Customer Reviews

The John Wayne 100th Anniversary Collection

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Rather a lot of the Duke for a very fair price.

Here's what's in it:

Disc One

Hurricane Express (1932) - Feature condensation of the twelve-chapter serial finds the young Duke as a daredevil pilot trying to ferret out the identity of a railroad saboteur called "The Wrecker" whose actions caused the death of his father. 79 mins.

His Private Secretary (1933) - A rare romantic comedy for the Duke, who stars as a ne'er-do-well son of wealthy businessman who is more focused on a pretty girl (Evalyn Knapp) he wants to marry. Dad's opposed, so she gets a job working for him as a secretary to prove her worth. 60 mins.

Riders Of Destiny (1933) - Villainous James Kincaid plans to do in rival ranchers. Agent Singin' Sandy Saunders (John Wayne) goes undercover to catch Kincaid and woo a damsel in distress. With Gabby Hayes and Yakima Canutt. 53 mins.

Desert Command (1933) - A feature condensation of the twelve-chapter serial The Three Musketeers finds the Duke (as Lt. Tom Wayne) as a pilot wrongly accused of murder in the Saharan Desert. Aided by three French Foreign Legionnaires dubbing themselves 'The Three Musketeers,' Wayne must prove his innocence and defeat an evil gang stirring up the Arabs into revolt. 70 mins.



Disc Two

Sagebrush Trail (1934) - Jailed for a murder he didn't commit, John Brant (John Wayne) escapes and joins up with an outlaw gang to bring the real culprits to justice. Yakima Canutt is the bad guy. 54 mins.

Lucky Texan (1934) - Eastern-educated Jerry Mason (John Wayne) becomes partners with old rancher Jake Benson (Gabby Hayes in his first role as a sidekick). They strike it rich with a gold mine, then encounter outlaws. 54 mins.

West Of The Divide (1934) - Ted Hayden (John Wayne) impersonates a wanted man and goes undercover with a gang that was responsible for killing his father. With Gabby Hayes and Yakima Canutt. 54 mins.

Blue Steel (1934) - Marshal John Carruthers (John Wayne) goes undercover to ferret out crooked land speculators but Sheriff Jake (Gabby Hayes) thinks John is the crook. Can the marshal convince the sheriff it's the town's leading citizen who is up to no good before he swindles the good townsfolk? 54 mins.


Disc Three

Man From Utah (1934) - Rodeo champion John Weston (John Wayne) is sent by Marshal Higgins (Gabby Hayes) to a rodeo to uncover who is killing the rodeo riders who are about to win big prize money. 55 mins.

Randy Rides Alone (1934) - Charged with robbery and murder, Randy (John Wayne) is released from jail into the custody of Sally Rogers so he can find the real culprits. With Gabby Hayes and Yakima Canutt. 53 mins.

Star Packer (1934) - John Travers and his Indian companion Yak (Yakima Canutt) are after the mysterious Shadow and his gang. Along the way, Travers becomes the new sheriff. 53 mins.

The Trail Beyond (1934) - Rod Drew (John Wayne) searches for a missing miner and his daughter. He is joined by his old friend Wabi who has been framed for murder. Noah Beery Sr. and Noah Beery Jr. appear. 55 mins.


Disc Four

Lawless Frontier (1935) - In pursuit of the rustler Zanti who murdered his parents, John Tobin (John Wayne) is framed by a sheriff in cahoots with Zanti and his gang. With Gabby Hayes as 'Dusty.' 59 mins.

'Neath Arizona Skies (1934) - Chris Morrell (John Wayne) helps Indian girl (and oil heiress) Nina find her missing father. Sam Black (stuntman Yakima Canutt as a villain) and his gang are out to steal the oil lands. With Gabby Hayes. 52 mins.

Texas Terror (1935) - Sheriff John Higgins (John Wayne) turns in his badge after he thinks he has killed his best friend during a shootout. He meets his friend's sister, leading to all sorts of conflicts. With Gabby Hayes. 51 mins.

Rainbow Valley (1935) - Government agent John Martin (John Wayne) goes undercover to find out who is sabotaging efforts to build a road. The bad guys hire Martin to finish the job, but will his cover be blown before he can get the goods on the outlaws? 52 mins.


Disc Five

Desert Trail (1935) - Rodeo star John Scott (John Wayne) and his sidekick Kansas Charlie are wrongly accused of robbing a bank. To prove their innocence, they pursue the real culprits to bring them to justice. 54 mins.

Dawn Rider (1935) - Out for revenge against the gang that murdered his father, John Mason (John Wayne) is wounded. He falls for Alice, who nurses him back to health, but she turns out to be the sister one of the men Mason is looking for. 53 mins.

Paradise Canyon (1935) - In search of a counterfeiting operation, government agent John Wyatt (John Wayne) goes undercover by joining Doc Carter's medicine show. At first he suspects Carter of being the counterfeiter, but soon turns his attention to Curly Joe (Yakima Canutt). 52 mins.

Winds of the Wasteland (1936) - Pony Express rider John Blair (John Wayne) is out of work because of the new telegraph system. A race will decide whether the Express riders or the evil stagecoach owner get the government mail contract. 54 mins.


Disc Six

Hell Town (1937) - Based on a Zane Grey novel, cowboy drifter Dare Rudd (John Wayne) is hired by his cattleman cousin Tom to head the big cattle drive, but Dare loses the money for the drive to cardsharps. 59 mins.

Angel and the Badman (1947) - John Wayne is the badman and Gail Russell is the angel who nurses him back to health. Can a Quaker girl fall for a rough and tumble outlaw and make him change his ways? One of the Duke's most popular films. With Bruce Cabot. 100 mins.

McLintock! (1963) - A rowdy, brawling Western version of The Taming of the Shrew! Katherine McClintock (Maureen O'Hara) returns from the East to get a divorce from cattle baron George Washington McClintock (John Wayne) only to find he has hired a beautiful widow (Yvonne De Carlo) as cook. His daughter (Stefanie Powers) also shows up, only to be fought over by her parents and courted by the cook's son (Patrick Wayne) and the Harvard-educated son of G.W. McClintock's worst enemy. 127 mins.



Disc Seven

The Shadow of the Eagle (1932) - A carnival fairground and nearby airplane factory are menaced by a mysterious villain calling himself "The Eagle." Swearing revenge, he skywrites his threats against those who stole an invention. Barnstorming pilot Craig McCoy (John Wayne) is determined to uncover the truth about "The Eagle" and the disappearance of the carnival owner. Can he be "The Eagle," or is it one of the directors of the factory utilizing the invention?

Chapter Titles:
1. The Carnival Mystery
2. Pinholes
3. The Eagle Strikes
4. The Man of a Million Voices
5. The Telephone Cipher
6. Code of the Carnival
7. Eagle or Vulture?
8. On the Spot
9. When Thieves Fall Out
10.The Man Who Knew
11.The Eagle's Wings
12.The Shadow Unmasked

218 mins.

Bonus: Original theatrical trailer.


Disc Eight

The Hurricane Express (1932) - A mysterious saboteur calling himself "The Wrecker" causes havoc on the L & R Railroad. After his engineer father is killed, airline pilot Larry Baker (John Wayne) vows to identify "The Wrecker" and bring him to justice. But it appears "The Wrecker" may be connected with the railroad. Worse, "The Wrecker" can disguise himself to look like anyone by putting on a lifelike mask of that person!

Chapter Titles:
1. The Wrecker
2. Flying Pirates
3. The Masked Menace
4. Buried Alive
5. Danger Lights
6. The Airport Mystery
7. Sealed Lips
8. Outside the Law
9. The Invincible Army
10. The Wrecker's Secret
11. Wings of Death
12. Unmasked

227 min

Bonus: Original theatrical trailer.



Disc Nine

The Three Musketeers (1933) - John Wayne as one of the Three Musketeers? Not quite. This serial takes place not in 17th century France but in modern day French Algeria. With the popularity of Beau Geste, French Foreign Legion films were all the rage, hence this Mascot serial. It has nothing to do with the Alexander Dumas novel, save that a trio of rascally legionnaires call themselves as "the Three Musketeers" with their pilot friend Tom Wayne (John Wayne) pegged as 'D'Artagnan.' They search for the mysterious leader "El Shaitan" (played by a masked Yakima Canutt, who also arranged the stunts) trying to start an Arab rebellion.

Chapter Titles:
1. The Fiery Circle
2. One For All and All For One
3. The Master Spy
4. Pirates of the Desert
5. Rebel Rifles
6. Death's Marathon
7. Naked Steel
8. The Master Strikes
9. The Fatal Cave
10. Trapped
11. The Measure of Man
12. The Glory of Comrade

210 mins.


BONUS DISC (Disc Ten)

No Substitute For Victory (1970) - This rare piece of pro-Vietnam propaganda features on-camera narration by Wayne, plus appearances and commentary from General William Westmoreland, General Mark Clark and even Martha Raye! 73 mins.

Hollywood Remembers John Wayne - A fitting tribute to the remarkable life and career of the Duke. 25 mins.

John Wayne in the Saddle - Hit the trail with the Duke in this cinematic tribute to the Westerns of John Wayne, filled with rare, original theatrical trailers. 60 mins.

John Wayne In Action - Join the Duke in a knock-down, drag-out tribute to Wayne's greatest dramas, comedies, and, of course, war films, filled with original trailers. 60 mins.

This is a great collection of old time movies, not to mention 3 complete serials. No, they're not digital, hi-def quality. No, they're not all the pristine, crystal clear prints that "some critics" expect, but for the price you can't go wrong! 23 movies, and 3 serials for 35 bucks. OK, I'm not the biggest John Wayne fan, but I am a fan of good old fashion, good guy, bad guy flicks that you wouldn't be ashamed to let your kids or mother watch. This collection is well worth the purchase price.

I AM a John Wayne fan, and I have only a few of these movies on other discs. I used to have some on tape. I WILL watch them more then once and they are some of the best movies you can get. A real John Wayne fan would really appreciate these older movies. The quality of older movies are not of the primary concern for a real fan. The story line, the action, the many aspects of what makes John Wayne, the Duke! His style can still be seen in these early films. I recommend them.

I don't have this collection, but I have most of these (public domain) films, so here's my 2 cents worth: 10 discs of John Wayne movies and additional related material for $40, list - if you bought this collection expecting anything in the range of 3 to 5 star movies for that price and were disappointed by what you got, consider this a very inexpensive lesson in reality. You're just not gonna get lots of great movies so inexpensively. However, if you're interested in some of the rest of the Duke's massive output, this is an amazing collection, for almost pocket change, especially if you buy it used.

While most of the movies are flawed low budget quickies, they are typical of the pulp novels I've read from the early 20th century and therefore, nice examples of the origins of the Hollywood western. In other words, they are simple good guy vs. bad guy adventure stories, the kind your grand parents or great grand parents might have grown up with. Not for everyone, but a real treat for those who really love John Wayne, or are curious about B movie history.

The 5 stars are for the value, as much as for the content.

I bought this as a gift for my dad who LOVES John Wayne and has seen about every movie he has ever been in...i like the fact that it had unseen footage and it was a very good price. I wish i had more information to offer, but i have a great dad and he would never tell me if he didnt like a gift his daughter gave him!!!

Believe it or not John Wayne got his training in B pictures and serials ground out by the Poverty Row movie studios such as Mascot and Monogram. This set presents in chronological order his B pictures and one or two A pictures.

The big draw here is all 16 of his Lone Star Westerns that he ground out for Monogram from 1933-35. It was in these early pictures that Duke and another performer/stuntman Enos "Yakima" Canutt began revolutionizing screen fighting techniques that would make these early 5 day oaters a part of screen history.

Also in one of the most ludicrous casting decisions in cinematic history, in "Riders of Destiny" his very first Lone Star picture cast him as Singin' Sandy Saunders a singing cowboy. If that doesn't make you scratch your head or giggle in disbelief then obviously you have no idea who John Wayne is, let's just say his singing was dubbed and not very convincingly at that. Everytime he goes in for a showdown he begins to sing... that's clasic stuff here folks.

After that things get much better, because by "Sagebrush Trail" the second picture they dropped the singing act altogether.

For any western fan these pictures are veritable treasure chest of who's who of B western players. most notable for me are the presence of Earl Dwire, Yakima Canutt, George Hayes and Glenn Strange just to name a few.

As an irrelevant side note, when I originally watched these, they were scattered out of order across numerous Platinum Disc Corporation DVD's and I saw an interesting character development for George Hayes character, first he starts of as a good guy and John Wayne's friend, then in order to clear Duke of murdering him, he shaves off his mustache disguises himself as a woman. Seemingly driven insane by the loss of his mustache he turns bad and tries to Kill John Wayne.

Republic is represented here by both "Winds of the Wasteland" and "Angel and the Badman". The latter is easily one Duke's best films with the innocent beauty of Gail Russell as the Quaker who reforms Duke. Also notable for the first screen teaming of Duke and Bruce Cabot who would go on to appear together in 12 more movies through Big Jake. And not to be forgotten is John Wayne's boyhood idol, Harry Carey, Sr. as the marshal who doesn't believe that Duke can be reformed.

Winds of the Wasteland involves a stagecoach race for government contracts and of course a corrupt businessman tries to stop Duke and Lane Chandler from winning by any means necessary.

"His Private Secretary" is an interesting early role for Duke, as he plays a good for nothing Playboy who falls hard for a girl and marries her despite his father's objections. In order to sway his father's opinion of her, she secretly takes a job as the father's secretary. Watch for Al "Fuzzy" St. John in a brief part as the gas station attendant.

The serials are all great fun to watch and for those who never have seen Duke in his cliffhangers the curiosity factor will compel them to at least check them out. The best of the three is "The Three Musketeers" with appearances by Lon Chaney, Jr. billed here as Creighton Chaney, and Noah Beery, Jr.

The only negative thing here is the quality of the public domain print of McLintock! but I know you wouldn't buy this set for that movie, especially considering the awesome quality print available from Paramount authorized by the Wayne estate..

As for the bonus disc it's really more of a filler than anything of real importance to Duke fans. They could have slapped on various TV appearances and instead they went for 2 compilations of movie trailers, a really dumb and poorly put together tribute and possibly the only worthwhile bonus feature, "No Substitute For Victory".

This set is highly recommended for both the Duke fan and lovers of westerns and serials. And until someone sees fit to release these in fully restored prints this is the set I am going to recommend.

Legend films has released a handful these films restored, but unless you like horrible sounding synthesizer music added to your movies stay away from those.

Is your husband a John Wayne fan but you have no idea which movies to get him? Save your money and skip this collection. Most John Wayne collections consist of forgetable movies from early in John Wayne's career. Amazon has a good collection of movies from later in his career, so concentrate on those instead. Yes, they will cost more, but your John Wayne fan will actually watch them repeatedly, unlike the movies in this collection. Some of my favorites are, The Shootist, The Cowboys, True Grit, The Sons of Katie Elder, Rooster Cogburn, Who Shot Liberty Valence, War Wagon, The Searchers, Rio Bravo, Big Jake, etc.

was very disappointed in the product.Films where to old.Unfortunately in your advertisement it did not specify what films where on it.