DVD Collectors Online

The War Wagon, a review by Rogmeister

The War Wagon (1967)
Cast: John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Howard Keel, Robert Walker, Keenan Wynn, Bruce Cabot, Joanna Barnes
Music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin--"The Ballad of the War Wagon" sung by Ed Ames
Directed by Burt Kennedy

Following a shoot-out...

Lomax: Mine hit the ground first...
Taw: Mine was taller!

By the late 1960s, John Wayne's movies were started to fall into forumula westerns though one here and there was a bit different and this was one of those. In this film, he's just returning to town after a 3-year stint in prison where he had been framed and the man who framed him has taken over his ranch where he's discovered a gold mother lode. John Wayne, as Taw Jackson, decides the best means of revenge is to his the man where it hurts...by robbing his gold shipment. The war wagon of the title is like an armored car on wheels which they transport the gold in...and it's even dangerous once bad guy Bruce Cabot has a gatling gun mounted on it. The ranch owner wants a gunslinger named Lomax (Kirk Douglas) to eliminate Taw (not realizing his plans) but Taw actually winds up getting Lomax to side with him and his other partners to take down the war wagon.

This isn't just another western filled with gunplay and saloon brawls (though there's a bit of that) as we slowly learn Taw's plans on his detailed plan to take on the armored vehicle. There's also lots of familiar faces (including small parts for such actors as Bruce Dern, Gene Evans and Sheb Wooley) and the film is tinged with humor not always seen in westerns. Add good photographer and a sprightly score and you've got a darn good western...not a great one, but a good one.

I'm currently on my second copy of this movie...my first was a disc featuring the movie along with one extra, the trailer.  Now I have it as part of a 3-disc set called John Wayne: Screen Legend Collection.  This set contains 5 films...besides The War Wagon, it also has Reap The Wild Wind, The Spoilers, Hellfighters and Rooster Cogburn.

(From Roger's Ongoing Westerns Marathon on July 13th, 2009)

In the Good Old Summertime, a review by Tom

Title: In the Good Old Summertime
Year: 1949
Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Rating: NR
Length: 103 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Judy Garland
Van Johnson
S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall
Spring Byington
Clinton Sundberg

Plot:Awards:

Writers Guild of America Awards

1950

Nominated

Best Written American Musical

Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Ivan Tors

Extras:
Closed Captioned
Featurettes
Scene Access
Trailers
Vintage Traveltalks Shorts

A musical remake (though I am not sure if you can really call it a musical if all musical numbers have been worked into the story and are only songs performed by a character on-stage or sung to customers who have asked for it) of "The Shop Around the Corner" (which also was remade as "You've Got Mail").
I also enjoyed this version. The story is about the same as in "The Shop Around the Corner" with only minor changes. Judy Garland and Van Johnson are a good couple.
I just noticed that this is the only movie I have with Buster Keaton in it. He has a supporting role. As I understood it, he got this role because he was the only one they thought to be able to perform the comedy stunt believable were Mr. Oberkugen's violin gets broken.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on April 5th, 2010)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Rick

One Good Man

The return of Mackenzie King, the reporter from Episode 2. I think Pete was looking forward to her return. This time though the character is not played by a brunette but by a blonde (sorry Pete  ). Maria Bello actually. (ER; Coyote Ugly).

Pretty good episode. Nothing great though. We do learn a bit more about Ray's background.

Rating:

(From "Due South" marathon on August 14th, 2009)