Luke Plummer: the real star of "Stagecoach"

Much has been made of Tom Tyler's performance as Luke Plummer in “Stagecoach” (1939) by both fans of the movie and film critics, even though this John Ford western was an A-list vehicle for John Wayne. There is a reason for it though: much of Tom's acting technique from his silent film period  proved to be a benefit to his role as Luke, even with his few spoken lines in the movie, his bare minimum of online screen time well used to capacity. It is not just acting mileage, however, but more likely due to Tom's extensive acting career during the silent film period that earned him accolades in “Stagecoach.”

“Stagecoach”, at 96 minutes long, is fast moving, due to the directorial work of John Ford. Yet the most lingering scene in the movie is near the end, from the time Tom Tyler appears as Luke Plummer in a saloon playing poker, waiting for his showdown with the Ringo Kid, until he takes to the streets, ready to take out his enemy. From the time Luke deals out the final hand begins the surreal chapter “Stagecoach”: two black aces and two black eights, neatly placed upon the poker table, the puff of cigarette smoke dissipating from around his hard, angular face, and steely gaze temporarily making contact with the camera while his girl stands behind his chair, his source of moral support, when he gets news of who is in town to see him, Ringo Kid. Luke temporarily leaves his card game, becomes nervous and anxious, sauntering over to the bar for a drink to help him relax. It is Tom Tyler's facial expressions and body language that become the star of the movie, the periodic pans of his face, revealing exactly what he is feeling during the entire time he is onscreen. Most notably, standing right at the bar and glancing at the door of the saloon every time it opens, his nerves on edge become more apparent, as he tries to drown them away in his drink. Soon the time comes when he must leave the bar which is met with

hesitancy from Doc Boone (played by Thomas Mitchell) and take to the streets to deal with Ringo Kid. Luke attempts to leave the saloon with rifle in hand when Doc Boone threatens to have Luke indicted for murder if he steps outside; Luke responds with a comment on dealing with him later after he and his two brothers Hank (Vester Pegg) and Ike (Joe Rickson) take out Ringo Kid. He gives up the rifle and exits the saloon, standing out in the middle of the street under the window from the hotel rooms above the saloon. His lady is by the window and thoughtfully tosses a rifle down to Luke who catches it and says “Thanks” although no matching audio is heard; the scene on the street, as with inside the saloon, is mean to be as silent as possible, the scene relying upon Tom's silent film acting ability alone.

Luke and his two brothers stand in the middle of the dirt street which is dimly lit by lights, shadows alive with suspense. Out of nowhere comes a cat which runs across the men's path, and gets shot at although it appears the bullet missed the cat. The Plummer brothers walk slowly, Luke's brothers a step behind him, their nerves of steel returning, when Ringo Kid finally comes within sight – and Luke takes a shot at him. Unfortunately for Luke, Ringo Kid had the advantage of being hidden in the dark, dropping flat to the ground while firing three shots, while Luke somehow makes it back to the saloon, opening the door, a rather thin grimace on his face and walks towards the camera, eventually collapsing dead in front of the bar. The long, drawn-out walk before dying became a trademark in Tom Tyler's film career, notably repeated again in “San Antonio” (1945) where is shot in a similar manner by Errol Flynn.

Tom's role as Luke Plummer is smoldering, facial expressions revealing killing machine potential despite flawed nerves. The facial stubble on Tom's chiseled face adds to his tough-guy appearance yet also adds a degree of sexual allure. Even though Luke Plummer has a lady of interest in “Stagecoach”, he does not let her keep him from doing what he must do, at one point where he pushes her away from him at the bar. The last thing he needed was to be subdued by a woman, regardless of how much he loves her. Like in “Powdersmoke Range” and “A Rider of the Plains”, the intense scenes with Tom's one-on-one encounters with forces of control and how

In "Powdersmoke Range"

he deals with it, eventually taking matters into his own hands stand out the most. While these two films are most comparable to “Stagecoach” in terms of acting performance, it is worth noting that two of Tom Tyler's later silent films made in 1930 - “Canyon of Missing Men” and “Call of the Desert” also display similar characteristics of intense scenes on Tom's part, and even though he was not the leading man in “Stagecoach”, his scenes as Luke Plummer do indeed bear the hallmark of leading man acting. The main question here is this: would Tom Tyler have been just as suited at playing Ringo Kid, with John Wayne in the reversed role as Luke Plummer? Had “Stagecoach” been a silent film made ten years earlier, the answer is probably yes. The main reason for this is, of all the main credited actors in the cast of “Stagecoach”, Tom Tyler was the only one who had an extensive background as a leading man during the silent film years. Following is a brief breakdown of the acting careers of the other cast members of “Stagecoach” up until the time it was made (with thanks to IMDB):

In "A Rider of the Plains"

John Wayne was four years younger than Tom Tyler and played mostly “extra” roles in silent films for four years from 1926 to 1930.

Claire Trevor missed the silent film years by being born in 1910.

Andy Devine often had bit roles as character actors from 1926 to 1929.

John Carradine started making films during the talkie period at 1930, again, starting out with bit roles.

Thomas Mitchell made one film in 1923, as a character actor in a minor role, and did not resume his film career until 1936, devoting those in-between years to the theatre.

Louise Platt, born in 1915, made her first film well after talkies became the norm, in 1938.

George Bancroft was a supporting role actor, whose silent film career dated back to 1921.

Donald Meek was a Shakespearean stage actor, making only two silent films, one in 1923, the other, in 1929.

Berton Churchill, another theatre actor, made only four silent films in supporting roles between 1919 and 1929.

Tim Holt, the son of silent film leading man Jack Holt, made one silent film as a child actor in 1928.

As compelling as Tom's performance as Luke Plummer is, a comparable one would be that of Agnes Moorehead as the old lady living in a farmhouse all by herself in the Twilight Zone episode, “The Invaders.” Unlike Tom who has a few spoken lines in “Stagecoach”, Agnes' role is completely silent without any dialogue, relying upon body language and periodic sounds of pain and anguish when she is attacked by the six-inch tall aliens, turning in one of the best performances of the critically acclaimed television series. Even though Agnes was born in 1900, she got her start in acting on the radio using her voice, eventually making her first movie in 1941, “Citizen Kane.” It goes without saying that being able to act using facial expression and body language alone to convey meaning and give depth to a role requires considerable talent, in Tom's case, right up until the moment he is shot, resulting in a dramatic death scene in the saloon.

In 1995, “Stagecoach” was included in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress for its cultural and historical significance. To fans of the movie, genre, and Tom Tyler, “Stagecoach” is memorable for its glimpse of life in the Old West, and the ease of immersion of interest in the film itself. As a western, it is considered the best, and a springboard for those who wish to become more familiar with Tom Tyler's film career in westerns.