John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection

The star-director combination of John Wayne and John Ford was one of the most artistically and commercially potent pairings in Hollywood history. Eight of their collaborations—three of them making their DVD debuts here—are included in this deluxe boxed set, which is anchored by two-disc “special editions” of Stagecoach (1939) and The Searchers (1956), without a doubt the two most important films made by the duo. Both have been remastered, although Stagecoach, which follows a group of stagecoach passengers through Indian territory, doesn't look significantly better than in its previous DVD incarnation (no original negative exists). The bonus materials, however, more than compensate for whatever minor shortcomings the print possesses: the feature-length American Masters episode “John Ford / John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend” and the newly produced documentary “Stagecoach: A Story of Redemption” together provide valuable context for both this landmark Western and the complex Wayne-Ford relationship. The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition, the story of a man's obsessive quest to find a niece who was kidnapped by Indians, includes a full-length retrospective documentary, various featurettes, a so-so audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich, and archival materials. The three titles appearing on DVD for the first time are The Long Voyage Home (1940, a not-entirely-successful Eugene O'Neill adaptation), Fort Apache (1948, first of the classic “cavalry trilogy”), and The Wings of Eagles (a 1957 biopic of Navy flyer and author Frank “Spig” Wead). Rounding out the set are the previously released They Were Expendable (1945), 3 Godfathers (1948), and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949). There isn't a stinker in the bunch, and Warner's handsome presentation and packaging make this a very appealing collection. Highly recommended. [Note: also newly available is the companion box The John Ford Film Collection, a five-disc set featuring Cheyenne Autumn, The Informer, The Lost Patrol, Mary of Scotland, and Sergeant Rutledge, priced at $59.95.] (E. Hulse)