John Wayne: Stagecoach

Starring:George Bancroft, Ted Billings, Fritzi Brunette, John Carradine, Nora Cecil, Chief John Big Tree, Berton Churchill, Steve Clemente, Andy Devine
Studio: Delta
Product Type: DVD

John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection (The Searchers Ultimate Edition / Stagecoach Two-Disc Special Edition / Fort Apache / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon / The Long Voyage Home / They Were Expendable / 3 Godfathers / The Wings of Eagles)

Average customer rating:

What a Deal.
Superb John Wayne
8 Films By Two Screen Legends
SPANISH SUBTITLES MISSING - IT'S A PITY!!!!
Duke classic collection

John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection (The Searchers Ultimate Edition / Stagecoach Two-Disc Special Edition / Fort Apache / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon / The Long Voyage Home / They Were Expendable / 3 Godfathers / The Wings of Eagles)
Starring: John Wayne
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Ultimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Westerns | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

Boxed Sets & Collections | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The John Ford Film Collection (The Informer / Mary of Scotland / The Lost Patrol / Cheyenne Autumn / Sergeant Rutledge)
Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)
Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)
Clark Gable - The Signature Collection (Dancing Lady / China Seas / San Francisco / Wife vs. Secretary / Boom Town / Mogambo)
John Wayne - An American Icon Collection (Seven Sinners/ The Shepherd of the Hills/ Pittsburgh/ The Conqueror/ Jet Pilot)

ASIN: B000F0UUI2
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Amazon.com

There may be no better representation of America's love of the old West than the 10-disc John Ford-John Wayne Collection. The iconic star and iconic director collaborated on 14 films, eight of which appear here. Four--Fort Apache (1948), The Long Voyage Home (1940), The Wings of Eagles (1957), and 3 Godfathers (1948)--are appearing for the first time on DVD, and the two most famous, Stagecoach (1939) and The Searchers (1956), are represented in brand-new two-disc editions that add new and old featurettes as well as the outstanding American Masters documentary John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend. (This Ultimate Edition of The Searchers adds a variety of printed materials as well, such as reproductions of press materials and a 1956 comic book.) Two other landmark films previously available on DVD, They Were Expendable (1945) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), round out the set. The three non-Westerns in the set have military settings, with They Were Expendable arguably the greatest World War II picture ever.

The Movies:
A favorite film of some of the world's greatest filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, John Ford's The Searchers has earned its place in the legacy of great American films for a variety of reasons. Perhaps most notably, it's the definitive role for John Wayne as an icon of the classic Western--the hero (or antihero) who must stand alone according to the unwritten code of the West. The story takes place in Texas in 1868; Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a Confederate veteran who visits his brother and sister-in-law at their ranch and is horrified when they are killed by marauding Comanches. Ethan's search for a surviving niece (played by young Natalie Wood) becomes an all-consuming obsession. With the help of a family friend (Jeffrey Hunter) who is himself part Cherokee, Ethan hits the trail on a five-year quest for revenge. At the peak of his masterful talent, director Ford crafts this classic tale as an embittered examination of racism and blind hatred, provoking Wayne to give one of the best performances of his career. As with many of Ford's classic Westerns, The Searchers must contend with revisionism in its stereotypical treatment of "savage" Native Americans, and the film's visual beauty (the final shot is one of the great images in all of Western culture) is compromised by some uneven performances and stilted dialogue. Still, this is undeniably one of the greatest Westerns ever made.

The landmark Western Stagecoach began the legendary relationship between Ford and Wayne, and became the standard for all subsequent Westerns. It solidified Ford as a major director and established Wayne as a charismatic screen presence. Seen today, Stagecoach still impresses as the first mature instance of a Western that is both mythic and poetic. The story about a cross-section of troubled passengers unraveling under the strain of Indian attack contains all of Ford's incomparable storytelling trademarks--particularly swift action and social introspection--underscored by the painterly landscape of Monument Valley. And what an ensemble of actors: Thomas Mitchell (who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as the drunken doctor), Claire Trevor, Donald Meek, Andy Devine, and the magical John Carradine.

Fort Apache stars Wayne as a Cavalry officer used to doing things a certain way out West at Fort Apache. Along comes a rigid, new commanding officer (Henry Fonda) who insists that everything on his watch be done by the book, including dealings with local Indians. The results are mixed: greater discipline at the fort, but increased hostilities with the natives. Ford deliberately leaves judgments about the wisdom of these changes ambiguous, but he also allows plenty of room for the fullness of life among the soldiers and their families to blossom. Fonda, in an unusual role for him, is stern and formal as the new man in charge; Wayne is heroic as the rebellious second; Victor McLaglen provides comic relief; and Ward Bond is a paragon of sturdy and sentimental masculinity. All of this is set against the magnificent, poetic topography of Monument Valley. This is easily one of the greatest of American films.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, the second installment of Ford's famous cavalry trilogy (which also includes Fort Apache and Rio Grande), continues the director's fascination with history's obliteration of the past. It features one of John Wayne's more sensitive performances as Capt. Nathan Brittles, a stern yet sentimental war horse who has difficulty preparing for his impending military retirement. It's a film about honor and duty as well as loneliness and mortality. And Oscar-winner Winton C. Hoch beautifully photographs it in Remington-like Technicolor tones. The combination of melancholy and farce (Victor McLaglen makes a perfect court jester) evokes comparisons to Shakespeare. Best of all, the scene in which Wayne fights back tears when receiving a gold watch from his troops is unforgettably bittersweet. If you view the whole trilogy, it actually makes sense to save this for last.

It's hardly shameful that Three Godfathers ranks as the slightest John Ford Western in a five-year arc that includes My Darling Clementine, Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Wagon Master, and Rio Grande. The story had already been filmed at least five times--once by Ford himself. Just before Christmas, three workaday outlaws (John Wayne, Pedro Armendáriz, Harry Carey Jr.) rob a bank and flee into the desert. The canny town marshal (Ward Bond) moves swiftly to cut them off from the wells along their escape route, so they make for another, deep in the wasteland. There's no water waiting for them, but there is a woman (Mildred Natwick) on the verge of death--and also of giving birth. The three badmen accept her dying commission as godfathers to the newborn. Motley variants of the Three Wise Men, they strike out for the town of New Jerusalem with her Bible as roadmap. Ford's is the softest retelling of the tale, but it's all played with great gusto and tenderness--especially by Wayne, who's rarely been more appealing. Visually the film is one knockout shot after another. This was Ford's first Western in Technicolor, as well as his first collaboration with cinematographer Winton Hoch. What they do with sand ripples and shadows and long plumes of train smoke is rapturously beautiful. It's also often too arty by half, but who can blame them?

Eugene O'Neill loved The Long Voyage Home, the feature-length adaptation of his one-act sea plays, with intelligent bridging material written by Dudley Nichols and a final movement, both hellish and elegiac, appropriate to the onset of World War II. John Ford directed, in his more self-consciously arty vein but with no loss of power or passion. The focus is on the working seamen aboard a merchant ship making its way from the Caribbean to New York harbor and then England, with dangerous cargo on the transatlantic leg. Thomas Mitchell (who had won a 1939 Oscar in Ford's Stagecoach) gives a career-best performance as Driscoll; Ian Hunter plays the enigmatic shipmate known only as "Smitty"; Ford regulars Barry Fitzgerald, John Qualen, Ward Bond, Arthur Shields, and Joseph Sawyer fill key roles; and the top-billed John Wayne contributes a surprisingly effective supporting performance as Ole, a gentle Swedish giant who really belongs on a farm somewhere. Although neglected in recent years, this movie has a permanent place of honor in one of the most amazing three-year creative streaks any director ever had.

John Ford had a big emotional investment in The Wings of Eagles, and his favorite star John Wayne rewarded the director with one of his strongest performances. The subject is Frank "Spig" Wead, Naval aviation legend turned Hollywood screenwriter, who had written Ford's very good 1932 movie Air Mail and his magnificent WWII elegy They Were Expendable (1945). Ford was fond of exploring the theme of "victory in defeat." Wead's life was made to order for that. The hell-raising flyboy shenanigans, and his flailing marriage to a scrappy Irish redhead (The Quiet Man's Maureen O'Hara reporting for duty), were abruptly curtailed by a fall that left him with severe spinal damage. He should never have been able to walk again, but he fought his way back to limited mobility and built a new career as a writer. And when WWII broke out, Wead made a key contribution to the Pacific air war. It would be satisfying to report that The Wings of Eagles is a triumph--that the broad comedy of the early reels cuts brilliantly against the raw pain of the Weads' marriage, the grief of a family broken and mended and broken again, the film's specters of death and deep frustration. There are powerful moments, but the low comedy is very low, the visual style sometimes stark but more often just drab, and the screenplay is very choppy about the passage of time.

They Were Expendable is the greatest American film of the Second World War, made by America's greatest director, John Ford, who himself saw action from the Battle of Midway through D-day. Yet it's been oddly neglected. Or perhaps not so oddly: for as the matter-of-fact title implies, the film commemorates a period, from the eve of Pearl Harbor up to the impending fall of Bataan, when the Japanese conquest of the Pacific was in full cry and U.S. forces were fighting a desperate holding action. Although stirring movies had been made about these early days, they were gung ho in their resolve to see the tables turned. They Were Expendable, however, which was made when Allied victory was all but assured, is profoundly elegiac, with the patient grandeur of a tragic poem. "They" are the officers and men of the Navy's PT boat service, an experimental motor-torpedo force relegated to courier duty on Manila Bay but eventually proven effective in combat. Their commander is played by Robert Montgomery, who actually served on a PT and later commanded a destroyer at Normandy (he also codirected the breathtaking second-unit action sequences). John Wayne's costarring role as Montgomery's volatile second-in-command initially looks stereotypically blustery, but as the drama unfolds, Wayne sounds notes of tenderness and vulnerability that will take Duke-bashers by surprise. They Were Expendable is a heartbreakingly beautiful film, full of astonishing images of warfare, grief, courage, and dignity. This is a masterpiece.

Description

John Ford was easily one of the greatest, most prolific and versatile directors Hollywood ever produced. Combined with a star of the caliber and magnetism of John Wayne, what emerges is pure cinematic magic. WHV now introduces a ten-disc set featuring eight of the team's finest collaborations: The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition (1956) Stagecoach: Special Edition (1939) Fort Apache (1948) The Long Voyage Home (1940) Wings of Eagles (1957) She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1948) They Were Expendable (1945) 3 Godfathers (1948)

Customer Reviews:

What a Deal........2007-04-28

A lot has been said about this collection. I would just like to point out that the price can't be beat either. The Searchers disk alone would set you back 35 dollars. The Stagecoach another 20. The other six DVD's are free. About 60 to 70 dollars worth. Man you can't do any better. I already had The Wings of Eagles and The Long Voyage Home. The set DVD's are identical to the DVD's I already had, so this isn't a stripped down set at all.

Superb John Wayne.......2007-03-22

An excellent selection of John Wayne movies. The Searchers has been rated one of his best with She Wore a Yellow Ribbon my all time favorite. Fort Apache is excellent also. The Long Voyage and They were Expendable were minor roles for him but all in all a great collection of films. The man became the all american hero even before his passing.

8 Films By Two Screen Legends.......2007-03-19

This is one of the larger collections that came out last year and whatever else you may think about John Wayne, he was the most prolific star of his (perhaps of all) time, twice the output of Humphrey Bogart, for example.

John Ford was also quite prolific but many of his early ones are lost. Still, his place and time as one of the great auteurs intrigues many of cinephile.

Some favorites are missing but are available, such as "Rio Grande", "The Quiet Man" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". The extras for this set are in some cases, non existant, while some are repeats, but the main reason to own this set is for the films themselves.

"Stagecoach" - This 1939 Western stands as the turning point for both Ford's and especially Wayne's careers. This is also quite an ensemble piece for which Donald Meek, Thomas Mitchell (was Oscar for this), John Caradine, Andy Devine, George Bancroft, Louise Pratt and Berton Churchill spend much screen time as the occupants of the stagecoach along with JW and Clair Trevor. Wayne and Trevor provide the love story, she as the whore being run out of town, he the vengeful outlaw who Bancroft wants to lock up for Wayne's own good. But all are misfits in this journey and even though quite laughable today, a fun movie to watch. Alas, the native Americans are basically just ducks in a shooting gallery.

"The Long Voyage Home" is another ensemble piece and does have the odd casting of Wayne as the big Swede who doesn't hit back. Mitchell returns and is actually the main character in this movie, which does have the great bittersweet language of Eugene O'Neil. This offers what a good actor Ward Bond was when called to be when he has his death scene.

"They Were Expendable" Ford won two Oscars for documentaries shot in World War Two. Wayne made many war pictures but this is my favorite one. The dialogue and settings are quite believable for the most part and Robert Montgomery displays dignity as the one in charge. A nice haunting scene is when Wayne gets caught off talking to Donna Reed with the realization he might never see her again. This also has none of the crazy heroics that many films had (Wayne guilty in many of those) and a good humor with the supporting characters.

"3 Godfathers" is truly an offbeat film. Wayne, Pedro Amadariz and Harry Carey, Jr., are actually bank robbers, quite likable though, who save a woman's baby while running away from sheriff Ward Bond. It is through this baby that the three find redemption though it's only Wayne who has the happy ending. In its way, this is a very spiritual film.

"Fort Apache" is actually my favorite film here. Fords prints the facts and shows them distorted by Wayne for his benefit who he can effectively lead the troop. Henry Fonda plays quite the unsympathic custer character who tricks Cochise to come back. The scene that Fonda has with Cochise, who laments in Spanish the deplorable conditions but chills the white man's chilling response, is brilliant. The adult Shirley Temple provides support here with the bland John Agar. Also very good, Ward Bond, Victor McLagden and Pedro Armandariz.

"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" is quite a melodramtic film with Wayne talking to tombstones and weeping half the time. Still, great comedic support from Victor McLagden. "Don't apolagize, it's a sign of weakness" Wayne repeats over and over. However, both Agar and Carey, Jr., aren't given much to do. Ben Johnson does what he does best. It's interesting that George O'Brien was Ford's big star in the silent era and here and Fort Apache just strictly a sad character actor. Still, John Wayne makes this watchable and the gold watch scene quite effective.

"The Searchers" which along with "Stagecoach" gets a second disk of extras. This is the definitive Wayne-Ford movie, as good as any film noir as the antihero makes good. Wayne plays the racist Ethan Edwards and Jeff Hunter co stars as the other searcher who must accompany Wayne before Wayne finds and murders his niece, played by the beautiful Natalie Wood. The firing into the dead Indian's eyes, the shooting of buffalo, the shooting of Indians in the back, the digust of looking at white women are among the most powerful scenes Wayne or Ford have ever done. It would have been interesting if Wayne actually killed Wood because that's the actual story, but thank God he didn't. This film is not a comfortable film to watch and it's not intended to be. The race issues it addresses still hold true today.

"The Wings of Eagles" is in my opinion, the weakest Wayne-Ford movie. There's no sense of period. The slapstick doesn't work for me and Maureen O'Hara's character's alcoholism is never addressed. However, Wayne's determination to move that toe, strongly assisted by Dan Dailey, makes up for a lot. Also, way too briefly, Ward Bond as John Ford. Also fun is hearing Wayne's comment of bringing in the seventh calvary when viewing an early Clark Gable movie.

SPANISH SUBTITLES MISSING - IT'S A PITY!!!!.......2007-03-11

Despite the DVD label states subtitles available in English, French and Spanish, NO SPANISH SUBTITLES ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS FILM. Unbelievable such a top level collection with this mismatch!

I would have enjoyed a complete understanding of the film, given I am an enthusiastic cinematography student, and even worse: I am a Spanish speaker!!! My sister is now writing for me!!

Thanks to Amazon for its fine service in Argentina.

PABLO GALARZA

Duke classic collection.......2007-03-09

From his first efforts in "The Long Voyage Home" to the classic "The Searchers"-this set is a must have for those who are truly John Wayne fans. Watch them in chronological order to get a real feel for these movies and how John Wayne grew into the star he was. Again, John Ford utilizes supporting players who are great actors in their own rights. If you love the Duke-you'll want this collection.

Average customer rating:

Stagecoach
Starring: Claire Trevor , John Wayne , Andy Devine , John Carradine , and Thomas Mitchell
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

1930s | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

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Fort Apache
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
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Rio Grande

ASIN: B000O59A02
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Description

Nine passengers ride a stage through Apache territory...and into movie immortality. The John Ford classic that won two Academy Awards(R) and made John Wayne a star. Year: 1939 Director: John Ford Starring: Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine,

Average customer rating:

Stagecoach
John Ford and John Wayne, a pairing for the ages.
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON
region 1 DVD
Gorgeous Scenery and Intricate Characters

Stagecoach (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Claire Trevor , John Wayne , Andy Devine , John Carradine , and Thomas Mitchell
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

1930s | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Searchers (Two-Disc Anniversary Edition)
Red River
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
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ASIN: B000F0UUJ6
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Amazon.com essential video

This landmark 1939 Western began the legendary relationship between John Ford and John Wayne, and became the standard for all subsequent Westerns. It solidified Ford as a major director and established Wayne as a charismatic screen presence. Seen today, Stagecoach still impresses as the first mature instance of a Western that is both mythic and poetic. The story about a cross-section of troubled passengers unraveling under the strain of Indian attack contains all of Ford's incomparable storytelling trademarks--particularly swift action and social introspection--underscored by the painterly landscape of Monument Valley. And what an ensemble of actors: Thomas Mitchell (who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as the drunken doctor), Claire Trevor, Donald Meek, Andy Devine, and the magical John Carradine. Due to the film's striking use of chiaroscuro lighting and low ceilings, Orson Welles watched Stagecoach over and over while preparing for Citizen Kane. --Bill Desowitz

Description

Nine disparate travelers are thrust together on a Stagecoach destined for Apache territory...and movie immortality. As the Ringo Kid, director John Ford casr a lanky veteran of 70 B-movies, serials and shorts named John Wayne. Each rifle shot and closeup rang out the news: a new star is born. Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell (his Academy Award?-winning* performance) and others made memorable imptressions. Stunt legend Yakima Canutt provided hair-raising thrilles. And 17 American folk songs formed the basis of an Oscar?-winning* score. This adventure ushered in a 30-year era of great Westerns, many featuring its top practitioners ? Ford and Wayne.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Scott Eyman
Documentary:AMERICAN MASTERS: John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend
Featurette:Stagecoach: A Story of Redemption
TV Spot:May 4, 1946 Academy Award Theater Broadcast
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Stagecoach.......2007-06-21

The landmark "A" western, and star-making vehicle for Wayne. Director Ford's, undisputed American masterpiece. Terrific ensemble cast including Claire Trevor, Thomas Mitchell and a host of Ford regulars like Andy Devine, all help make this film spin.

John Ford and John Wayne, a pairing for the ages........2007-05-12

Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)

Both John Ford and John Wayne had made nearly one hundred films by the time of Stagecoach, but this is the one almost universally regarded as the movie that catapulted both to the status of legends. Deservedly so; I'd say this is one of the five best westerns I've ever seen.

The plot seems simple enough: a stagecoach has to get from point A to point B, with the path travelling through Geronimo's territory, and he's not a happy guy right now. There is, however, a great deal more to it than that; one of the stagecoach's passengers is the wife of an officer who's fighting Geronimo, and the motley band of characters riding in it end up not just going from point A to point B, but C, D, and E as well, with various escapades along the way. It's the western version of a Bunuel film, but with tension mixed into the absurdity. This is not an idle comparison; a lot of the seemingly extraneous shots Ford uses should put one in mind of Bunuel's later work.

The characters, also, are a far cry from what one would expect in such movies. The entire core cast is well-developed and three-dimensional; no one is here just for comic relief, or just to be the action hero. Everyone has a backstory, and it informs each character. That's still rare today; back then it was groundbreaking.

If you've never seen Stagecoach, I recommend giving it a look. Even if you're not fond of westerns, this one's got something to offer. ****

SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON.......2007-02-14

SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON AND OTHER JOHN WAYNE MOVIES WERE ENJOYED BEFORE TODAY'S "LIGHT SHOW" MOVIES AND THE LANGUAGE WAS MORE CIVIL. THE MOVIES MAY APPEAR SIMPLE AND YOU MAY BE MISSING A LOT BECAUSE YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE SIMPLE. THEY WERE AWARD WINNERS IN THEIR HEYDAY. OTHERS, LIKE
STAGECOACH, FORT APACHE AND RIO GRANDE ARE IN BLACK AND WHITE AND YOU MAY
SKIP THEM FOR THAT REASON, BUT WHAT DO YOU MISS. THEY ARE AMERICANA AND
THEY SHOW HUMAN INTEREST VALUE. CHECK OUT THE FINE POINTS. WAS THAT
REALLY A UFO CAUGHT ON CAMERA IN THE FILMING OF RIO GRANDE IN LATE 1940'S ? BY TODAY'S LIGHT SHOW STANDARDS YOU MAY NOT NOTICE THIS "SOMETHING" THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE MOVIE. HECK, YOU MAY NOT SEE IT. AS FOR THE RATING YOU APPLY TO "SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON", DO YOU DO IT BY COMPARISON TO MOVIES OF ITS DAY OR TO THE LIGHT SHOW MOVIES OF NOW ?
JUST ENJOY IT.

region 1 DVD.......2007-02-11

It was impossible to review this item as the discs were for region 1, whereas I live in region 2. Please be careful when dispatching DVDs

Gorgeous Scenery and Intricate Characters.......2007-02-03

Stagecoach is a black and white classic "disparate strangers tossed together" kind of story - and this is the original 1939 version starring John Wayne. You've got all sorts on the stagecoach - Wayne as the goodhearted outlaw out for revenge, a sweet prostitute, a high-class lady, a southern gentleman gambler, a drunkard doc, and so on.

Each person has their own motivation for going on the stagecoach - most are escaping one thing or another in the town. The problem is that the Apaches are out causing trouble, being stirred up by Geronimo. They're told this by another indian - apparently "The Cheyenne hate Apaches worse than we do". One of the hotels in town is named the "Tonto Hotel". Lone Ranger lovers will enjoy the reference. Rumor has it that the friend of the Lone Ranger was named after the Spanish word for "fool".

Soon of course there are Indian troubles for the travelers. They head up higher into the hills because, as one of the men wryly comments, "those beach crowd Apaches don't like snow." The only real Apache they run into is the "squaw" wife of a local Mexican trader. She's one of Geronimo's people - but she sings Spanish song and wears a Spanish looking blanket. She also takes off as soon as she can, and her loss isn't missed much by her husband. He regrets the horse she took more than her loss!

The movie packs a lot into under two hours. First, the scenery - even though it's in black and white - is simply gorgeous. No wonder westerns became such a popular genre, with the fascinating rock formations and wide open skies. Next, the characters are great. You really feel each person has a history, a complex character. The banker is all bluster - but something drove him to betraying his business and taking off with the money, deserting his wife and profession. Characters that start the movie believing in something strongly are often made wiser by the end.

Anyone looking to this to get any sense of what the natives were like back in the wild west won't get much to learn from. Most of the time the Indians are represented by an arrow flying in a window or a scary noise outside the window. The Indians are a faceless, ever-present menace.

On the other hand it's really amazing that this film from 1939 survived this long, in any form. It was very nearly lost. It is great to watch this version and then the 1966 remake with Ann-Margret and Bing Crosby. See just what a difference a few decades make in how things are portrayed.

Average customer rating:

Best "Western" Ever Made
Classic western-John Wayne
classic Duke
john ford and john wayne bring the western to the adults in this great movie
ford and wayne team for the first time to reinvent the western

Stagecoach
Starring: Claire Trevor , John Wayne , Andy Devine , John Carradine , and Thomas Mitchell
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Cowboys & Indians | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

1930s | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Searchers (Two-Disc Anniversary Edition)
Red River
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Fort Apache
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ASIN: 6304696582
Release Date: 1997-10-29

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Best "Western" Ever Made.......2007-05-28

It's only a "western" because it takes place in a western setting. It's a drama, like "Lifeboat" is a drama. You wouldn't call "Lifeboat" a war movie.

I have nothing to add to the praise that so many others have given "Stagecoach." Instead, I'll add a few observations, pro and con.

The characters are stereotypes. But they are beautifully defined and superbly acted stereotypes. It's not important whether they are "realistic" or not. The point is, they serve the dramatic story, which is the whole point of having characters at all.

The army officer's wife is a wimp. She's supposed to be army, for crying out loud. If I were that officer, I'd dump her.

There's also something strange about the movie not telling us she's pregnant until she actually gives birth.

In the chase scene, the Clair Trevor character gets to do a little shooting, rather than standing by and screaming while the men do the fighting, as is so often the case in films.

But earlier in the movie, after she has sat up all night with the ailing officer's wife, the sleeping men awake and immediately ask HER to make THEM some coffee. Pul-eeze! Was the script writer asleep, too?

And then of course, there are the Apaches, beautifully portrayed by Navajo extras from the Monument Valley area. No whites in darkface here.

But alas, the usual one-sided battle ensues, with the cowboy marksmen effortlessly picking off the pursuing Apaches. Come on!

First of all, though John Wayne uses a rifle, the others use handguns. It's almost impossible to hit anything accurately at a distance with a handgun, not to mention when firing from from a jouncing stagecoach at rapidly shifting targets.

Second, real Apaches of that period, exceptional fighters and tacticians, would never have chased the stagecoach from BEHIND and exposed themselves so stupidly. They would have intercepted it from in front, and the whites would have been easy pickings.

Another reviewer asked why the Apaches didn't simply shoot the horses to stop the stage. The film doesn't deal with that question, but the right answer would have been that the horses were more valuable to them than the stage or the people in it. Shooting the horses would have rendered the attack itself a bit pointless.

The cavalry coming to the rescue is an embarrassing cliché, but it is somewhat saved by the beautifully framed deep shot, a John Ford trademark, of the stage slowly coming to stop as it approaches the camera, while the soldiers recede into the distance chasing the Apaches.

I never tire of watching this film. I can say that of few others.

Classic western-John Wayne.......2007-02-12

Wonderful movie. Too bad only made it black and white. Classic for the nursing home.
Received promptly.
Thank you.

classic Duke.......2006-12-05

Very entertaining, action-packed adventure. Makes an important social comment as well regarding respect.

john ford and john wayne bring the western to the adults in this great movie.......2006-04-18

this is "the one" the movie that saved and brought the western back for near death and the film that made john wayne a star for the rest of his life.
john ford's stagecoach is one of his best works and the template for all westerns to follow. it might feel like you have seen all this in a million other movies,but this was the first.
the story of a group of people on a stage to the town lordsburg is a great character study of people under stress and how the good in people is on the inside and that some people who look nice are just the opposit in real life. the action is fast and the story is just the best. won oscers for music score and for thomas mitchell as the drunken doctor who is quick witted and quick drinking man who finds himself again as the trip goes along. belongs in every collection of the greatest movies ever made

ford and wayne team for the first time to reinvent the western.......2006-01-23

this is the one,the film orson welles used to get ideas for "citizen kane", the movie that made john wayne a star, the film that won thomas mitchell an oscar as a drunk doctor who knows people better than you would think, and the film that brought the western back from "kiddie" films to the adult side of films. not one false note in this western that set the bar for what good westerns should be. if it looks a little like some other movies you have seen rember this one was first.

The John Wayne Signature Collection (Stagecoach / The Searchers / Rio Bravo / The Cowboys)

Average customer rating:

My dad was HAPPY!
Very vicious, racial films! Politically incorrect films!
John Wayne signature collection
john wayne collection
doesn't get better than this

The John Wayne Signature Collection (Stagecoach / The Searchers / Rio Bravo / The Cowboys)
Starring: John Wayne , Jeffrey Hunter , Vera Miles , Ward Bond , and Natalie Wood
Director: John Ford , and Howard Hawks
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Hondo (Special Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B0002Y4TLA
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

My dad was HAPPY!.......2007-02-12

I tell you, my father is a pain to shop for. But for ONCE I got him something he thouroughly enjoyed. :) Good buy, fast delivery, and all is well for one more year....

Very vicious, racial films! Politically incorrect films!.......2007-01-10

John Wayne, one of the most politically incorrect actors all time(probably the most politically incorrect), was teamed many times with a racist and very politically incorrect director "John Ford" and a very commercial and politically incorrect director "Howard Hawks".

John Ford described the native brutally,falsely and the white innocent in his technically famous films "The Searchers", "Stagecoach", and he twisted the story of the great novel "The grapes of wrath" by the view point of the ruler. Is he a good director? Yes, he is a technially good director, but he informed the audience of wrong history done by most whites. The native were killed in their land by the white, and the white took the native's property. So "The Searchers", "Stagecoach" can not be good any sense for the society even though those movies were technically great.

John Wayne was worse than John Ford(they were almost the same). In 1950's which-hunt, some Hollywood liberals made the film "High Noon" to attack the extreme right wing. After watching the film "High Noon", John Wayne and Howard Hawks decided to attack the Hollywood liberals, so they made the film "Rio Bravo". The result was a politically incorrect film(a very falsely informed and extremely right wing propaganda film).

Did we need a extremely right wing propaganda fim in 1950's?

Some people say a film should be decided by itself (technical standards only). I don't agree with that opinion because a film influence the audience. That's why only Jim Morrison(lead singer of "doors") liked Marlon Brando, the other UCLA class mates liked the racist, extremist John Wayne. I hope to watch technically good films with human conscience.

John Wayne signature collection.......2006-07-20

I have watched the DVD's many time already and enjoy them very much.

john wayne collection.......2006-02-25

there were two of the movies that my wife wanted in this collection and so i got them for her was there a way to make them full screen

doesn't get better than this.......2006-01-29

this is a great collection of John Wayne! The cowboy is just as good as when i saw it as a boy. Men were men enven when they were just boys......

The John Wayne Collection (The Cowboys/The Searchers/Stagecoach)

Average customer rating:

A Trio of Treasures
A fabulous collection of some of the Duke's best films

The John Wayne Collection (The Cowboys/The Searchers/Stagecoach)
Starring: Claire Trevor , John Wayne , Andy Devine , John Carradine , and Thomas Mitchell
Director: John Ford , and Mark Rydell
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004XMRX
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Customer Reviews:

A Trio of Treasures.......2004-06-03

This review refers to 3 disc DVD set(Warner Bros) of "The John Wayne Collection" including "Stagecoach", "The Searchers", and "The Cowboys" ....

First things first...Thanks Warner Bros!...This John Wayne collection offers a great selection of not only some of the Duke's finest westerns, but is definitive of the American Westerns we have come to love. Spanning over 30 years, these three films, give us a good look at Wayne from his early years as a rising star, to the later years when this legend just awed us with his on screen presence. The selection of these three films is terrific. The wonderful stars, the masterful direction, the magnifcent cinematography, captivating storylines,fabulous music, all in one great DVD package is a real cinematic treat.

First up is "Stagecoach" from 1939. Wayne is a wanted man who is along for the ride with a group of passengers, each not only battling their own demons and prejudices, but the elements of the rugged terrain and Indian attacks as well. And what a group...it also stars Claire Trevor, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell, and Donald Meek. This one is directed by the great John Ford and the black and white cinemaptogrpahy of this journey is absolutley stunning. The DVD transfer of this 65 year old film is not as pristeen as some other B/W classic of the era, but certainly looks good. a few scratches here and there, a little flickering, but once you are involved with this film, you won't even notice. The Dolby Dig sound is very good, all the sounds of the old west clear and distinct. The DVD includes some production notes, seven trailers, and has subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

"The Searchers" from 1956 is up next. Do they come any better than this? The Duke is a war weary ex-confederate who becomes obsessed with hunting down the Comanche tribe who has massacred his family and kidnapped his young niece. We follow him for years as he will not let go of his mission or his beliefs. Wayne is amazing in this role as we see his hatred turn into humanity. This one is also from Director John Ford, and may just be his masterpiece. It is filmed in technicolor, and the stunning scenary may be viewed in the original widescreen, but also has the option of a standard version. It also stars Hollywood greats Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood. I thought this was the best transfer of the three(although not the newest). The picture was clean and clear with very good sound. There are a couple of documentary shorts included, made at the time of the shoot, one has a brief interview with Natalie Wood(glowing from her recent Oscar nomination for "Rebel Without A Cause"). It may be viewed in or with subtitles in English, French and Spanish, and it also contains some production notes.

From 1971, "The Cowboys" finds our guy as an aging rancher who must hire 11 young boys to help him on a 400 mile cattle drive.
He's tough and gruff, but really has a way with the kids,(only The Duke can cure a boy's stuttering in less than 2 minutes!), and soon finds himself acting as both trail boss and father to the group. The drive is rough for all and has the added suspense of some bad hombres led by Bruce Dern who are out to rustle The Duke's cattle. Wayne turns in a touching performance and if it was up to me, would have recieved an Oscar for this role. Dern is the baddest of the bad as he goes after our hero. The film is not short on talent, Directed by Mark Rydell, it includes Roscoe Lee Brown, a young A. Martinez, and a small but meaty part for the wonderful Colleen Dewhurst. A nice widescreen presentation, the picture and color were good but seemed just a little dated to me.The sound remastered in DD 5.1 is fabulous. There's a great documentary included. "The Breaking of Boys and The Making Of Men", talks about how the boys were selected, and how they trained for their parts. There are 13 (count em ..13) trailers of Wayne films from the 30's through the 70's, informative production notes, and has languages and subtitles in English and French.

One other note...the price is right for this set. Checking the prices individually, this is practically like buying 2 and getting one free.They each come in their own snap case and have an outer sleeve for the set.

A Trio of Treasures for fans of The Duke.

Go for it!...Happy Trails...Laurie

A fabulous collection of some of the Duke's best films.......2003-08-02

This collection contains three of John Wayne's best Westerns at an affordable price. All three of these movies are spectacular, and include the movie that launched the Duke's career (Stagecoach), one from the height of his popularity (the Searchers), and one of his final masterpieces (the Cowboys). Each of these movies is moving in its own unique way:

STAGECOACH is the film that brought Wayne and the great director John Ford together. This is also Wayne's big break into stardom. He stars as the Ringo Kid, a confirmed killer with a noble heart and the ability to see people for what they truly are, not what they appear to be on the outside.

THE SEARCHERS is the classic story of one man's unrelenting search for his niece. The Duke's character, Ethan, spends years tracking a band of Indians all over the Southwest in a nearly impossible quest.

THE COWBOYS shows the fatherly side of the Duke. Wayne stars as an elderly ranchowner who is forced to hire kids for his cattle drive when all the grown men leave the area in search of gold. Along the way, the Duke teaches them about discipline, hard work, and, ultimately, honor.

Amazon.com

A favorite film of some of the world's greatest filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, John Ford's The Searchers has earned its place in the legacy of great American films for a variety of reasons. Perhaps most notably, it's the definitive role for John Wayne as an icon of the classic Western--the hero (or antihero) who must stand alone according to the unwritten code of the West. The story takes place in Texas in 1868; Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a Confederate veteran who visits his brother and sister-in-law at their ranch and is horrified when they are killed by marauding Comanches. Ethan's search for a surviving niece (played by young Natalie Wood) becomes an all-consuming obsession. With the help of a family friend (Jeffrey Hunter) who is himself part Cherokee, Ethan hits the trail on a five-year quest for revenge. At the peak of his masterful talent, director Ford crafts this classic tale as an embittered examination of racism and blind hatred, provoking Wayne to give one of the best performances of his career. As with many of Ford's classic Westerns, The Searchers must contend with revisionism in its stereotypical treatment of "savage" Native Americans, and the film's visual beauty (the final shot is one of the great images in all of Western culture) is compromised by some uneven performances and stilted dialogue. Still, this is undeniably one of the greatest Westerns ever made. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Good Buy for Fans Of The Duke..........2005-07-10

These films are both 5 stars in my book! First up is "Stagecoach" from 1939. Wayne is a wanted man who is along for the ride with a group of passengers, each not only battling their own demons and prejudices, but the elements of the rugged terrain and Indian attacks as well. And what a group...it also stars Claire Trevor, Andy Devine, John Carradine, Thomas Mitchell, and Donald Meek. This one is directed by the great John Ford and the black and white cinemaptogrpahy of this journey is absolutley stunning. The DVD transfer of this 65 year old film is not as pristeen as some other B/W classic of the era, but certainly looks good. a few scratches here and there, a little flickering, but once you are involved with this film, you won't even notice. The Dolby Dig sound is very good, all the sounds of the old west clear and distinct. The DVD includes some production notes, seven trailers, and has subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

"The Searchers" from 1956 is up next. Do they come any better than this? The Duke is a war weary ex-confederate who becomes obsessed with hunting down the Comanche tribe who has massacred his family and kidnapped his young niece. We follow him for years as he will not let go of his mission or his beliefs. Wayne is amazing in this role as we see his hatred turn into humanity. This one is also from Director John Ford, and may just be his masterpiece. It is filmed in technicolor, and the stunning scenery may be viewed in the original widescreen, but also has the option of a standard version. It also stars Hollywood greats Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood. I thought the transfer was pretty nice. The picture was clean and clear with very good sound. There are a couple of documentary shorts included, made at the time of the shoot, one has a brief interview with Natalie Wood(glowing from her recent Oscar nomination for "Rebel Without A Cause"). It may be viewed in or with subtitles in English, French and Spanish, and it also contains some production notes.

There are two of this double pack of "The Searchers"/"Stagecoach" for sale here at this time. This one by far is the better deal pricewise right now. The ASIN for this one is B0007VY4E0. These two films are also sold in a 3 pack that includes the film "The Cowboys", also a good deal for fans of The Duke. If you are interested in that one the ASIN is B00004XMRX, just put it in the products search to get to the buying/product page. Each DVD is in it's own snap case. The three pack has an outer sleeve as well.

Saddle Up With The Duke and Happy Trails....Laurie

Average customer rating:

Winds Of The Wasteland
Starring: John Wayne; Phyllis Fraser; Yakima Canutt; Douglas Cosgrove; Lane Chandler
Director: Mack V. Wright
Manufacturer: Reel Enterprises
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000KJTCEG
Release Date: 2006-11-13

Description

Wayne and his buddy buy a dilapidated stagecoach company. He and his friend fix up a stagecoach and compete in a race with others for a government contract in the days of the Pony Express. The Duke was beginning to show more polish and confidence in this film and his fans will enjoy the action.

All Star Westerns: Stagecoach to Denver/Angel & The Badman

Average customer rating:

All Star Westerns: Stagecoach to Denver/Angel & The Badman
Starring: All Star Westerns
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0007M25B8
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Product Description

Double feature: Stagecoach to Denver (Robert Blake 53 minutes) and Angel and the Badman (John Wayne 100 minutes).

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