Shane

Director George Stevens' 1953 Shane, one of cinema's all-time classic Westerns, stars Alan Ladd as the titular gunfighter, a drifter who assists a group of homesteaders in fending off a land-hungry rancher. Shane enters the lives of the Starrett family—husband Joe (Van Heflin), wife Marian (Jean Arthur), and son Joey (Brandon De Wilde), who idolizes him—initially helping out with chores and later becoming more involved in the local fight, especially after the rancher brings in a hired gun (Jack Palance). Once lauded for its realism (a scene with agitated animals during a dust-up between Joe and Shane is still quite powerful), Shane—based on a novel by Jack Schaefer—today plays more like myth, the story of an outsider who envies the lifestyle of the good people he defends, but also knows that his reputation with a gun will never truly allow him to become a part of their community. Nabbing six Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture and Director, and winning for Best Cinematography), Shane bows on Blu-ray in a sparkling transfer, with extras including audio commentary by George Stevens, Jr. and associate producer Ivan Moffat. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)