Stage to Chino (1940)

In the wild expanses of Arizona, nestled between Prescott and Chino, the McKay Stage Line stands as a beacon of inheritance for young Caroline McKay. A tragic twist of fate leaves her the sole owner of the stage line, her father's legacy. However, the treacherous underbelly of deceit and greed threatens to undermine her claim, led by her scheming uncle, Charles Lait, and the ruthless Dude Elliott. Their insidious plot aims to strip Caroline of her rights, forcing her to sell out for a pittance. As fate would have it, Caroline's journey aboard the stagecoach witnesses an unexpected turn of events. During a brazen attempt by Elliott's henchman, Pete Branagan, to seize the mail, a heroic savior emerges. Dan Clark, a postal inspector en route to Chino, intervenes, driving off the bandit and rescuing both Caroline and the precious cargo. Intrigued by the mysterious stranger, Caroline offers Dan a position as a driver, unaware of his true occupation. Seeing an opportunity to delve deeper into the plot, Dan accepts, concealing his real intentions. His strategic move to encourage miners to send gold as mail via the stagecoach sets the stage for a high-stakes game of deceit, and risk. As the day of the mail contract award draws near, Elliott hatches a more audacious plot. Engaging Lait to rob the safe under the cover of night, Elliott seizes the gold, leaving a bound Lait as a convincing decoy. The final act of treachery involves setting the stage barn and stables alight, threatening to destroy the McKay legacy entirely. However, Dan, ever the silent guardian, rescues the stage from the fiery jaws of destruction. Confronting Lait, he extracts the truth about Elliott's whereabouts, setting the stage for an epic showdown. "Stage to Chino" promises a thrilling ride through deceit, courage, and redemption, where truth and justice fight to emerge victorious.

Stage to Chino is a romance movie featuring George O’Brien and directed by Edward Killy.

Stage to Chino is currently streaming on DIRECTV and TCM.