdrops for his narratives. The stagecoach in Stagecoach makes its way through Monument Valley, a region of the Colorado Plateau between Arizona and New Mexico known for its desert and its dramatic sandstone buttes. The image of the small stagecoach filled with people making its way through such a dramatic and compelling landscape is evocative and serves to heighten the drama of the story.
Ringo's Reveal
Early on in the journey, the stagecoach encounters the Ringo Kid. We first see Buck and Curley's reaction to him before we actually see the man himself. When we do see him, it's in closeup, as he stares seriously at the stagecoach. He is a formidable presence, a rugged cowboy with a flat expression and focused gaze. Somehow, just from this image, the viewer knows that he is an important figure in the film, and his visage, bearing, and the way he is shot contribute to his heroic status in the plot.
