[Glamour Fights]

The Destry Fights

Westerns were one place where movie catfights took place during the 3ls, 40s, and 50s. Two such moves where Destry Rides Again (1939) and Destry (1954). In spite of it’s title Destry Rides Again was shot first in black and white whilst Destry was the remake in color. Both had similar entertaining salon catfights between a wife and the saloon owner.  Both suffered from the rather too commonplace practice of interrupting the fight before it can to a conclusion. In both cases water from a mop pail is poured on the fighters by Destry. What a spoil sport.

Since both fights ended without a clear winner I would like your opinions on the following if the fights had been allowed to go on until there was a clear winner. In this case I am asking you to judge the fight based on the characters and not on the actresses themselves:

• Who wins the Destry Rides Again fight
• Who wins the Destry fight
• Which fight is better, the Destry Rides Again fight or the Destry fight
• Who is sexier, Marlene Dietrich (Frenchy) or Mari Blanchard (Brandy)

The combatants for Destry Rides Again are:
Marlene Dietrich (Frenchy – saloon owner)
Dob: 27 December 1901 (37 or 38 at release)
Height 5’6” (1.68 m)
Measurements: 35-24-33

Una Merkel (Lily Belle ‘Callahan’ - wife)
Dob: 10 December 1903 (35 or 36 at release)
Height 5’3“(1.6 m) or 5’4” (1.63 m) =
Measurements: Not found

The following videos show the fight. I think it is clear which one is Frenchy (Marlene Dietrich) and which one is Lily Belle ‘Callahan’’ (Una Merkel).

Youtube Video:


Flickr videos (in two parts):


The combatants for Destry are:
Mari Blanchard (Brandy – Saloon owner)
Dob: 13 April 1927 (27 yo) or 13 April 1923 (31 yo) (Most sources giver 1927)
Height: 5’7” (1.70 m)
Weight : 121 lbs (55 kb)
Measurements: 34-24-36

Mary Wickes (Bessie Mae Curtis -wife)
Dob: 13 June, 1916  (39 yo) or 13 June 1910 (44) (Most sources gie 1916)
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: Not found
Measurements: Not found

The following videos show the fight. I think it is clear which one is Brandy (Mari Blanchard) and which one is Bessie Mae Curtis (Mary Wickes).

Youtube Video:



Flickr videos (in two parts):

[Glamour Fights]

I'll never forget the first time I watched "Destry Rides Again", I was only in my early teens and was blown away by the Cat-fight.
I've watched it countless times since and always enjoy the action.

Marlene Dietrich was so strong and sexy as 'Frenchy', confidently baiting and taunting her plain smaller rival before the fight, clad in her Dress and Black stockings, looking every part the 'Sexy Tough Saloon owner' but I must say having watched it many times that had the fight had not been broken up by James Stewart (Destry) she would have lost.....I imagined her being layed out by Mrs Callahan in front of the crowded but stunned and silent Saloon crowd.
 

I was also first aware of this fight in my early teens. What I saw was an advertizement for the movie in the newspapers. It was playing in a theater that specializes in showing old cowboy movies that my father liked to watch. Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix were two of his favorite cowboy heroes. Unfortunately he didn't take me to see this movie and I didn't see it until later on TV. I am not sure when I see the fight in the second movie.

I have my opinions about both fights but won't express them until the voting is over. And as far as whether Marlene or Mari is sexier, well that is a matter of taste. I didn't ask the question about who would win in a fight, Marlene or Mari so anyone can express their opinions if they want.

[gmenn]

You forgot "Frenchie" (1951) featuring Shelley Winters vs Marie Windsor.


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8q5eu_catfight-frenchie_shortfilms

[Glamour Fights]

You forgot "Frenchie" (1951) featuring Shelley Winters vs Marie Windsor.


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8q5eu_catfight-frenchie_shortfilms

I didn't knows about Frenchie catfight. Even so, I have found quite a few western catfights and wanted to start with the Destry ones.

Thank you for the link. That is a very good fight and it has a clear winner, something very rare the way these movies are directed. In the two Destry fights the outcome is not necessarily obvious.

[Glamour Fights]

You forgot "Frenchie" (1951) featuring Shelley Winters vs Marie Windsor.


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8q5eu_catfight-frenchie_shortfilms

I didn't knows about Frenchie catfight. Even so, I have found quite a few western catfights and wanted to start with the Destry ones.

Thank you for the link. That is a very good fight and it has a clear winner, something very rare the way these movies are directed. In the two Destry fights the outcome is not necessarily obvious.

The question of who is sexy in these fights is clouded by the fact that both ladies playing the wife are encumbered by their outfits. I'm sure both these ladies would have preferred not to have had longer skirts and especially not to have worn knickerbockers so they could have matched their opponents  tangling their legs and fighting woman to woman.

I only put the two main actresses against each other for the sexier one. You are correct in that the clothing of the two wives are not the most flattering and probably also affected their ability to fight.  Of the two wives I would have to say that Una Merkel is the sexier one. Dressed in an outfit similar to Marlene's I thin she could be as attractive as Marlene. Mary Wickes is the least attractive of the four in my opinion.

[T aka Tony]

I can recall as a kid being home as a result of a snow day. It was cold and snowy outside and an old western came on " Destry Rides Again " when the catfight happened between Marlena Dietrich & Una Merkel, I was glued to the TV and as they fought and I watched intently, something started to rise. lol I think I was like 7 or 8 at the time. I think I have been aroused by women fighting since my mothers womb. lol That is one of the Best Classic Screen fights of all time.

Cheers!
T 

[de Trixah]

But I can’t vote a woman with name Merkel.

I cant do that too. 

[Vassago]

My votes for Marlene Dietrich and Mary Wickes.

Dietrich is that Monroe kind of icon, you wouldn't imagine her losing one of those fights, would you?

As for Wickes, well, let's just say I'd enjoy a next-door housewife giving a sultry saloon owner a rough treatment! 

[Glamour Fights]

  Magic fights!!! Especially because I think that were almost real, or at least look like real. Without efe and with scripts of the moment.

  My first vote to Marlene Dietrich against Una Merkel. If I wanna be honest Una looks better fighter. I think that she always takes the upper hand. And she looks more sympathized than the arrogant Marlene. And I love to see the arrogant humiliated. But I can’t vote a woman with name Merkel. It’s impossible for me, I prefer to die…

  At second fight, I voted Mary Wickes. She looks like the classic ungly aunt, but it’s obviously that she has the advantage during the fight. Mari wants but can’t fight.

  “Destry Rides Again” is better fight as looks more realistic. I think that the actresses fight in real, but with careful for no damages and pain.

  As for sexier I prefer the all time classic Marlene Dietrich. Mari is real sexy and hot, but the old movie-goddess takes the edge…

My votes for Marlene Dietrich and Mary Wickes.

Dietrich is that Monroe kind of icon, you wouldn't imagine her losing one of those fights, would you?

As for Wickes, well, let's just say I'd enjoy a next-door housewife giving a sultry saloon owner a rough treatment! 

Not that the voting is done I will give my opinions:

Like Vassago I think Frenchy to be Mrs. Callahan. Unlike the voters I think it would be a very close fight and could go either way. I just liked the way Frenchy handled herself i the fight although I loved Mrs. Callahan ripping off her shoe and beating her with it.

I agree with both Vassago and barbosa that Bessie Mae would have beaten Brandy. The voters tilted the fight in her favor but I don't think it would have been that close. Bessie Mae was obviously bigger, stronger, and, as far as I am concerned, the more aggressive. In fact she probably would have smothered Brandy our or made her submit with the mob on her face. I agree with barbosa that Bessie Mae looks like the classic ugly aunt, a bit on the nasty side, although she is also closer to the next-door housewife than often portrayed.

I agree with indianman and T aka Tony that the Destry Rides Again catfight was a classic and stills holds up well against modern catfights. I was also in my teens like indianman and it would have been evident the fight excited me had I been wearing tight pants. I have to go with the Destry Rides Again fight over the Destry fight as being the better and more entertaining fight. Several reasons for this. First of all Frenchy and Mrs. Callahan are fairly evenly matched physically. They are both on the sexy side although Mrs. Callahan's dress leaves a little to be desired. Like I said this fight could go either way. The other fight is two unevenly matched in my opinion. Brandy fights hard but is no match for Bessie Mae.

As for who is the sexiest fighter between Marlene Dietrich and Mari Blanchard I prefer the classic beauty Marlene. That's just my preference. I also liked the flashes of leg that were shown in Marlene's fight, legs for which she was famous. Needless to say Mari's legs are fine also. Among the housewives, Una Merkel could easily have been a beauty rivaling both Marlene and Mari while Mary Wickes was clearly past her prime.

Finally I loved the catfight in Frenchie . I went and got a copy of the DVD so I could watch the movie and the fight in higher resolution. I liked that there was a clear winner. Marie Windsor is several inches taller than Shelley Winters but Shelley seems to be beefier. One interesting point. In the close ups of the fighters after the fighter the winner seems to have some bruises and marks on her face while the loser seems to have pretty clear skin. I guess the directors like to show the "sexier" one with battle wounds. I put sexier in quotes because that is certainly a matter of opinion.  I always had the opinion that in real life Shelley Winters could be a real bitch and anyone who got in a fight with her would come out worse for wear. But I never heard of any real life fights involving her.

[androsan]

  My favourite is Destry (1954), roll-over wrestling looks sexier and more intense, but one thing, i would prefer to see Una Merkel (of course, at age she was in 1939) instead of Mary Wickes.

[sinclairfan]

Marie Windsor was a great catfighter.  She was in Swamp Women as well.