After Angel in 1937, Marlene Dietrich was labelled 'box-office poison' by American exhibitors but her lively performance as the hard-boiled saloon girl in this broad, brawling and bawdy Western turned her film career around and made her a hot property again, as well as allowing her to show a delicious flair for comedy. Fortunately for filmgoers, she won the part of Frenchy from Universal's original choice, Paulette Goddard. The merry mixture of action and comedy never flags under George Marshall's spirited direction and the casting of James Stewart as Tom Destry, the mild but crusading sheriff, was inspired. Tom Mix had played the part in 1932, Audie Murphy would have a stab at it in 1954 but Stewart's is the definitive portrayal.

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