bkoganbing
It seems perfectly obvious that any number of folks who took Horace Greeley's
advice about going west had second thoughts. A lot just weren't cut out for
the frontier and I don't doubt many returned east.It is to those wise souls who knew when to quit that Wagons East is dedicated to.
In one of our small western bergs a group makes a collective decision to form a
Wagon Train and they hire the inebriated John Candy as their wagonmaster to
travel east. Candy himself at first can't quite acclimate to this new thinking but eventually does.But the notion of heading back east violates the thinking of the establishment
and those making a living on the pioneer spirit. At the same time the Indians
see this as a good thing. Makes for some strange alliances.This was John Candy's last film and lucky we got it completed as he died during the making. I'm sure he had hopes of this turning into another Blazing
Saddles. That would have taken Mel Brooks's zaniness.My favorite in the film is the gay bookseller John C. McGinley who went west
for the men, but found them a bit rough for his taste. His scene with the naive
and hunky Lochlyn Munro is priceless.Not a comedy masterpiece, Wagons East is still good fun and viewing.
Amy Adler
A lady enters a bar somewhere in the wild west. She looks very refined and is, in fact, seeking the man who bought her as a mail-order bride. When she learns a group of men pooled their monies together, she sits down at the bar and orders whiskey. Chalk up one more disillusioned traveler to the land beyond the Mississippi. Phil (Richard Lewis) and others are also fed up with the harsh living conditions. Why don't they all get a wagon train to go back to civilization? They find a wagon train leader (John Candy) who says he's the man to take them across the mountains, prairies and whatever other terrain is necessary to see the good life again. But, he is harboring a big secret. Also, once news goes to St. Louis that people are heading in the wrong direction, an army officer vows to keep these people from telling others how bad it really is. The Indians, however, may be happy indeed that settlers are leaving their territories! From bathroom stops in the bushes to campfire revelations between the manly men, this journey has it all. Can it succeed? This movie is fun, fun, fun, as the Beach Boys say. There is so much to spoof about the rough and tumble western frontier that the humor is never forced and gives way to many a giggle. The scenery is quite beautiful and the film sports an authentic look. Most of the actors are fine but Candy, who died during the filming and whose part was digitally completed, never seems like himself. His usual go-for-broke spirit is just not present. That said, the film still works beautifully and is a great view for any Saturday night of fun. If you love Candy, however, be prepared to cry a few tears for his loss from the world which dearly loved him.
garrysheils
It's not a brilliant film, certainly not John Candy's best work, but I would like to commend the editors. John Candy died during production of this movie, and just under half the scenes were recorded using another actor in John Candy's place. Candy's face was then added using computers. And it's an almost perfect job.
Michael O'Keefe
This movie is silly and very short of being a funny movie. Unhappy 'easterners' are not pleased with being out west; so they hire a drunk wagon master(John Candy)to lead them back east. Sight gags were just not funny enough to carry this one. And Richard Lewis gets on your nerves very quickly; but then I honestly don't like him at anything he does. Ed Lauter is hilarious as the bumbling villain.The movie was dedicated to Candy. He died from a massive heart attack ten days before the movie was completed. A stand in and digital enhancement enabled Candy's character to be seen in the final scenes. Candy was a very good comedian and gave us some real good knee slapping, belly laughs in his career. This movie was just not the caliber of his best.Also in the film, you will recognize: William Sanderson, Gailard Sartain, Ethan Phillips, Ellen Greene and Rodney A. Grant.
AD
