Wagons East! (1994)

Wonderful character development!

The greatest movie ever made..!

Perfectly adorable

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Wagons East (1994): Dir: Peter Markle / Cast: John Candy, Richard Lewis, Ellen Greene, John C. McGinley, Russell Means: Final film for Canadian comedian John Candy who sadly passed away as the production of this film was grinding to a halt. It is a comedy about misguidance with John Candy as wagon master James Harlow who is chosen to lead a group of settlers east. Some gossip surfaces regarding his leading the Donnar Party, which strikes fear into the civilians but he wishes to correct his mistake. Vulgar humour including a scene where someone drinks a canteen full of urine. Dreary plot deteriorates into a series of predictable mishaps. Director Peter Markle does his best to satire the western genre but Harlow is the only character given any depth. As his final film appearance Candy gives it his best despite the pitiful fist fight finale. The rest of the cast play off stereotypes. Richard Lewis plays a cattle owner and a cardboard second to Candy. Ellen Greene plays a female who hints innuendo with Harlow. With that said she is basically a romantic prop who only adds a predictable subplot that nobody cares about. There is even failed references to Looney Tunes violence but unfortunately we are not lucky enough to have a large rock land on this film. It is unfortunate that Candy's final film was this horrible with ambitions of cheap humour and stupidity. Score: 3 ½ / 10

OK. First of all, I liked very much. It is a revelation the character of John C. McGinley as "Julian" but the leads portrayed by Richard Lewis and Robert Picardo were pretty much hilarious and John Candy himself brings warm presence to the screen. Maybe I totally support this film because was filmed on location of my land: Durango, Mexico, but I can say that I enjoyed the film and I laughed a lot while I was first watching it, because that time in the same day I also watched Cable Guy(1994) and I was disappointed of this film. But when I saw Wagon's East(1994), I was transported to the far west, with a fantastic idea behind it: What happens if some West residents decide to go back to the East? But in a comedy tone and really good acting, a good ensemble of performers, and a good story.

Recap: A few American settlers with bright hopes of a new beginning in the west get deeply disappointed at the lack of civilization and opportunities and decide to head back home. Back east. They hire a all but confident wagon master and start their journey through the perilous country. However, back home some industrialist fear that they could start a new trend and that they would lose out on millions of dollars. The wagon train must be stopped.Comments: One of the great parodies of Western movies it is deeply underrated and, in my mind, obviously misunderstood. A good mix of puns and jokes from the Western genre are sprinkled with satirical jokes about life in common and some original jokes. I can't say it's pace is high but there is no slow parts and it is never dull. There is always something to laugh about. And that maybe one of its great strengths, that might have been overlooked. There is much subtle humor, small details that are just great. Or is it that it's just the humor that speaks to me.An impressive cast of comedians, some that have proved their worth both before and after. The obvious lead is John Candy as the defamed wagon master (from the real Donner Party, the character is not though). Stated that he was unwilling to do this movie but had to because of contractual obligations it is still impressive that he can be so good in it. Not his best movie, far from it, but it is till really good. Unfortunately it was also to be his last movie as he died during filming Wagons East, but some skilled editing and rewriting make that fact unnoticeable by watching the movie.He also has some strong support of actors and comedians. Most prominent, to me, is Richard Lewis who is too underrated but does a great role once again. And then there is John C McGinley. Now doing a great character in Scrubs he already here shows his comedian talent as the overly gay settler. Notable appearances also from Robert Picardo and Ethan Phillips, both of later Star Trek fame, Abraham Benrubi and Ed Lauter.All in all it is a great comedy. It sure helps to appreciate some wacky humor and parody of the Western genre. I've seen it several times and it never fails to deliver.8/10

I liked the movie, one reason why is because it was proportional. I would love to know more about the horse John Candy was riding. I would like to know the horses real name, and just how big it really was. I think john Candy's character reminds me of Lee Marvin in the movie Cat Balou, and if memory serves me right, Lee Marvin won the Best Actor award at the Academy Awards that year. GREAT JOB! INOW HE IS SMILING DOWN FROM HEAVEN, HE WAS ONLY WITH US A SHORT TIME, BUT HE IS SADLY MISSED. I have seen just about everything that he has done, and i have never been disappointed. I would love to see someone do a biography movie on his life, I would be interested in finding out what others think as to who should play him in a movie, I can not think of anyone off hand that would do him justice.