John Wayne Essential 14-Movie Collection on DVD

Paramount Home Entertainment released John Wayne Essential 14-Movie Collection to DVD on May 11, 2021.

‘Big Jake’ Movie Synopsis

Jacob McCandles is an aging Texas cattle man who’s outlived his time. He must quickly swing into action and reconnect with his estranged family after outlaws kidnap his grandson “Little Jake” and wound his son.

Donovan’s Reef

Producer-director John Ford once again demonstrates his successful formula for rambunctious, combative comedy and romance in this action-packed John Wayne classic. Life on a South Pacific island for two ex-Navy buddies (John Wayne and Lee Marvin) is just about perfect – they spend most of their time in DONOVAN’S REEF, the local saloon where they brawl and feud and somehow manage to stave off the sameness of tropical living. Then, into this mayhem arrives Elizabeth Allen, a straight-laced Bostonian in search of her father.

El Dorado

Legendary producer-director Howard Hawks teams up with two legendary stars, John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, in a classic Western drama. Mitchum plays to perfection an alcoholic but gutsy sheriff who relentlessly battles the “dark side” of the Wild West — ruthless cattle barons and crooked “businessmen.” The Duke gives an equally adept performance as the sheriff’s old friend, one who knows his way around a gunfight. Featuring a supporting cast that includes James Caan, Charlene Holt, Paul Fix, Ed Asner and Christopher George, and filled with both brawling action and unexpected humor, El Dorado is pure gold.

Hatari!

A Tanganyka-based group of hunters (Red Buttons, Hardy Kruger, Gérard Blain) led by Sean Mercer (John Wayne) trap wild African animals for zoos. A curvaceous reporter (Elsa Martinelli) documents their exploits while having epic clashes with the gruff Irishman. She is initially frozen out of the testosterone-filled group until her strong-willed personality endears her to the men.

The High and the Mighty

John Wayne plays Dan Roman, a veteran pilot haunted by a tragic past. Now relegated to second-in command cockpit assignments, he finds himself scheduled on a routine Honolulu-to-San Francisco flight — one that takes a terrifying, suspense-building turn when disaster strikes high above the Pacific Ocean at the point of no return.

Hondo

Based on the Louis L’Amour story “The Gift of Cochise,” this sparkling western has Wayne as a half-Indian Cavalry scout who, with his feral dog companion, finds a young woman and her son living on a isolated ranch in unfriendly Apache country. A poetic and exciting script, outstanding performances, and breathtaking scenery make this an indisputable classic.

In Harm’s Way

Producer-director Otto Preminger’s epic treatment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor details the devastating sneak attack on the Naval base as well as the explosive behind the scenes stories.

Island in the Sky

While flying supplies to England during World War II, Capt. Dooley (John Wayne) is forced to crash land his plane in the icy wilds of Canada. Together, Dooley and his hardy crew struggle to survive in uncharted territory — with the arctic temperature steadily dropping. Meanwhile, back at the army headquarters in Maine, Col. Fuller (Walter Abel) rallies his capable crew in a desperate search for the downed airmen, knowing that every second counts.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the modern-day Western to beat all Westerns. John Ford, whose very name is synonymous with “Westerns,” directed the ideal cast. Jimmy Stewart plays the bungling but charming big-city lawyer determined to rid the fair village of Shinbone of its number one nuisance and Bad Man: Liberty Valance. And as if all that weren’t enough, the biggest star that ever aimed a six-shooter plays the Man of the title: John Wayne. Super-sincere Stewart and rugged rancher Wayne also share the same love interest. One gets the gunman but the other gets the gal.

McLintock!

Wayne shows off his funny side in this 1963 western a comedy inspired by THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. Starring as wealthy cattle baron G.W. McLintock Wayne shows a real sense of comic timing in several scenes filled with slapstick humor. After his wife (Maureen O’Hara) and daughter leave him for the East McLintock attempts to win them back. The dynamics between O’Hara and Wayne are the strong suit of this film the actors having worked together previously on THE QUIET MAN.

Rio Lobo

An action-filled Western starting with a spectacular train robbery. The train’s colonel jails the enemy leaders but the three men later become friends when the Civil War ends. Together, they seek the Union traitors responsible for a string of Confederate train robberies. It’s a mission that culminates in a rousing shoot-’em-up finale.

The Shootist

Afflicted with a terminal illness, John Bernard Books (John Wayne), the last of the legendary gunfighters, quietly returns to Carson City for medical attention from his old friend Dr. Hostetler (James Stewart). However, it is not Books’ fate to die in peace, as he becomes embroiled in one last valiant battle.

The Sons of Katie Elder

Four ne’er-do-well sons reunite in their Texas hometown to attend their mother’s funeral. Led by older brothers John (John Wayne), a gunfighter, and Tom (Dean Martin), a gambler, the four soon learn that their father gambled away the family ranch, which was the cause of his murder. The brothers decide to avenge their father’s death and win back the ranch, a situation that quickly leads to trouble with the local sheriff and violent conflict with the rival Hastings clan.

True Grit

In 1970, John Wayne won an Academy Award for his larger-than-life performance as the drunken, uncouth and totally fearless one-eyed U.S. Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. The cantankerous Rooster is hired by a headstrong young girl (Kim Darby) to find the man who murdered her father and fled with the family savings. When Cogburn’s employer insists on accompanying the old gunfighter, sparks fly. And the situation goes from troubled to disastrous when an inexperienced but enthusiastic Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell) joins the party. Laughter and tears punctuate the wild action in this extraordinary Western which features performances by Robert Duvall and Strother Martin.