Directed by John Ford
Starring Ben Johnson, Joanne Dru, Harry Carey, Jr., Ward Bond, Charles Kemper, Russell Simpson, Hank Worden, James Arness, Francis Ford
John Ford’s Wagon Master (1950) is not just one of my favorite movies, but I consider it one of the best Westerns ever made. There’s a gentleness and an authenticity to it that no other Western can match. It’s easy to see why Ford named it his personal favorite of his own films. For me, putting this thing on is like inviting some old friends to stop by for a spell.
The performances are perfect, from Ben Johnson and Harry Carey, Jr. as the young cowboys who hire on to lead the Mormon wagon train west to Ward Bond as an elder in the group of settlers to Joanne Dru as part of a medicine show that tags along. And Russell Simpson as, what else, a grumpy old man.
Then there are the Cleggs. It seems odd to say a gentle movie has some of the vilest bad guys you’ll ever see, but it does. If you know the movie, you know what I mean. And if you haven’t seen it, well, I feel truly sorry for you.
I could go on and on. But I’ll leave it at this: Wagon Master is coming to Blu-Ray from Warner Archive. If you haven’t made the leap to high-definition yet, this should be all the reason you need. Essential.
Thanks for the tip, Paula.
Like you, I love this movie deeply. One of my all-time favorite films. This is very exciting news!!
Best wishes,
Laura
One of my favorite essays about Wagon Master, by the late, great Lloyd Fonvielle. http://www.mardecortesbaja.com/2009/09/27/wagon-master-a-world-of-spirit/
Excellent news. Wouldn’t have known about it without reading your blog. Thanks! My favorite John Ford western (big Ben Johnson fan).
I just found out that Shout Factory have a deal with Paramount so I emailed them and requested a couple of films from that studios library .They will pass it on to their acqusitions team .I urge others to do the same if ever we hope to see these films get a release.
At long last one of the best westerns on Blu Ray. Hope a lot of movie fans are going to purchase it.
I’m glad you think highly of “Wagon Masteer”. Of the 1,678 movies that I’ve rated on IMDB, only 35 have a rating of “10”. “Wagon Master” is one of them. I’ve just discovered your site — looks good! I’ll definitely be spending a lot of time here.