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"Now you see it. You're amazed. You can't believe it. Your eyes open wider. It's horrible, but you can't look away. There's no chance for you. No escape. You're helpless, helpless. There's just one chance, if you can scream. Throw your arms across your eyes and scream, scream for your life!"

And scream Fay Wray does most famously in this monster classic, one of the greatest adventure films of all time, which even in an era of computer-generated wizardry remains a marvel of stop-motion animation. Robert Armstrong stars as famed adventurer Carl Denham, who is leading a "crazy voyage" to a mysterious, uncharted island to photograph "something monstrous ... neither beast nor man." Also aboard is waif Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and Bruce Cabot as big lug John Driscoll, the ship's first mate.

King Kong's first half-hour is steady going, with engagingly corny dialogue ("Some big, hard-boiled egg gets a look at a pretty face and bang, he cracks up and goes sappy") and ominous portent that sets the stage for the horror to come. Once our heroes reach Skull Island, the movie comes to roaring, chest-thumping, T. rex-slamming, snake-throttling, pterodactyl-tearing, native-stomping life. King Kong was ranked by the American Film Institute as among the 50 best films of the century. Kong making his last stand atop the Empire State Building is one of the movies' most indelible and iconic images. And this is the definitive video version: remastered from a pristine archival print, with previously censored scenes of Kong flossing with natives restored. Also restored is the curious scene in which Kong peels poor Fay's clothing like a banana and tickles her fancy. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (97)

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST...
As a young child in the nineteen fifties, I used to watch this film whenever it appeared on TV on "Million Dollar Movie". I loved it then. I love it now. Time has not diminished the capacity of this film to mesmerize and hold the viewer in its thrall.

The story line is basic. Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong), a filmmaker and entrepreneur, leads an expedition to Skull Island where he discovers its deep, dark secret. It is a land where time has stood still, and prehistoric monsters still hold sway over the island and its inhabitants. There, the natives pay homage to the one whom they revere as "Kong", and who is, indeed, king of the island.

Denham, together with his beautiful, budding starlet, Ann Darrow (Fay Wray), as well as with the crew of the ship that brought him to Skull Island, investigates the strange ritual being performed on the island by its native population. Before she knows it, Ann finds herself captured by the natives. She is to become the bride of the mysterious "Kong".

When Ann discovers who the mysterious "Kong" is, she starts screaming and doesn't stop. The ship's first mate, Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot), who happens to be in love with Ann, manages to rescue her from the clutches of "Kong". Notwithstanding the fact that "Kong" has taken a shine to her, Ann is relieved to have been rescued by the man whom she loves.

Denham then arranges to capture the creature, whom he calls "King Kong" and takes him back to New York with them on the ship that brought them to Skull Island. There, King Kong makes his debut, one that movie lovers will long remember.

The special effects of this film were superlative for its time and still pass muster today. The relationship between the beauty and the beast still makes the viewer sit up and take notice. This is an attention grabbing film that is as exciting today, as when it was first released over seventy years ago. It is a truly timeless, cinema classic. Bravo!

A LANDMARK FILM AND ONE OF THE GREATEST EVER MADE
KING KONG in 1933 set the movie-going world afire with its fierce creativity and innovation, and is just as fascinating today on multiple levels. Steiner's score was revolutionary, and Willis O'Brien's copious realistic animation effects were absolutely inspired. A realistic and quite violent Depression-era adventure film which is often mistakenly lumped into the category of fantasy films, this movie has little in common with the cuter and largely benign films about mythical heroes and Greek gods. In the uncut version of this film, people get killed in a variety of unpleasant ways. The screams of the sailors eaten by a brontosaur and dumped by Kong into a deep ravine, natives stomped into the earth and a woman dropped upsidedown from a skyscraper, prove this was serious business in 1933.

Homages to this film are now regularly slipped into other movies, demonstrating that KONG is the seminal landmark. The movie has countless testimonials to its credit for having changed awestruck viewers' minds and lives, including that of O'Brien's prolific disciple Ray Harryhausen. KING KONG stands head and shoulders above everything that came before and after in the genre, and deserves to be seen as the historic original that it is thanks to a combination of talents (Cooper, O'Brien, Steiner et al) working at the top of their game.

What really happened to the 2nd Avenue el!
Interpretations--psychological, anthropological, social, evolutionary, racial--abound about 1933's KING KONG. "King Kong is about our inner animal of rage", "King Kong is a critique of man in modern urban times", "King Kong is about technology killing our true nature..." Ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

PUH-LEASE! KING KONG is simply a great story, perfectly directed, with the best animation techniques for its time. While the acting (by humans) is admittedly the weakest link in this film, it has so much else going for it, like suspense, horror, pathos, love, and tragedy. King Kong, the animal, is complex and there are different emotions we experience about him. We don't like him when he gobbles up people or smashes the 2nd Avenue el (an incredible scene!). We admire him for trying to save Fay Wray from the flashbulbs. And we feel incredibly sad when he's killed. Why? I think it's because we see him as a human, at least of having human qualities. But to extend that to some deeper, intellectual level is pointless. It's just an amazing film.

Last comment: The film also has some humor. As a New Yorker, I love the dialogue between the two women at the theater, waiting to see King Kong.

Girl one: "Hey, what's this show about, anyway?"
Girl two: "I don't know. Some big gorilla."
Girl one: (after a clod accidentally steps on her toe): "Aw. Ain't we got enough of them in New Yawk?"

I can't get enough of this classic film.

Max Steiner - Movie Music Master
Most of the other reviews fail to notice the artistry of the music in this classic. The music can stand alone as a symphony, every bit as wonderful for its time as John Williams is now. Especially listen to how it keeps tempo with the footsteps of the characters. It builds tension at just the right times, and keeps the listener interested. If you just close your eyes, you will be able to remember scenes and action merely from the music. If you become a fan of Steiner, find other old classics that he helped become classics through his wonderful music.

"The eighth wonder of the world!"
Classic horror epic is an adventure for the ages. The special effects are splendid, the actors deliver fine performances, and the snappy dialogue packs a wallop 71 years later. The sinister, foreboding Skull Island, the weird chants of the natives, the other-worldly shrieks and cries of the prehistoric giant birds and predators are quite realistic and make this film unique among others in this genre. Kong's titanic death struggle with the Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the film's great moments, as is the elevated train sequence that shows Kong taking out his frustrations on unwary strap-hangers. This film remains a towering work, made even more remarkable because the film-makers did not have the benefit of high-tech computer-generated images so common in today's science-fiction and horror films. "King Kong" is in a class by itself. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Robust version of the classic tale
Many people -especially I suspect younger ones -will come to this movie after the lavish Michael Mann version of the book that came out in the early nineties and starred Daniel Day -Lewis .They may find this more modest 1936 black and white picture a bit quaint by contrast but for my money it is an exciting and crisply made movie in its own right.
Randolph Scott stars as Hawkeye ,who escorts the stiff but gallant British officer Duncan Heyward and the two daughters of the regimental colonel ,Alice and Cora ,through the woods to Fort William Henry.They are accompanied by Chingachgook and his son Uncas ,sole surviving members of the Mohican tribe ,and are harried constantly by Magwa ,avicuous and depraved Huron who is allied with the French against the British.
On making it to the Fort it is promptly besieged by the Franco-Huron army and the women captured .Once again the heroes must track them down and rescue them from the clutches of the Huron.

The performances are solid -Scott is a rugged hero and Wilcoxon plays Heyward on the just the right note of stiff upper lip gallantry while Bruce Cabot is a menacing and suitably thuggish villain
Shot in the High Sierras by the cinematographer Robert Planck the movie looks good and moves crisply with some lively scenes of siege and woodland combat

The script intelligently anticipates the war of Independence -a little over a decade away -by emphasising the desire of the "colonials"for self determination in miltary matters .

The casting of white actors as Naative Americans makes for uneasy viewing in patches but that is the only real drawback in a lively movie

A great classic that inspired the 1992 version
My 6 year old French-speaking son loves to watch most of this black and white film in English with his 44 year old daddy.
The 2 of us have a great time on the sofa savouring the pursuits (there's a wonderful canoe pursuit by the way), the attacks and even the love scenes.
It's possible to enjoy this version even better than the 1992 version.
A family delight !
(The 1920 silent version is very good too but more terrifying)

"She die in fire"
That's the fate awaiting Cora and Alice Munro (Binnie Barners and Heather Angel) if they're not rescued by Hawkeye (Randolph Scott) and Major Duncan Heywood (Henry Wilcoxin) first. This is a very enjoyable adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's classic about the French and Indian War and the clashes between colonials and British foreshadowing the Revolution to come. British Duncan's stiff regulations and refusal to understand his environment contrast with American Hawkeye's common sense approach to life and survival. Yet both must work together if the French and the Huron are to be staved off and the women brought safely to shelter at Fort William Henry. Wilcoxin is a much better actor than Scott, so the movie is easily his. While his politics are wrong by colonial standards, he nevertheless is brave, performing more acts of courage than Scott's Hawkeye, actually. My other favorite actors are the girls' father Colonel Munro and the French marquise and his aide. The aide especially makes the most of a rather small part, as when he opens a dispatch with a great flourish. Bruce Cabot plays Magua, the evil Mohawk Indian--he's a veteran of "King Kong" as is composer Max Steiner, who "borrows" some of his own score from that 1933 movie for a thrilling canoe chase. Downside: Sorry to say that I haven't read the novel, so I can't be sure, but it seems to me that the Mohicans themselves don't get much play in this version. Uncas is lovesick, period, for Alice, while Chingachcook generally scowls and makes a comment about beavers or some such. Enlist some of your friends to watch this fast-paced adventure classic with you sometime soon--you'll be glad you did. ... Read more

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Fans of Armageddon might see one or two resemblances between that 1998 box office hit and Hellfighters, a 1968 action film by Andrew V. McLaglen, one of John Wayne's favorite directors in his late career. (Their joint ventures included Chisum, Cahill: United States Marshal, and McLintock!) Wayne plays an oil well firefighter in the mold of Red Adair, turning up anywhere in the world where a geyser of fire is shooting up from a once-profitable gusher. His right-hand man (Jim Hutton) has questionable judgment about safety matters and is a scoundrel with the ladies--and neither fact is lost on Wayne when Hutton's character marries his long-lost daughter (Katharine Ross, a mere year after The Graduate). The film is an early entry in the disaster-meets-soap-opera genre that flourished in the '70s with such titles as The Towering Infernoand The Poseidon Adventure. McClaglen gets a lot of crackle out of his action scenes (many of the firefighting sequences are still startling in their intensity) and turns twin love stories (Hutton and Ross, Wayne and Vera Miles) into frothy studies of adult manners, with equal hints of Howard Hawks and Sidney Sheldon. The cast and sundry thrills make this film highly enjoyable, and easily forgivable for indulging in such inanities as a subplot concerning--hold on--Venezuelan terrorists! The Duke lives! --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (15)

John Wayne is hot tonight.
Yep, it is John Wayne (Chance Buckman) again only this time he hung up his spurs for a read suit. A television announcer asks if that is just fancy showmanship?

Jay C. Flippen (Jack Lomax) gets to do dangerous things like picking restroom colors.

Jim Hutton (Greg Parker) takes Katharine Ross (Tish Buckman) the daughter of Chance Buckman to an oil well fire. And we all know what happens to women that Greg takes to a fire. See Jim Hutton and John Wayne again together in The Green Berets (1968) ASIN: 6300267830.

The biggest surprise was seeing Bruce Cabot as Joe Horn. Think real hard and look real close. Can you say King Kong - Special Edition (1933) ASIN: 078062565X.

This film has all the things you look for in a John Wayne movie and then some.

John Wayne sheds light on a little-known business
It's fashionable these days (perhaps because of the vogue for "political correctness") to deride John Wayne and all his works, but the fact is that he was among the last actors to stick steadfastly to the notion that movies were, and should remain, family fare. And even though he admitted in so many words, "I play John Wayne in every picture regardless of the character," such a tendency isn't necessarily a handicap: what is important that an actor displaying it be certain that he chooses the right scripts. For Wayne, "The Hellfighters" was one such.

The film was loosely based on the experiences of Red Adair and his Wild Well Company (they served as technical advisors, and many viewers may remember that twenty years later Adair was still at work, helping to quench the Kuwait oil fires), and chronicles the adventures of Chance Buckman (Wayne) and his Houston-based outfit with a series of fires, gradually building in seriousness and difficulty, tied together by the dual romance of Chance with his long-estranged wife Madelyn Randolph (Miles) and their daughter Tish (Ross) with Chance's young protege Greg Parker (Hutton). (This aspect somewhat echoes those which occur in Wayne's "McLintock," and viewers may enjoy watching the two as a double feature.) Madelyn left Chance many years before when she found she couldn't bear his work, though they kept getting together for some time, and Chance's old friend, oilman Jack Lomax (Jay C. Flippen), flatly states that they've "never been out of love" with each other. When Chance is badly injured at a fire site, Greg tracks down his daughter and brings her to his side, fearing that he may not live. Five days later, Greg and Tish get married ("It was the cutest little Cajun church in Louisiana," Tish admits), and their union in turn brings Chance and Madelyn back together. Eventually Madelyn "convinced [Chance] that I should leave the store [she's the heiress to the Randolph Department Stores in San Francisco] and go and live in Houston with him," they get remarried, and when a guerrilla-plagued job in Venezuela tests both their union and the Parkers', Madelyn shows, in the end, that, as Chance says, "You'll do!"

The romances, however, are really the least part of the film. It is usually classified under action-adventure, and there's plenty of both: in the first two or three minutes an accidentally shattered light bulb sets an oil gusher on fire and sets the tone for the entire movie. Tish's eleventh fire, in Malaya, is "a poison gas well"--hydrogen sulphide, which can kill or blind--and the climactic Venezuelan sequence involves five fires (four of them set off by guerrillas with packs of dynamite), of which three must be capped simultaneously, a task that takes two tries and 29 minutes of running time. And, like all the best movies, there's also plenty of recognition of the fact that it's people that make a story. Wayne's Chance Buckman--torn between his love for Madelyn, his devotion to the work he does so well, and his concern for his daughter and son-in-law--is, despite his outlandish profession, not so different from many of the adults (fathers especially) who will view it. Ross as Tish is clearly, as she herself admits, both her father's and her mother's daughter: going to fires with Greg doesn't seem to bother her at all--it's when she's evacuated from the Venezuelan site, supposedly for her own safety, that she begins to stress out. Hutton's Greg Parker starts out as a classic male chauvinist (he uses fires to get girls, and in his introductory sequence goes so far as to check his watch to see whether he has time to make love and still catch his plane), but his attachment to Chance is soon shown to be real, and extends itself to Tish, with whom he seems to have a sound and solid marriage despite their very brief acquaintance. And Miles as Madelyn gives a taut performance that convincingly portrays her terrors for her daughter and the man she loves, her deep loyalty to them, and her uncertainty about her own ability to adjust. Two of Wayne's long-time friends and frequent members of his stock company, Bruce Cabot and Edward Faulkner, weigh in as his firefighting backup Joe and helicopter pilot George, and Flippen's Jack Lomax, himself a former wild-well man and apparently Chance's mentor ("[Chance] and I were--well, about like he and Greg are now"), adds a touch of stability to both Chance's life and the entire movie. Andrew V. McLaglen, the son of another of Wayne's frequent co-players, directs, and mention should be made of Leonard Rosenman's thrilling theme music, which plays under every fire and call-to-arms.

Some critics consider this to be one of Wayne's less notable films, but I think it better than many (though not my ultimate favorite among his works). It's probably best suited to families of boys, who will be hooked at once by the action and suspense of the fires. On the other hand, even the obligatory brawl (in Madame Lu's bar in Malaya) has the kind of seriocomic feel that will keep it from being too scary, though the fires themselves may be too intense for very young or sensitive kids. A good Saturday-night film overall, especially suited to a bitter cold winter's evening!

All Time Classic!
This would have to be one of the alltime most exciting movies
John Wayne ever did.In this movie Wayne plays the role of a character who is based on the life of Red Adair a legendary oil well fire fighter from Texas. Excellent supporting roles are also played by Jim Hutton,Katherine Ross and Vera Miles.In this
movie you are treated to some extrodinary oil well fires.Wayne
and Hutton fight these monster oil well fires all over the world.
The special effects that are employed to put these fires on the silver screen are extrodinary.Wayne plays the role of Red Adair
very effectively. This is a very good movie that you will enjoy.
Buy it and watch it.

Who else but John Wayne could play Red Adair
Loosely based on the life and career of Red Adair, I find this movie a joy to watch not only because I am a big fan of John Wayne, but also because of the fascinating job of being an oil well firefighter. Yeah, there is some soap to it with the love stories between Wayne and Vera Miles as well as Katherine Ross and Jim Hutton, but its not ridiculous or over the top, and I think the stories portrait how such a dangerous profession can have an effect on the families of the men who do it. The friendship between Wayne and Hutton's characters come through, and the play between them will keep you chuckling, especially when their relationship as friends grows to Father-in-law/Son-in-law.

THIS MOVIE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This movie is fabulous. It is one of my all-time favorites. John Wayne, Katharine Ross & Jim Hutton do a wonderful job. ... Read more

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Long before Unforgiven deconstructed the Western, or Blazing Saddles lampooned it, Cat Ballou poked the genre in the eye. An altogether enjoyable comedy, the film is full of small surprises, big laughs, and wonderful character turns. Catherine Ballou (Jane Fonda) is a schoolteacher until a hired thug kills her daddy. To protect what she loves, she collects two petty criminals, a wisecracking hired hand, and a hired killer, Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin). Unfortunately, Shelleen is a raging drunk who is so inebriated and unsteady with a gun he literally misses the broad side of a barn. However, Cat, has, as they used to say in those days, a mind of her own, and she masterminds a spectacular train heist that puts them all on the lam. Marvin won an Academy Award for his role as the derelict Shelleen, and his performances (he actually has two) are still topnotch and on target. The framing device, two wandering minstrels, played by Stubby Kaye and Nat "King" Cole, are the maraschino cherries on the top of this Wild West confection. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Great movie, great DVD!
"Well now, friends, just lend an ear / For you're now about to hear / The Ballad of Cat Ballou..." so begins the "Greek chorus" of Nat 'King' Cole and Stubby Kaye, banjos in hand. Having seen "There's Something About Mary" before "Cat Ballou," I didn't realize that the former was paying homage to the latter with this clever device. (Of course, being the original, "Cat Ballou" does it much better). By the way, the often-humorous score is by Frank DeVol.

The performances are good all around, each character with well-played and memorable funny bits. Jane Fonda plays it straight and serious next to the inept-ness of so-called outlaws Dwayne Hickman and Michael Callan and the over-the-top Lee Marvin (in a dual role as the Kid Sheleen, the drunken hero, and Tim Strawn, the bad guy with an artificial nosepiece). Marvin and the horse steal the show!

This movie is a lot of fun - pure entertainment - and the DVD people at Columbia/Tri-Star did a really good job putting together some extras. The audio commentary with Hickman and Callan itself is fun to listen to while watching the movie on repeat; it's very informative and even laugh-out-loud funny at times. The featurette with the director provides some good info on the movie, and the original trailer and vintage advertising (movie posters, etc.) is nostalgic.

The picture and sound quality is excellent; the visuals are clear and colorful, no noticeable scratches...the sound is very clear for being monaural. One side of the disc has the widescreen (definitive) version; the other side has the formatted version, which is also worth a look as it contains some extra information at the top and bottom of the screen on the scenes that were soft-matted.

I love this movie - it's nice to see that the DVD people took some interest enough to put together the special features on an almost 40-year-old film. Keep up the good work!

Worth seeing, if only for Lee Marvin's performance!
This 1965 spoof of westerns was a big hit back then. It's the story of Katherine Ballou, nicknamed "Cat" and played by Jane Fonda, who comes home to her small Wyoming town after studying to be a schoolmarm. However, because her father refuses to sell his land to the speculators, he is brutally murdered. She goes gunning for revenge. But this is a comedy and it's all very lighthearted, especially since there are constant musical narratives by Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole. Lee Marvin won an academy award for his excellent portrayal of two aging outlaw gunmen and he's great. It's worth seeing, just to see his performance as he's a master not just of facial expressions, but also of total body language. Jane Fonda looks pretty as the sweet-young-thing turned outlaw. And there's enough love interest and comical episodes to keep the story moving. There's a train-robbing incident that is quite funny. And, of course, there's a happy ending.

I'm not much for comedies and so that fact that I was willing to spend the 96 minutes watching it all the way through says a lot for it. Recommended for light entertainment.

Steel-eyed Kid Shelleen
Saw this flick when it first came out: four performances were unforgettable --- marvellous Marvin, fascinating Fonda, melodious Cole and Kaye. Within its own light comedy framework this film is a masterpiece, regardless of what one or two reviewers think. This must be due to Elliot Silverstein's exceptionally deft direction. It is fast-paced and beautifully balanced. The characters cut across each other like oil and vinegar, hardly a scene is out of place. It has all the hallmarks of a masterpiece: timelessly entertaining, thought-provoking and even moving, both sad and funny, and can stand any number of repeat viewings. Silverstein's comments in the extra features are brief, to the point and invaluable. Fonda's acting (what a sweetie, what a dish!) is perfection in the part; Marvin's magical transformation from derelict to dead-eye via a throat-full of hooch is just as astounding every time you watch it. His arrival in Wolf City is one of the most dynamic entrances by a legendary gunman ever seen in movies. Anyone who hasn't already seen this evergreen comedy is in for a treat.

One of the Classics
This is truly one of the funniest (and funnest)western spoofs ever made. Lee Marvin is at his best, and Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye will leave you singing "Cat Baloooooo" to yourself for weeks. As an editorial aside, reviewers who have rated this flick down based on Jane Fonda's appearance in it are asses. I didn't think much of John Wayne's politics, but I sure enjoyed his movies.

Another old favorite
Saw this film 7-8 times earlier in life, not just to look at Jane Fonda but because it's one of the funniest films I know. Lee Marvin, as 'the hero', is at his best! ... Read more

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Big Jake is not one of the Duke's classics, but a diverting attempt nonetheless. Everyone seems to think that Jacob McCandles is six-feet under ("I thought you was dead" is a running line throughout), so some bad men kidnap his grandson. They want a piece of the family fortune and will kill to get it. Patrick Wayne, the Duke's own son, plays one of Big Jake's kids, and together they start out after the boy's abductors. Richard Boone makes a worthy adversary to Jake's larger than life figure, and the final confrontation between the two contains some great gritted-teeth dialogue. Maureen O'Hara is barely in the feature, sharing the same fate as Bobby Vinton as the boy's father. He seems to be onscreen just to get shot. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Big Jake, the man who put the bad guys in their place!
Big Jake has always been a family favorite. Whenever it aired on TV, we watched it. If it were played 3-4 times a year, we watched it. You just can't beat the all-star cast. John Wayne, Bruce Cabot(very famous in the 1930'3 and 1940's) Richard Boone, as the lead bad guy, was a great choice. PAtrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum were both excellent choices to be his sons. Maureen O'Hara, as the ex-wife, she is still as beautiful as ever. All-in-all, a great action-packed western that holds up to the best. Big Jake, a real treat for all.

don't call him DADDY!!!!!!!!!
This film is one of the better later-day John Wayne films, though strangely violent for a Wayne film. The Duke stars Jacob MacCandles (maybe a reflection of his real life family situation) as a tough man, estranged from his wife and grown sons. Bobby Vinton gives a quickie performance as Wayne's eldest son, shot when (the great) Richard Boone and his band of cutthroats nearly slaughter all on Jacob's ranch in the kidnapping of his grandson (played by Wayne youngest son Ethan). Patrick Wayne, his real son, plays second eldest son and youngest son, Michael, is played by Christopher Mitchum (Robert Mitchum's son!).

In tow are Wayne regulars, Harry Carey (disgusting tobacco chewing baddie), Bruce Cabot as the Indian tracker showing age with Jacob, Glen Corbett as breed the fast gun that faces off against Patrick Wayne in a gun fight, the most natural actor to ever grace the screen, the late Richard Boone, and a lovely appearance by the eternally beautiful Maureen O'Hara, once again playing John's long suffering wife whot loves him, but cannot live with him.

It is super to watch Wayne with Cabot, Carey, Boone and O'Hara, and Jim Davis (later rose to fame once more as Jock Ewing of Dallas) and though the film is intensely violent, I don't see it was gratuitous. The violence came from the end of a very violent era, times were changing, but not fast enough. The violence of the kidnappers had to be there to show Wayne's to-the-wall rescue of his small grandson was called for. Wayne's character was a violent man when the times called for it, but it was just as willing to let things go - if ONLY the other person walked away.

He worked well with his sons and Mitchum, and the interaction between Jacob and his two sons provides the Wayne brand humour in the film.

The times were changing for the code of the old west, and in the same way, times were changing for John Wayne....

I give Wayne credit for not pulling punches in a film that does him credit.

They made the mistake of kidnapping Big Jake's grandson
"Big Jake" is one of my favorite John Wayne movies, which is not to claim that it is a classic film. This film is directed by George Sherman, who first began doing Westerns back in the late 1930s, although Wayne is known to have directed some scenes as well. In retrospect I would argue that this 1971 film is the first of a trio of film that Wayne made at the end of his career reflecting the passing of the Western. The other two would be Wayne's next film, "The Cowboys," and obviously his final film, "The Shootist." Of that trio "Big Jake" is clearly the most fun and my biggest complaint about this film is that when it is shown on television they almost always have the first commercial break at the absolute worst moment.

The film begins with a raid on the McCandles Ranch where Little Jake McCandles (Ethan Wayne, the Duke's youngest son, named for the character he played in "The Searchers") is kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats led by John Fain (Richard Boone). Fain demands a ransom to be delivered across the border in Mexico. The Texas Rangers are willing to do it, but Martha McCandles (Maureen O'Hara), the boy's grandmother, announces that this is a disagreeable task and needs to be done by a disagreeable man. At this point the came cuts to a close up of John Wayne peering down the barrel of a rifle. It is a great introduction to Wayne's character in the film and a fitting counterpart to the moment in "Stagecoach" when we first see the Ringo Kid and his Winchester. But television stations keep putting commercials before the cut because the film's opening sequence, in which narrator George Fenneman, who went from being Groucho Marx's announcer and straight man on "You Bet Your Life" ended up doing the narration for Jack Webb's "Dragnet," introduces us to all of the members of the Fain gang runs on a bit before we have the raid and the decision of what to do next. So Act I runs out for a bit and if there is a good reason to have this movie on DVD or VHS it is because that way you miss this horrendous commercial placement.

"Big Jake" is basically a chase story as the title character goes after his grandson, heading out with the ransom with only his trusted Native American friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot) and a dog named "Dog." But there are several others things going on to make the proceedings more interesting. Big Jake did not even know that he had a grandson, and while the boy's father Jeff (Bobby Vinton, the singer) is wounded, his two brothers James (Patrick Wayne, another of the Duke's son) and Michael (Christopher Mitchum, son of Robert Mitchum who co-starred with the Duke in "El Dorado"). Clearly Big Jake has been separated from his family for a while and there are issues, particularly with James, who makes the mistake of calling his father "Daddy."

There is also a whole sub-text about relying on modern technology. While Big Jake heads off with horses the Texas Rangers take off in new fangled motorcars. Of course this is a mistake, but there is a recurring theme of the old ways being best. Michael has a motorcycle and James has a new fangled pistol, but they are able to overcome their reliance on modern technology. If the Old West is disappearing it is not disappearing until the Duke has his last fight.

Then there is the running gag that everybody seems to think Big Jake is dead. When we are treated to that great close up our hero is watching a group of cattlemen get ready to string up a sheep farmer. Big Jake does not want to get involved, not wanting to make a mistake of his youth that almost cost him his life. But then the leader of the lynch mob (Jim Davis) makes the mistake of kicking a boy ("Aw," says Big Jake, "why'd he want to go and do that for?"). There could be trouble but then it is discovered that the big man on the horse is Jacob McCandles, who apparently is not dead. This happens so often that Big Jake swears he will kill the next man who says that and, of course, he does.

Finally, this film has some great dialogue by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink. This was their first film together (he did "Major Dundee" and "Ice Station Zebra") and after this they created "Dirty Harry" for Clint Eastwood (no wonder the choice lines in this movie are so choice). When James calls Big Jake "Daddy," the Duke knocks his son on his can and announces: "You can call Dad, you can call me Father, you can call me Jacob and you can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty old son-of-a-b***h, but if you EVER call me Daddy again, I'll finish this fight." But my favorite is when Fain first encounters Big Jake (not knowing who he is, of course) and gives a very serious warning. At the climax of the film Big Jake repeats the warning word for word with a grim earnestness that is quite impressive. That is why this is not a great film, but a great movie.

One of my Favorite John Wayne Movies
Big Jake, although not his best, was still one of my favorite movies. My own grandpa was a larger than life figure, and this movie rings true to what he was in the prime of his life. One of Wayne's last, and I think it has to be on everyone's list. The adversary is a tough nut to crack, and knows just how to hit the nerves. It's not over the top violent (I suppose that compares with today's movies). GOD i wish they would have picked anything else for that kid to wear but that girlish little jumper with the white collar!

Not as good as I hoped...
I'm giving this one four stars for the quality of the video, sound, and the fact that this movie has, for at least 90 minutes, everything you would ever want in a late-era John Wayne movie. The acting is not bad at all, the story is set up very well, the villians are believable, and you have the obligatory old codger showing up his estranged smart-aleck sons while he teaches them a thing or two.

After we've been through 90 minutes of establishing trust and killing a few bad guys along the way, we come to the big showdown where the Duke tries to bluff the kidnappers, and then kill them. It's a pretty good shoot-out, and of course the good guys win.

The problem I have is that the Duke loses his best friend and his dog in the fight, as well as getting shot twice himself. When it's all over, Big Jake, his two sons, and his grandson exit with big smiles on their faces. The camera freezes on this image while the credits are rolling. It was kind of like a bad 1970's crime drama. I expected to see in bold letters, "A QUINN MARTIN PRODUCTION." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Howard Hawks's 1962 adventure-comedy is basically the same, loosely plotted movie Hawks made over and over again for decades. A collection of professionals with a common goal--in this case, animal trapping in Tanganyika--forms a pocket community and holds each other to high standards in their work. This is a film about camaraderie, crisp banter, romance, and exciting action (the animal sequences are great). John Wayne played this part in about a thousand ways for Hawks over the years, and he could not be more entertaining as a grizzled pro. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Timeless comedy
I don't know how many times I've seen this movie since I was a child. And it is still one of my all time favorites. I hope Paramount is making a DVD in the near future, cause my old VHS tape is pretty worn out and won't do it any longer. Although John Wayne is mostly famous for his western movies, he's best in Non-westerns. His exprssion when Martinelli asks him how he likes to kiss is priceless. I LOVE IT!! Howard Hawks was an excellent director and never in the 160 minutes the movie is boring. The action scenes are exciting, the comedy scenes are funny. Don't touch it when you love Stallone or Van Damme, but it is a must when you love Good Old Hollywood!!

How times have changed!
I ran across this movie by accident on late nite TV -- and I loved it! Hatari is East Africa 40 years ago. There's no plot to speak of. John Wayne heads a team that chases down and catches animals to sell to zoos. They carry guns -- but they don't shoot anything; they smoke and drink to excess and eat lots of fatty foods (crab cakes fried in antelope fat!); they drive old beat-up jeeps and land rovers and they don't wear seatbelts -- and when they roll a jeep they pick everybody up and dust them off instead of calling a doctor (or a lawyer); the men are dumb and tough and lovable and honest and the women are smart and competent and sexy and honest -- and they don't have to prove anything to anybody.

There's no way you could make this movie now. These guys lasso real animals -- giraffes and rhinos and zebras -- and wrestle them to the ground and put them in cages. The animals were probably not amused. But Hatari was politically correct in its day. Wayne's team includes a German, a Frenchman, an American Indian, a Spaniard, and an Italian femme fatale and they all get along pretty well. The Africans in the movie are called boys and there's not a hint that they might prefer to be called something else, like Mr. or Sir.

The scenery is marvelous, the photography fabulous, the music cute, the comedy stupid, the love scenes corny, and the animal capture scenes are fascinating. So this is how zoos get their animals....

Hatari is an idealized Africa of Bwanas and boys. Today, I suppose we're safer, happier, healthier, etc., but living in the shadow of Kilimanjaro and chasing animals around sure looks like a lot of fun.

A Duke classic!
Take John Wayne off his horse and put him on the front of a pickup truck, and it's off to the races in this classic film about a group of professional big game hunters in Africa. Wonderful combination of action, comedy and the cast of characters reacting to each other as the storyline develops. The Duke is the undisputed leader of this group of international stars, who are plainly shown to be doing the capture scenes themselves. That adds so much to the film by not using stunt doubles. This is evident in the last capture scene of the rhino as Wayne is plainly shown trying to untangle ropes and move the trapped beast. He stands just mere inches from the horn of the rhino when the beast begins bucking and snorting! Think about this also. Wayne was on the front of the truck doing the capture scenes. That truck could have easily turned over, and the Duke would have been dead 17 years before his time. Raw courage and devotion to his trade! A must see movie for the entire family!

John Wayne Classic
I saw this movie as a kid. I now own it for reasons of it being a good quality dvd and also its significance of it being shot in my home town of Arusha, Tanzania (specially the last scenes).

The comedy is good, though a long movie to watch in one sitting.

The authentic animal chase scenes by John Wayne and team make it worth while including buttons comedy.

Rhinos and Other Horny Beasts in Africa
There's not much this movie doesn't have. Action? Got it. Romance? Yep. Comedy? Check. Wild animals? Naturally. Punching, gunplay, explosions, and rocket blasts? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Hyena bathing and slapstick elephant chases? But of course. Shape-shifting space aliens? Okay, it doesn't have that, but it has everything else and a cast that works well together and isn't overscripted.

The story follows a season in the lives of a team of big game hunters (a catch-and-release group that works for zoos and circuses). A couple outsiders come in and the group dynamic changes; the young girl of the group is suddenly all grown up and a love triangle (later a quadrangle) forms and resolves itself; the group's leader has to choose between letting go of the past or missing the relationship of a lifetime; and then there's the horrible rhino curse that must be broken. In lesser hands, it would all be a "very special episode" of Little House on the Savanna, but Howard Hawks masterfully directs his cast and winds up with some incredible footage of the African plains and its wildlife as well. Add in an excellent score by Henry Mancini, and you are really drawn into the action; the whimsical "Baby Elephant Walk" provides a nice break from the tension - you know nothing bad can happen once the calliope starts up, so just sit back and enjoy the fun.

John Wayne keeps his swagger and drawl mostly in check, but Buttons' physical comedy is a little overeager. Still, the remaining 98% of the film is on target in tone and balance. The scenes between lovelorn Martinelli and Buttons feel genuine, the animal herding and capture scenes feel dangerous, the rhino goring and dislocated shoulder repair feel painful, and your arteries begin to clog at the mention of codfish cakes deep-fried in antelope fat.

This is a great movie to lose yourself in. Just make sure you have a full two-and-a-half hours to spend; once you begin you won't want the action, romance, and comedy to stop for even a minute. ... Read more

Reviews (111)

A Bit More Cheek Than Usual, Miss Case?
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER marks Sean Connery's return to the role of Bond after the hiatus of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. It was also his last Bond film to date (except for the swan song NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN in 1983).

The opening precredits sequence involves Bond's hunt for Blofeld, who killed Bond's wife Tracy in OHMSS. The story then develops into a melange of diamond smuggling, Las Vegas casinos, an eccentric billionaire (pork sausage king Jimmy Dean playing Willard Whyte, a sort of cornpone version of Howard Hughes), cheesy funeral parlors, moon buggies and laser beams, cloning, and a girl named Tiffany Case.

In terms of story, this film is one of the weakest of the Bond films,jumping frenetically from one scene to another in an attempt to cram in everything it possibly can. The film editing is awful. There's just no other word for it.

The movie is redeemed by the characters and the nonstop action sequences, all of which are wildly entertaining. Connery is suave and irrepressible in a white tuxedo. Jill St. John, who plays the aforementioned Miss Case, is brassy and sassy, sexy and fun. The two of them seem to be sharing a private joke all the way through the film.

We are also introduced to Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, a pair of openly gay assassins who kill with a creative streak and have a penchant for really bad puns. The appearance of Wint and Kidd and their relationship marks a kind of minor milestone in the Bond canon, showing that the series was moving unselfconsciously into the 1970s.

Minor but important roles are filled out by Bambi and Thumper, a pair of gymnasts specializing in assault, battery, and tumbling routines, and Plenty O'Toole ("Named after your father, no doubt") a casino girl reminiscent of a low-rent Sylvia Trench from the earliest Bond films.

Blofeld is played by Charles Gray. Gray's Blofeld seems more like a disgruntled waiter than a criminal mastermind. His cat does give us an excellent performance.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER never takes itself seriously. This is not the film noir of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The series was taking its turn here toward the Roger Moore era of cartoon excess and "groaners", a downward spiral which continued until Timothy Dalton rescued Bond from utter obsolescence.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is Eon's version of an Andy Sidaris film. Sidaris' films are low-budget Bond take-offs, but in this instance, it would be hard to say who inspired whom. Like Baby Back Ribs, this film is sloppy but delicious.

The Special Edition DVD has much to recommend it, including deleted scenes (which to Eon Productions' credit, help make sense of the film) and interviews with some of the cast. There is also an excellent retrospective on the life of Cubby Broccoli. -

Sparkling
"Diamonds Are Forever" is the 7th in the James Bond 007 series from 1971. Agent 007 is assigned to stop diamond smugglers. This movie marks the return of Sean Connery to the role of Bond. He does a decent job here, but afterward he retired again and Roger Moore took over the role. Jill St. John does a good job of playing Tiffany Case, one of the smugglers. Norman Burton does a forgettable job of playing Felix Leiter. (The best Leiter was Jack Lord in "Dr. No" [1962]).

This movie really has two things going for it: an outstanding soundtrack and some of the best villains of the entire Bond series. Shirley Bassey sings the title track. Her's is a return performance, as she also sang the title tracks to "Goldfinger" (1964) and "Moonraker" (1979). The two villains, Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint, are henchmen of Ernst Blofeld. It is just hilarious how they make deadpan one-liners which parody those of Bond!

This is one of my favorite Bond movies, but I am rating it down one star because it seems to bog down near the end. Ironically, I saw a DeBeers diamond commercial which said "A diamond is forever" while I was preparing this review. Apparently, the movie title has some marketing power to it!

Not as bad as Moonraker
Connery is the only saving grace to this film. The film has a rushed, cheap quality to it. The producers must have been so pleased to have Connery back one last time they forgot about minor stuff like exotic sets (Las Vegas coming on the heels of Japan and the Swiss Alps is a let-down), decent special effects, and a good editor--how did Plenty end up dead? what about the car on two wheels switching sides?--see the movie and you'll understand. Also, someone should have at least tried to get Telly Savalas back as Blofeld for some continuity. Blofeld is 007's Moriarty and while even Savalas didn't quite match the literary Blofeld, he at least had far more presence than Donald Pleasance or Charles Gray. Having Connery back one more time was good, but production values really took a hit in this one. Still, it wasn't as silly as Moonraker.

He deserved the dough
One of my favorite Bond movies. Connery earn his unusual ( for the time ) fee for this role as he hunts for the killer of his wife only to find him behind a mission after he believed he finished the job.

Jill St. John is very hot and does a fine job and the supporting cast follows through well. The cut in the effects budget shows with the parking lot chase but I always felt that Connery as Bond was the attraction rather than the gimicks.

A winner

Making Mud Pies, 007?
The 7th James Bond movie. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER introduced a fascinating character in the series with Willard Whyte, a reclusive billionaire who runs an empire from a Las Vegas penthouse. Whyte is played to perfection by none other than the sausage king himself Jimmy Dean - a legendary tycoon himself during the late 50s and 60s for a series of hilarious commercial and comedy skits. Dean cleverly enthuses the role of Whyte with his own persona. As such, the whole extravagant gambling activities seen throughout the film give a unique appeal for Sean Connery's final apperance as James Bond. The film also showcases memorable action sequences with a more spunky heroine in Jill St. John.

THE ASSIGNMENT: M introduces Bond to the problems of diamond smuggling. Despite apparent air-tight security at South Africa's diamonds mines, a large quantity has recently gone missing. Even more alarming than the larceny is that none of the stolen jewels have found their way on to the world market. Bond is sent off to discover who is stockpiling the diamonds, and why. He begins by impersonating smuggler Peter Franks, and ends up in Las Vegas - and to his shock face to face with Ernst Stavro Blofeld! Blofeld has devised another way to hold the world at ransom - a giant laserbeam generator suspended in orbit around the Earth which uses diamonds to intensify its' energy to the point where it can cause rockets, missiles, and submarines to simply self-detonate. Blofeld is effectively conducting an international auction with nuclear supremacy going to the highest bidder. Who better than 007?

THE VILLAINS: Charles Gray as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Joseph Furst as Professor Metz, and Putter Smith and Bruce Glover as the whimsical homosexuals Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! BUY IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Wayne and Kirk Douglas make a delightful duo in this comedic Western in which Wayne seeks revenge on a ruthless mine owner (Bruce Cabot) who had him framed and sent to prison. Upon his release, Wayne recruits Douglas in a scheme to raid and rob one of Cabot's gold-laden wagons, despite the fact that Douglas had been offered good money to kill Wayne. He joins Wayne instead (the potential profits being much greater), and they set out to ambush the War Wagon, so named because it's heavily armored, mounted with a Gatling gun, and guarded by a dozen gunmen on horses. Costarring Keenan Wynn and Howard Keel as a wise-cracking Indian, The War Wagon was a Western precursor to the action buddy films of the 1980s and '90s, serving up plenty of exciting action and constant comic relief. The interplay between Wayne and Douglas is sharp and sarcastic, and their motley crew of accomplices provides yet another source of character-driven humor. Not one of the greatest Westerns ever made, but certainly one of the most lightly entertaining. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Mission Impossible in the Old West.
Gunfighter Taw Jackson (John Wayne) recruits a motley crew of sidekicks to rob ruthless mine owner, Frank Pierce (Bruce Cabot). Pierce routinely transports a fortune in gold dust in an armored stagecoach called "The War Wagon." Complete with a small army of guards and a Gatling gun, The War Wagon is formidable. Taw figures to settle old scores by devising a complex plan to steal the gold. John Wayne was good at big budget B pictures. This flick is very different from a John Ford masterpiece, but so what? This movie is a typical Batjac action-adventure flick with comic overtones. Wayne trades verbal barbs with Lomax (Kirk Douglas), a too-cool hired gun. Howard Keel is Levi Walking Bear, a comic and politically incorrect Indian. Robert Walker is a drunken explosives expert. Keenan Wynn is a sadistic teamster. They each play a role in the carefully timed execution of the robbery. Unaware of their thieving alliance, Pierce hires Lomax to kill Taw, setting up several tense situations. The supporting cast includes members of Wayne's Batjac production company family. Look for Bruce Dern, Gene Evans, and Sheb Wooley in small roles. Throw in colorful outdoor locations, a saloon brawl, lots of hard-riding action, and it's great fun for Western movie fans. It's well worth the price. ;-)

A Good Shoot'em Up Western
Taw Jackson, played by John Wayne, is out on parole and building a team to heist a shipment of Gold dust. The problem is, the town where he's planning his heist is filled with his worst enemies. Kirk Douglas as Lomax, is one of Taw's partners. Together they study to work out every detail to commit their crime. All they got to do now is do the deed. Will they make it? Lots of fancy gun slinging, fighting, and a really neat Saloon fight add to the flavor of this movie. Oh, and you gotta see the way Kirk Douglas mounts his horse, it's Peachy! One of the most suspenseful scenes is where Taw and another of his cohort's line a bridge they plan to blow up with nitroglycerin. Also, look for a very short role by Bruce Dern . He, as he has in most films, plays a bad guy, and when he's confronted by Taw Jackson he quickly learns what "BAD" really is.

It's like "Oceans Eleven" in the West
This is a movie about revenge. It's about the quest of one man, Taw Jackson (Wayne), to get even with the man who set him up and stole his ranch. To get his vengeance, Taw puts together a small group of men, including a gunfighter who's been hired to kill him (Douglas), to help him rob the "War Wagon," so named because it is an iron stagecoach complete with a gattling gun and a large complement of mounted guards. The five men scheme, plan, and concoct a plan to steal the wagon, and Taw and Lomax (Douglas) try to refrain from killing each other in the process.

This is not meant to be a completely serious Western, and in fact it is quite lighthearted. It is also funny, with just enough comic relief to keep things lively. Douglas and Wayne are absolutely fabulous together, and the rest of the cast works well too. This is a great all-around Western.

Entertaining comedy western
The War Wagon is a good comedy western starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglass as two men attempting to steal a shipment of gold. Wayne stars as Taw Jackson, a man recently released from prison after being framed, who wants to get revenge on the man who put him in jail(Bruce Cabot). Kirk Douglass is Lomax, Wayne's greedy, cocky partner. These two are perfect together as they try and figure out how to rob the "war wagon." Their dialogue is sharp and cutting with insults being handed back and forth.

The movie is very entertaining to watch. Excellent cast backing up Wayne and Douglass including Howard Keel as Levi Walking Bear. There is enough action and humor for everybody in this western. DVD presentation is good in widescreen with a trailer included even though it is a little pricey. Well worth it for Duke fans!

A get even movie
well it's a good movie some light humor a get even type movie.Enjoyable intertianing but you've to know one thing I
am a big JOHN WAYNE FAN. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Wayne & McLaglen tackle the Lincoln County War
Based upon historical fact, this film follows the famous range war in which Billy the Kid made his name, but chiefly from the viewpoint of aging cattle baron John Chisum (Wayne in the title role). It's 1878 in New Mexico Territory, and Chisum rides into the local town of Lincoln to meet his niece Sallie (Pamela McMyler) off the stage. His foreman and long-time Good Right Hand, Pepper (Ben Johnson practically stealing the movie--he should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor), remarks upon the many acquisitions being made by would-be real-estate magnate Lawrence J. Murphy (Tucker in a cheerfully malevolent role), but Chisum isn't looking for trouble. Still, he is inexorably drawn into the escalating situation when lawyer Alex McSween (Andrew Prine), whom Sallie befriended on the journey, finds it impossible to turn a blind eye to Murphy's machinations, and helps stake the idealistic Easterner to a store to run in competition with the one Murphy bought out from under its original owner. Not until his friend and neighbor, Britisher Henry Tunstall (Patric Knowles), is murdered on the road by two deputies of Murphy's hand-picked sheriff (Bruce Cabot), does Chisum's temper finally come unglued, and the story continues through the siege (canonical) of the McSween store by Murphy's forces, the shooting down of McSween in the street, and at last a classic brawl (in an ultimately burning building) between Chisum and Murphy that always reminds me of two old range bulls butting heads. As always, the supporting cast adds immeasureably to the movie: Geoffrey Deuel as Billy Bonney; Christopher George (who also played a villainous role in the Duke's "El Dorado") as his old enemy, gimpy, half-crazy bounty hunter Dan Nodeen; Richard Jaeckel as Jess Evans, with whom Billy once rode; Glenn Corbett as Billy's friend (and future killer) Pat Garrett. The mild liberties that are taken with history (such as Sallie's attraction to Billy) only serve to fill out the characters better. There's plenty of classic Old West action and a good score (Merle Haggard's vocal, "Turn Me Around," should be released on a retrospective of his songs), and Chisum is portrayed as a decent man who loves the land and wants the best for the people who live on it (interestingly, he isn't expected to carry a romantic relationship at all, though it's strongly hinted that he came close to marrying Sallie's mother). A solid entry to the Wayne oeuvre and one well worth your time.

The Duke Rides again
Ok, so the historical aspect is questionable, so what? This is classic John Wayne, good guys against bad guys, and predictably great until the final reel. I always felt they left the door open a little for a sequel, or moreover that this was placing a John Wayne bootprint on the story behind the story of the Lincoln County War. Whichever way, I thoroughly enjoy this every time I see it. Probably not one of the "GREAT" John Wayne westerns, and I'm being a little generous with 4 stars, but the transfer quality to DVD makes it worth it, although there isn't any extra stuff. Just under two hours, and a little violent for very young children, otherwise Enjoy

Don't buy this Movie
I am a huge fan of almost anything with John Wayne in it, especially westerns. But this may be one of his worst. The Duke had a maddening habit of surrounding himself with bad actors. But often the movie was good enough to overcome this fault. This one is not. The music is flat out horrible, almost funny it's so bad, and the script is rediculous. It is historically inaccurate, and if you are going to make a movie with real charactors in it, then this is not a minor fault. The only good things in the movie are Ben Johnson and the Duke himself. Truly one of his worst.

A good John Wayne film but not very true to history
CHISUM is a solid film for its time period. Like always, John Wayne is at the top of his game. However, I'm still not sure why Hollywood felt inclined to make a movie that used John Chisum as its main character and Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett as supporting players. It doesn't really make sense. And while there is some truth to what happens in the film, for the most part it is historically inaccurate. For example, John Chisum never squabbled fist to fist with Lawrence Murphy in real life (as far as history has recorded anyway) but since Murphy was the villain and Chisum was the hero I see why it had to be done. It's just like I said though, why did they have to be called Murphy and Chisum? Why did the producers decide to make a John Wayne western based in realism using real characters when many of his more successful westerns were entirely fictional and used fictional characters? I guess we'll never know for sure. The end result seems to be more for John Wayne fans than fans of the Billy the Kid legend and the Lincoln County War.

C-

Western classic for your library
One of John Wayne's best Action Westerns. The acting is better than average and Ben Johnson actually talks in this movie! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

WITH OR WITHOUT BANGS
Dietrich played french ladies of dubious reputation so often, and to such great effect, its no wonder they loved her, and that she died in Paris. Remember her as Bijou Blanche in SEVEN SINNERS?

Here, in Renee Clair's confection, she has Ward Bond/Bruce Cabot to play against. Now, whether or not she ever had Bond/Cabot, as she had most of her other leading men, we'll never know. But, from the lack of sparkle in their duets together, probably not. On the other hand... Oh, well. It was wartime, and really sexy, really attractive leading men were scarce.

But, this is a mistaken identity antibellum movie, in which Dietrich plays (or almost plays) two different women. (Not to worry: Nothing psychological. Its all a misunderstanding.) We can tell one from another because one has bangs, and the other doesn't.

What's the difference? Its a parade of costumes. It could just as easily have been a vehicle for May West. Or some off-Broadway concoction for drag queans. It's a vol-au-vent; just a puffed confection made only to make you laugh. Some people enjoy watching pretty women change clothes. Does EVERYTHING have to be serious?

CONFUSED?
Bruce Cabot and Ward Bond were one and the same person. He (or they) had interchangeable careers, but notice, you never saw them together in the same movie, did you?

WITH OR WITHOUT BANGS
Dietrich played french ladies of dubious reputation so often, and to such great effect, its no wonder they loved her, and that she died in Paris. Remember her as Bijou Blanche in SEVEN SINNERS?

Here, in Renee Clair's confection, she has Ward Bond to play against. Now, whether or not she ever had Bond, as she had most of her other leading men, we'll never know. But, from the lack of sparkle in their duets together, probably not. On the other hand... Oh, well. It was wartime, and really sexy, really attractive leading men were scarce.

But, this is a mistaken identity antibellum movie, in which Dietrich plays (or almost plays) two different women. (Not to worry: Nothing psychological. Its all a misunderstanding.) We can tell one from another because one has bangs, and the other doesn't.

What's the difference? Its a parade of costumes. It could just as easily have been a vehicle for May West. Or some off-Broadway concoction for drag queans. It's a vol-au-vent; just a puffed confection made only to make you laugh. Some people enjoy watching pretty women change clothes. Does EVERYTHING have to be serious? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone who fought in Vietnam can tell you that the war bore little resemblance to this propagandistic action film starring and codirected by John Wayne. But the film itself is not nearly as bad as its reputation would suggest; critics roasted its gung-ho politics while ignoring its merits as an exciting (if rather conventional and idealistic) war movie. Some notorious mistakes were made--in the final shot, the sun sets in the east!--and it's an awkward attempt to graft WWII heroics onto the Vietnam experience. But as the Duke's attempt to acknowledge the men who were fighting and dying overseas, it's a rousing film in which Wayne commands a regiment on a mission to kidnap a Viet Cong general. David Janssen plays a journalist who learns to understand Wayne's commitment to battling Communism, and Jim Hutton (Timothy's dad) plays an ill-fated soldier who adopts a Vietnamese orphan. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good, But Flawed
Although I have seen this picture well over a dozen times and although I think it's basically a good movie, I must be objective and admit that "The Green Berets" is basically a propaganda piece that at the time of its filming was an attempt to change public sentiment about our country's involvement in Vietnam. For this reason, as well as the healing period our country went through after Vietnam, the movie seems rather archaic and naive today. Those on the far left ridicule it. Those on the far right treat it with the reverence of a Biblical tale. The truth about "The Green Berets" is that it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

The Fort Benning, Georgia filmed training sequences appear to be as real as anything I ever saw while I was in uniform. The combat sequences, however, contained a fair share of errors, most notably the well-known "sun setting in the east" flub. The acting was rather wooden, especially from Wayne as well as Jack Soo, portraying the ARVN officer, and the plot meandered from being quite good in some parts to being downright silly in others.

The most important thing to remember about this movie is that it should be taken for what it is...a good war movie. To casually dismiss it as irrelevant or hopelessly out of step with the truth simply doesn't do it justice. In similar fashion, it's rather stupid to portray it as an homage to the American way of life and characterize those who point out this picture's many flaws as "un-American", as one previous review did. This picture is best enjoyed with the viewer's bias, be it liberal or conservative, turned off.

from a patriot who was not afraid.
if John Wayne had made something like this today he would be ostracized from all of Hollywood and from about 2% of this nation. he was a man, a patriot and he wanted to show the good of our struggle. vietnam was a war that was not unlike every other war, the only difference was our citizens. the baby boomers grew up spoiled (founding fathers of the modern left). they didnt understand hard work and what a country need's to do for freedom. the left will today say freedom is a slogan, that we will always be free, they will say bush's war is for oil or some uneducated and clichéd response, but freedom is not just about a war or occupation, it's the freedom to not be afraid to get on a airplane, the freedom to not fear going into tall buildings, the freedom not to fear gathering large groups in public. and for the arab world it means to not be afraid to have your wife drive your car, or wear a dress in public, or to question a religious authority. the whole idea of vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, it was a war that transcended vietnam itself, it was a war to measure our country and our people's resolve. vietnam taught our enemies (and todays modern terrorists) that if they can scare us, horrify us or kill enough of us that we will cower and not fight. Stalin, Khrushchev, khadafi, Usama, and hussein thought this, and we taught them all a lesson through might.

just because liberal's think war is not the answer it does not mean that our enemies do also. we are not europe, if we do not spend money on our military, flex our muscles, set deadlines and take action no one ele will. we do not have anyone to protect us like europe and the world have us. terrorist do not seek peace, they do not hate us because we are us they hate us because of hollywood, because of our freedom from starvation, our comfort in life and from our belief that we can live life any way we want without regard.

John wayne in his portrayal of vietnam was not "propaganda" it was to boost moral for the country, to support our efforts in defeating communism. i read before someone said john wayne was no patriot, what is a patriot if not to support the united states and to keep it's moral up? john wayne did that, ask any soldier from WWII to the present day. i feel bad for the liberal's they hate everyone, stand for everything while believing in nothing and really do not know anything of history or of humanity.

THE DUKE HAS THE LEFT TIED IN KNOTS
In 1969, John Wayne infuriated the Left with "The Green Berets", a film that made no apologies in its all-out support of America's effort in Vietnam. It was lambasted by critics, but in a very interesting sign, sold out at the box office. It plays today and while it is heavy-handed, there is little about it that rings untrue. The soldiers do not swear, complain or bastardize their uniforms like the actual guys did, but their patriotism and military professionalism was the real deal. The Communists they fight in the film are shifty little pissants. This does not deviate from the essential truth.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

bad propoganda but a couple of gem performances
the performances of david jansaan and jim hutton stand out in this really blatant propoganda piece.
wayne the director and producer is not someone i empathize with but i do believe wayne the actor was vastly underrated.
too many people, myslef included, often let waynes politcs get in the way of acknowledging his acting powers.
this film is that in a nutshull.
his politics are unavoidable but the scen in which he wells up, on the verge of tears, trying to tell the young boy of huttons death is powerhouse acting pure and simple.
try to appreciate it.

A solid, well-made film
John Wayne like any other American had the right to promote his opinion. Period. ...

Now, the film is as accurate as any other Vietnam film made in that last 30 years because films are created to promote an opinion. (I've known Vietnam Vets who were not dope smoking, gun-totting genocidists.)

As far as action and commitment, the Green Berets succeeds as a solid "war film." No one who cares about good film making can argue that, unless they believe in censorship. The film is panoramic and energetic in cinematic quality. The characters are strong male types (like Vets I've known.) The film chose its side and promoted it. There is one strong element that the film brings home. The US military was better at killing, and it had to be. Most US detachments were generally outnumbered, fighting an opposition armed by numerous totalitarian countries from Europe to Asia. That is a historical fact, which interestingly enough, was introduced into a film over 35 years old.

The Green Berets, again, is a solid war-film and interestingly enough, is less fancifully than Platoon. The Green Berets is worth the time to see. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nobody made a fuss about The Comancheros when it came out, yet it has proved to be among the most enduringly entertaining of John Wayne's later Westerns. The Duke, just beginning to crease and thicken toward Rooster Cogburn proportions, plays a veteran Texas Ranger named Jake Cutter. When we first see him (in a tongue-in-cheek delayed entrance), he's catching up with a New Orleans dandy (Stuart Whitman) who killed a judge's son in a duel just after that gentlemanly practice was banned. Monsieur Paul Regret--or "Mon-sooor," as Jake insists on calling him--is not a bad fellow, let alone a badman, and it only follows that, after the requisite number of misunderstandings, he and Jake will join forces to subdue rampaging Indians and the evil white men behind their uprising.

The Comancheros was the last credit for Michael Curtiz, who, ravaged by cancer, ceded much of the direction to Wayne (uncredited) and action specialist Cliff Lyons. With support from Wayne stalwarts James Edward Grant (coscreenplay) and William Clothier (camera), the first of many rousing Elmer Bernstein scores for a Wayne picture, and a big, flavorful cast including Lee Marvin (the once and future Liberty Valance), Nehemiah Persoff, Bruce Cabot, and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams (in his last movie), they made a broad, cheerfully bloodthirsty adventure movie for red-meat-eating audiences of all ages. Even the liberal-pinko Time magazine had to second the salute from leading lady Ina Balin at film's end: "Take care of yourself, Big Jake ... we've sort of gotten used to you." --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Lightweight but entertaining John Wayne western.
John Wayne rules in this big, sprawling western adventure film. The screenplay, co-written by western novelist Clair Huffaker, struggles with the historical accuracy of Texas in the 1840s and the rifles seem a little advanced for 1843, but, nit-picking aside, this is an entertaining film. Texas Ranger Jake Cutter (Wayne) and sometime gambler Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman) go under cover after a vicious army of outlaw raiders known as "Comancheros," led by the diabolical Graile (Nehemiah Persoff). Hard-hitting, large scale action sequences deftly directed by Michael Curtiz, who directd some of Errol Flynn's better adventure films, will please action-adventure fans. The movie includes a comfortable blend of action, suspense, and humor with occasional serious overtones of duty, friendship, and the love of a good woman. Taken within the context of the film that isn't as corny as it might sound. Great outdoor color photography adds to the appeal. A pulse-pounding musical score by Elmer Bernstein matches the excitement. Lee Marvin makes the most of his costarring role as Tully Crow, one of the West's wildest bad men. Watch for the hilarious vignette featuring Edgar Buchanan as a judge of dubious integrity. Ditto the comic relief segment with Guinn "Big Boy" Williams as a seemingly bewildered gunrunner. There is nothing intellectual or artistic to say of this movie, but it's good old fashioned fun. Recommended viewing.

Classic, Crowd-Pleasing Duke!
You can see by the title that I am a John Wayne fan, and this rip-roaring Western is one of the reasons why. With equal portions of rousing action, humor, and drama, this film keeps your interest and, like the Duke's performance, never loses its authenticity. It's said that John Wayne took over direction of some of the action sequences, and they're great. There are well-drawn, clear differences between the good buys and bad guys, but the characters are human and developed enough for the actors to sink their teeth into, which all do with gusto. By this time in his career, the Duke only had to show up on screen to be the authentic Western hero, but as usual he goes 'way beyond that, giving a colorful, humorous, absolutely real and terrific performance as the Texas Ranger who helps a man on the wrong side of the law redeem himself and find the woman he loves--as well as stopping a motley, dangerous bunch of white renegades (Comancheros) who are selling weapons to warring Comanche Indians. It's great movie-making and a great couple of hours with the Duke, so check it out!

Drunk Indians
This movie was good for the most part but then again if you dont want to see drunk indians shoot white people then dont worry about seeing it. There were some good parts in this movie but the whole movie was a rather large dissapointment. These Indains would kill people so they could get their Jollies off byy getting alcohol. This movie was very unrealistic(...). I take my reviews very serioulsly. John Wayne was a good actor props to my man Wayne, he's my man.

A Real Entertaining John Wayne Western
THE COMANCHEROS is one of John Wayne's most entertaining Westerns. It has a great cast, story, photography and one of Elmer Bernstein's best scores. The widescreen DVD looks incredible. John Wayne and Stuart Whitman play off each other brilliantly. Lee Marvin as Crow has a small but effective and outrageous character part. There's plenty of action and heroics to go around in this great outdoor adventure. I wish they would make movies like this today.

Excellent Duke western
The Comancheros is another great John Wayne western with a great supporting cast. The story follows Captain Jake Cutter, a Texas ranger, and his efforts to capture a prisoner, and then to infiltrate a group of gunrunners and bandits, the Comancheros. This group has been supplying the Comanches with repeating rifles who then wreak havoc on the area. There is plenty of action here with numerous shootouts, and also plenty of great characters. At parts during this movie, I wondered why the Duke never took more comedic roles since he is very funny in several scenes.

John Wayne plays Captain Jake Cutter, the big, brawling Texas Ranger who attempts to bring in a prisoner who keeps escaping his grasp, "Monsoor" Paul Regret, played by Stuart Whitman very well. Another notable performance is Lee Marvin's Crow, the contact between Cutter and the Comancheros. He doesn't have a very big part, but what is there is very good. The film also stars Ina Balin, Nehemiah Persoff, Michael Ansara, Patrick Wayne, Bruce Cabot, and Joan O'Brien. Elmer Bernstein also turns in another excellent score that has elements of the Sons of Katie Elder and The Great Escape. The DVD offers a widescreen presentation which looks very good, two trailers(one in Spanish), and also Movie Tone News about an award presented involving the movie. More John Wayne movies should be put out like this, and I give credit to the companies putting out so many new ones recently. A very exciting, enjoyable Duke western that all his fans will love! ... Read more