Introduction from Lutz Koepnick, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt professor of German and cinema and media arts at Vanderbilt University

Tom Destry (James Stewart) is a mild-mannered deputy who doesn't like guns. Reluctant to restore order to an unruly town, he's soon roped into action after meeting the seductive Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich, a career-reviving performance), an alluring saloon girl who belts out unforgettable show-stoppers like "The Boys in the Back Room," while winning the hero's heart. Packed with unforgettable performances, snappy dialogue and rousing tunes, DESTRY RIDES AGAIN is a true fan favorite from 1939 which set the standard for all Western comedies to come.

“…Stewart’s first of about two dozen Westerns—he rivaled only John Wayne for hit cowboy pictures throughout the 50s and early 60s (Wayne’s first hit Western, John Ford’s STAGECOACH, was also released in 1939)— [it] set a particular image of him that he and others exploited for the rest of his career: the book-reading, non-violent Eastern dude in the West who must learn to use a gun when necessary.” —Peter Bogdanovich, IndieWire

“Marvelous comedy Western… What is remarkable about the film is the way it combines humor, romance, suspense and action so seamlessly… Flawless performances…and a snappy script place it head and shoulders above virtually any other spoof oater.” —Time Out