BEST OF JOHN WAYNE COLLECTION 2 (DVD) BIG JAKE/SHOOTIST/SONS OF KATIE ELDER DVD

Big Jake
When his grandson (played by real-life son Ethan Wayne) is kidnapped by scurrilous baddie Richard Boone, Big Jake (John Wayne) sets out to deliver the $1 million ransom. On the off-chance that there'll be gunplay, Jake brings along his sons Patrick Wayne and Chris Mitchum. Maureen O'Hara plays Jake's estranged wife and Bruce Cabot provides comedy relief as a scraggly Indian Scout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Shootist
About ten minutes into The Shootist, Doctor Hostetler (James Stewart) tells aging Western gunfighter John Bernard Books (John Wayne), "You have a cancer." Knowing that his death will be painful and lingering, Books is determined to be shot in the line of "duty." In his remaining two months, Books settles scores with old enemies, including gambler Pulford (Hugh O'Brian) and Marshall Thibido (Harry Morgan) and reaches out to new friends, including a feisty widow (Lauren Bacall) and her hero-worshipping son (Ron Howard). Throughout the film, Books' imminent demise is compared with the decline of the West, as represented by the automobiles and streetcars that have begun to blight the main street of Books' hometown. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Sons of Katie Elder
Henry Hathaway directs the 1965 psychological Western The Sons of Katie Elder. Four sons reunite in their Texas hometown to attend their mother's funeral. John (John Wayne) is the gunfighter, Tom (Dean Martin) is the gambler, Matt (Earl Holliman) is the quiet one, and Bud (Michael Anderson Jr.) is the youngest. They soon learn that their father gambled away the family ranch, leading to his own murder. The brothers decide to find their father's killer and get back the ranch, even though they are discouraged to do so by local Sheriff Billy Wilson (Paul Fix). When the sheriff turns up dead, the Elder boys are blamed for the murder. Deputy Sheriff Ben Latta (Jeremy Slate) joins forces with the only witnesses of the murder: Morgan Hastings (James Gregory) and his son Dave (Dennis Hopper). A gunfight breaks out between the Hastings gang and the Elder gang. After his brother Matt is killed, John decides to settle the ranch dispute in a court of law with a judge (Sheldon Allman). However, Tom decides to take matters into his own hands by kidnapping Dave. After the final climactic gunfight, John and the wounded Bud retreat to a rooming house owned by Mary Gordon (Martha Hyer). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Cast John Wayne as Jacob McCandles Richard Boone as John Fain Maureen O'Hara as Martha McCandles Patrick Wayne as James McCandles Christopher Mitchum as Michael McCandles Bruce Cabot as Sam Sharpnose John Wayne as John Bernard Books Lauren Bacall as Bond Rogers Ron Howard as Gillom Rogers Bill McKinney as Cobb James Stewart as Dr. Hostetler Richard Boone as Sweeney Hugh O'Brian as Pulford John Carradine as Beckum Sheree North as Serepta Scatman Crothers as Moses Alfred Dennis as Barber Dick Winslow as Streetcar Driver Kathleen O'Malley as Schoolteacher John Wayne as John Elder Dean Martin as Tom Elder Martha Hyer as Mary Gordon Michael Anderson Jr. as Bud Elder Earl Holliman as Matt Elder Jeremy Slate as Deputy Sheriff Ben Latta Dennis Hopper as Dave Hastings James Gregory as Morgan Hastings Paul Fix as Sheriff Billy Wilson George Kennedy as Curley Sheldon Allman as Judge Harry Evers John Litel as Minister John Doucette as Undertaker Hyselman James Westerfield as Venner, the banker Rhys Williams as Charlie Bob Striker John Qualen as Charlie Biller Rodopho (Rudy) Acosta as Blondie Adams Strother Martin as Jeb Rost Percy Helton as Storekeeper Peevey Karl Swenson as Doc Isdel/Bartender

Crew Walter Tyler - Art Director Hal Pereira - Art Director Edith Head - Costume Designer Henry Hathaway - Director Warren Low - Editor Elmer Bernstein - Composer (Music Score) Lucien Ballard - Cinematographer Hal B. Wallis - Producer Paul Nathan - Producer Sam Comer - Set Designer Ray Moyer - Set Designer Bob Peterson - Special Effects Talbot Jennings - Screen Story Harry J. Essex - Screenwriter William H. Wright - Screenwriter Allan Weiss - Screenwriter Walter Tyler - Art Director Hal Pereira - Art Director Edith Head - Costume Designer Henry Hathaway - Director Warren Low - Editor Elmer Bernstein - Composer (Music Score) Lucien Ballard - Cinematographer Hal B. Wallis - Producer Paul Nathan - Producer Sam Comer - Set Designer Ray Moyer - Set Designer Bob Peterson - Special Effects Talbot Jennings - Screen Story Harry J. Essex - Screenwriter William H. Wright - Screenwriter Allan Weiss - Screenwriter Walter Tyler - Art Director Hal Pereira - Art Director Edith Head - Costume Designer Henry Hathaway - Director Warren Low - Editor Elmer Bernstein - Composer (Music Score) Lucien Ballard - Cinematographer Hal B. Wallis - Producer Paul Nathan - Producer Sam Comer - Set Designer Ray Moyer - Set Designer Bob Peterson - Special Effects Talbot Jennings - Screen Story Harry J. Essex - Screenwriter William H. Wright - Screenwriter Allan Weiss - Screenwriter

Big Jake
(not reviewed)
 

The Shootist
John Wayne's last feature film appropriately revolved around the death of an iconic gunfighter and the end of the Old West itself. Like The Searchers (1956) before it, The Shootist explores the burdens of being a legend, a topic undoubtedly close to the actor. Director Don Siegel gives the film a gentle, sentimental touch -- somewhat surprising, given that he made his reputation on such violent, subversive films as Dirty Harry (1971) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). Siegel downplays the film's potentially maudlin scenario, instead focusing on the strengths of the stellar cast, including Lauren Bacall, James Stewart, and Ron Howard. Despite Wayne's strong work in The Shootist, he and Siegel reportedly did not get along during the production. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
 

The Sons of Katie Elder
Though a relatively standard western, 1965's popular The Sons of Katie Elder was one of the most entertaining films of John Wayne's late career. His first movie since returning from highly-publicized cancer surgery, Sons is something of a throwback; the film is free of the revisionism that was beginning to seep into the genre in the mid-to-late 1960s. Director Henry Hathaway helmed a number of successful Wayne vehicles, he plays to the actor's strengths while emphasizing the surprising chemistry between The Duke and Dean Martin. This was the second time Wayne and Martin had worked together, the first being Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo (1959). ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
 

Disc Title: The Shootist - People Awards: Arthur Jeph Parker: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Art Direction (nominated) Robert F. Boyle: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Art Direction (nominated) Ron Howard: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated)

The Shootist - Film Awards: National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: DD1: Dolby Digital Mono DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: none specified MPAA Rating: DVD Discs Included: 3 DVD Sides: 3 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 328 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- Big Jake 1. Abduction 2. Message for McCandles 3. The Plan 4. Ambushed 5. Our Own Reinforcements 6. On the Trail 7. Next Rendezvous 8. Mexican Village 9. "Smoke'em Out" 10. Ready to Go 11. Exchange Side #2 -- The Shootist 1. J.B. Books 2. A Cancer 3. The Widow Rogers 4. "I'm Dying" 5. Mr. Dobkins 6. Laudanum 7. Full of Alone 8. A Drive in the Country 9. Attempt on Books' Life 10. Horse Trading 11. Shooting Lesson 12. Serepta 13. A Private Thing 14. The Undertaker's Offer 15. No Tears 16. Last Day Side #3 -- The Sons of Katie Elder 1. A Train, a Stranger, a Missing Brother 2. Our Beloved Katie Elder 3. Not Looking for Trouble 4. The Elder Boys 5. Settling Ma's Affairs 6. Looking for Answers 7. What Katie Wanted 8. A No-Good Family 9. You're Going Back to School 10. Wanted for Murder 11. Filling in for Ma 12. No More Running 13. Ambushed by the Elder Gang 14. We'll Raise Him 15. Only Weaklings Break 16. Something I Have to Do