MovieChat Forums > Stagecoach (1939) Discussion > Major Hatfield (Greenfield)?

Major Hatfield (Greenfield)?

posted 15 years ago by rebel60
4 replies | jump to latest

I just saw this movie again (one of my favorites). This is the first time I noticed another mystery (I think) about Hatfield. After they cross the ford & appear to be safely on their way to Lordsburg, Doc Boone offers a toast to everyone in the coach. Something about not seeing each other ever again. He refers to Hatfield as Major. However, I do not recall any scene in which it's revealed that Hatfield was a major. It's mentioned that he served in Mrs. Mallory's father's regiment, but I believe thats all. Did I miss something, or is there possibly a scene missing in which more about Hatfield is revealed?

[–] aapc-2 14 years ago

I think he was referring to Hatfield's service in the C.S.A. during the War Between The States. He would have been disdained by most of the US Army as a turncoat in a rebel officer's position... Just my take on it.

I may be wrong (correct me please!) but I think it was mentioned that Hatfield had been in the C.S.A., a Rebel. That Southern Gentleman thing and his C.S.A. service may have been why he was so stand-off-ish. (Sorry about all the hyphens!)

[–] ljspin 14 years ago

You are not wrong. Hatfield was a veteran of the Army of the Confederacy, serving with the regiment commanded by Mrs. Mallory's father. He was a Rebel during the war, and has remained so. Instead of "reconstructing" himself and rejoining the Union, he went West and became a gambler. Even though he was a gambler, he retained his genteel upbringing. Because of his upbringing as a gentleman, he is, as you stated, stand-offish -- the others were below him. Of all the passengers on the stage, only Lucy Mallory was his equal (in his mind). And because she is a Southern lady, he, naturally, becomes very protective of her, even to the point of attempting to shoot her with his last bullet to save her from a fate worse than death.

About his service in the Confederate army: historically, he may not have been disdained. Many former Confederate veterans joined the U.S. Army. Granted there were many ugly things that occurred in the South during the Reconstruction, but, on the whole, the people of the Union and the Confederacy reconciled after the war.

Spin

[–] SealordJohn 14 years ago

I watched the film again hoping to learn the answer to your question. But until the Doc makes the toast to the "Major", I never heard that word mentioned anytime before that scene.
So unless a particular scene was left out of the movie, then it implies that the Doc knew Major Hatfield in the past.

[–] malione-1 9 years ago

Time to bump this thread. It's very clear that the Doc and Hatfield knew each other. Earlier on, the Doc made reference to a man who'd died after Hatfield shot him in the back, to which Hatfield protested.

The point is, it's more than implied that Doc had known quite well who Hatfield was, and Hatfield was probably known in town to have been a Major in the Confederate Army. I do think Doc's using the term for the first time is his way of showing a newfound respect for the man after the ordeal they'd been through (delivering the baby and making it through Lee's Ferry after an Apache attack).