John Wayne is one of the most popular and recognizable leading men ever to hit the silver screen. Five memorable films capture his unforgettable career in the John Wayne: Screen Legend Collection. Co-starring an impressive... more » roster of talent including Katharine Hepburn, Kirk Douglas, Marlene Dietrich and Randolph Scott, these films highlight an American icon who will always be remembered as a true screen legend. Reap the Wild Wind Cecil B. DeMille directs John Wayne and Ray Milland as two sailors battling pirates and competing for the affections of a southern belle (Paulette Goddard) in 1840s Key West. The Spoilers John Wayne joins Marlene Dietrich and Randolph Scott in an all-star adventure classic about gold and greed in an Alaskan boomtown during the 1890s. The War Wagon A rancher (John Wayne) recruits a brash gunslinger (Kirk Douglas) along with a raucous crew of misfits and readies them to pull off one of the most impossible heists of all time. Hellfighters A Texan demolition specialist (John Wayne) battles a perilous oil-well fire and hopes to reunite with his daughter and the wife who left him 20 years ago. Rooster Cogburn The saga of True Grit continues as John Wayne reprises his role as a Deputy Marshall who helps a missionary (Katharine Hepburn) bring justice to the Wild West.« less
The Hellfighters - One tough job that many do not understand or appreciate the sacrifices made.
The War Wagon - A classic with Kirk Douglas shining more than John Wayne!
Michelle H. (snoozemouse) from CHEYENNE, WY Reviewed on 6/6/2011...
I really enjoyed this collection, I had not ever seen The Spoilers, or Reap the Wild Wind. Both movies are good. My favorites are The Hellfighters and the War Wagon. The interaction between John Wayne and Kirk Douglas is priceless in the War Wagon. And, in Hellfighters, it comes so easy for John Wayne, you would think he had been fighting oil fires his entire life.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Very nice collection
Bob G | Kentucky, USA | 07/10/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For those wondering, I can confirm that Hellfighters, War Wagon, and Rooster Cogburn are all presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. That makes this collection a nice improvement over the previous non-anamorphic standalone versions of those DVDs. The other features (Reap the Wild Wind and The Spoilers) are in full-frame (1.33:1) format, which I believe was their original theatrical format.
The five films come on three disks:
1. Reap the Wild Wind
2. The Spoilers and The War Wagon (both on side A)
3. Hellfighters (side A) and Rooster Cogburn (side B)
The only extras are trailers (except for Hellfighters) and some John Wayne trivia on the inside of the packaging."
Very good collection HUGE difference in quality to note!!
Richardson | Sunny California USA | 07/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Hello Folks,
This is a collection of films that have been out on DVD...being a fan of the Duke ..I just bought it anyway. I can say I am glad already because although Universal doesn't tout this...the print of ROOSTER COGBURN is a revelation compared to the previous available editions! The previously available DVD of that fine film had noticable grain , color problems, and annoying dirt etc. The transfer/print of Rooster Cogburn on this collection is striking in its improved look ( a tribute to legendary Cinematographer Harry Stradling Jr who photographed this splendid movie). I haven't compared The War Wagon and others yet but I wouldn't be surprised if they also were an improvement. I picked this up for under $20...and 5 John Wayne films for $4 each is a no brainer...
Happy 100th Duke ..long may you ride!!
Yeeehaaaaa
UPDATE: I just compared the War Wagon with the previously available edition and like Rooster..its a HUGE upgrade in picture quality...this set gets better and better...snap it up!"
Grab this supervalue!
W. Walker | westminster md | 09/08/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Not a dud film here. Includes a good share of my favorite Wayne films(even if he didn't get top billing in the two from 1942) All are in color except for "The Spoilers", which should have been, to show off Marlene Dietrich's outfits, if for no other reason. No other woman, given the opportunity, came close as the ultimate dancehall queen(I'm sure Wayne would agree). "Reap the Wild Wind" and "Rooster Cogburn", made 33 years apart, are two of my favorite Wayne movies. Wayne seemed way too old and slow to be playing his character in "The War Wagon" This was after his one lung had been removed. But, Kirk Douglas, no spring chicken himself, helped make up for the Duke's relative lethargy. I found it an entertaining film. "Hellfighters" brought home the dangers and challenges of putting out oilwell fires, which became very relevant during the first Gulf War. Sure burned up a lot of fuel in that one! The DVD quality of all was excellent. My only regret is the lack of commentary features, but I can't really quibble for the price."
A must for any John Wayne fan.
Michael Valdivielso | Alexandria, VA | 01/16/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What I love about this collection is not just the selection of his movies over the years of his career but also the different characters he gets to play.
Reap The Wild is set in the 1840s Key West and John Wayne plays a sea captain. And he's not even the main character!
The Spoilers is set in Alaska 1890s during a gold rush. Along side Marlene Dietrich and Randolph Scott this film really shines bright with great acting.
The War Wagon is a good, old fashion action film with lots of action and Kirk Douglas to boot!
Hellfighters is about firefighters and how they handle the job and their lives, trying to balance the two together. Lots of action, romance and gritty reality.
Rooster Cogburn, named after the character John Wayne played in True Grit, brings that character back to match him up with Katharine Hepburn to bring justice to the West.
Outside of Rooster Cogburn I have never seen any of this films and it really allowed me to enjoy and come to respect the many skills and sides of John Wayne. I look forward to buying up more and more of his films in the future. The inside of the collection's box folds out and has information about John Wayne and the films in the set."
Fantastic Video Quality
Amazon Fan | Small Town, USA | 01/19/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm glad I listened to the other reviews that touted the great transfer quality of these movies. Thank you. They didn't exagerate. So far the best of them is The War Wagon. The picture quality is so good you think your'e looking out your window to a beautiful panoramic view of the West. I suppose this also requires a good quality set to view it on, 36" sony Wega. Can't wait to some day see it on a 60" Hi-Def system. One can only dream. Anyway, this is a great set to own. And at $20 how can you say no?"