Carrying the Mail: A dusty, scrappy little western

Is it worth your time?

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys a good, no-frills B-western from the golden era of dust and spurs, you’ll probably find something to like here. It’s short, it’s punchy, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. However, if you need deep character development or, you know, a plot that doesn't feel like it was scribbled on a napkin five minutes before filming, maybe skip it. It’s for the folks who just want to watch Yakima Canutt do his thing and call it a day.

There’s something weirdly comforting about these old stagecoach stories. You know exactly what’s going to happen. The bad guy will twirl his mustache—metaphorically, at least—and the good guy will save the day with some horse riding that makes you wonder how his spine survived the stunt work.

Notes from the trail

The pacing is… well, it’s fast. Maybe a bit too fast? One minute we’re talking about a mail contract, and the next, everyone is shooting at each other near a rock formation that looks like it’s been in every western ever made. 🤠

• That horse, Silver King, honestly acts better than half the humans on screen.
• The dialogue is so clipped it’s like everyone is allergic to full sentences.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same extra in three different scenes, just wearing a slightly different hat each time.

There’s a moment where the villain’s plan to rob the mail is explained with such total confidence that you almost want him to succeed. Almost. But then you remember he’s threatening the daughter, and the movie suddenly gets very serious about its morality play.

It reminds me a bit of the simplicity in The Sparrow, though with significantly more dirt and fewer moments of genuine quiet. This film doesn't have time for quiet. It’s got a mail route to protect!

Why I kept watching

Mostly, I just wanted to see if the stagecoach would actually flip. It didn't. Instead, we got a lot of intense staring contests and people shouting 'Hold him off!' while firing guns into the air. It’s wonderfully inefficient stuff. 🐎

It’s not trying to be Samson and Delilah. It knows it’s a quick buck western, and it wears that badge with pride. Sometimes, that’s all you really need on a Tuesday night.