The John Wayne Collection DVD Set

Above, the nice tin box for the set. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The 15-movie DVD set, The John Wayne Collection, has been sitting in my shelf for years. It has been there so long that I don't remember how I got it and if it was a gift, I don't remember who gave it to me. The tin box still had the unopened wrapping on it.

This past weekend, I decided to open it and start watching. The set as five discs along with a booklet about each movie, which were produced by Lone Star Productions or Republic Pictures in the mid-1930s. I am now 2/3 through disc 4.

It is interesting to see Wayne in these B-westerns learning his acting craft before he became a star in Stagecoach in 1939. He was obviously not ready for movie acting in his first starring role in The Big Trail in 1929. Fortunately, these cheapie westerns gave him a training ground on acting. In these films, he honed his "talk low, talk slow and don't say too much" style of delivery.

This set, according to Oldies.com:

John Wayne is without a doubt the quintessential All-American hero. Strong, silent, frank and rugged, he personified the ways of the Wild West and beyond, becoming an institution both on the big screen and in real life. The challenge for many fans became pinpointing where the character ended and where Wayne began! Now for the first time, 15 of "Duke's" classic early works are all compiled in one stunning collector's tin. These five DVDs contain great westerns from his heyday in the 1930s and will guarantee hours of gun-slinging entertainment. With timeless works like Dawn Rider, The Desert Trail and West of the Divide, you can take a piece of the old west home today! Films include: Blue Steel, Lawless Range, The Dawn Rider, Lucky Texan, Man from Utah, Texas Terror, Rainbow Valley, The Star Packer, The Desert Trail, Riders of Destiny, Randy Rides Alone, The Trail Beyond, West of the Divide, Winds of the Wasteland, Paradise Canyon. Includes DELUXE BOOKLET featuring John Wayne's biography and filmography.

It is interesting that George "Gabby" Hayes and Yakima Canutt appear in most of the movies in this set. It is amusing that Lone Star tried to make Wayne a "singing cowboy" in some of these with him singing via an obviously dubbed singer's voice and many times the same sets were used in the movies with little or no changes made. It is also amusing to see the huge cowboy hats the actors wore. These were more like "50-gallon" hats instead of "10-gallon" hats.

This set was issued in 2005 by Madacy Home Video. Don't expect pristine or restored prints here, just savor seeing these oldies featuring a young Duke. This set is a must-have for any John Wayne, western or movie history buff. These were maybe "cheapie" B-movies for the Saturday matinee patrons, but they are sure entertaining.