DISC ONE

Probably not the best way to start off this collection, Synergy first offers up 1990's John Wayne: Bigger Than Life, a superficial, glossed-over documentary from Burbank Video that does include some fun, curious clips from the Duke's lesser-known films, but which largely squanders most of its 55-minute run time on generalizations, inaccurate info, and terrible video dupes of Wayne trailers. While I enjoyed hearing about Wayne's early academic career (president of his class, straight A's, and 9 scholarships), and seeing some real curios from his early career (Wayne as a modern dress early 30s playboy, for instance), it's difficult to trust anything here when mistakes are made throughout the film, such as the anonymous narrator transposing the date of Wayne's film, The Searchers, which this doc claims was made in 1965. Worse are the clips and trailers used here, many of which look at least fourth or fifth generation, or so badly faded or pink as to be unrecognizable.

The 1958 appearance by Wayne on Art Linkletter's People Are Funny is the biggest cheat here, lasting all of about ten seconds, as Linkletter orchestrates a long, unfunny phony "contest" for a struggling actor to secure a Universal studio contract: he has to go all over the world...encountering the stars of Wayne's flop, Legend of the Lost. Much better is a six minute bit Wayne has with The Colgate Comedy Hour host, Jimmy Durante, where Durante tries to get a part in Wayne's next picture by proving he's a he-man (Durante plugs Wayne's Hondo). As for Wayne's appearance on Lucille Ball's The Lucy Show, where Lucy invades the set of Wayne's latest Western...it still works, 45 years later, where Wayne as the "real" Wayne can't help but be funny reacting to the cringingly crass Lucy (watching these later Lucys with an adult eye...you can see what a hilarious ball-breaker she was).

DISC TWO

Heading up disc two is the notorious (in some political circles) No Substitute for Victory. I've written before about this documentary; you can access that review here. Next, The Western, an episode of the terrific documentary/reality series Wide Wide World with Dave Garroway, may be the best offering here. Hosted by the erudite, subterraneanly hip Garroway, The Western brilliantly bounces all over the place, from showing clips of Westerns as the genre progressed through the silents to 1958, to live shots of Washington state, where director Delmer Daves moves Gary Cooper and Maria Schell through their paces for the upcoming The Hanging Tree, to John Ford demonstrating, to Wayne's delight, his direction of horses trained to take a fall (with stuntman Chuck Hayward). Everyone who was anyone in the Western sphere of Hollywood seems to show up here, including Chill Wills, Walter Brennan, Gabby Hayes, Bronco Billy Anderson (who enjoy a poker game at a saloon). Jack L Warner is uncomfortable talking about the popularity of Westerns on TV, while famous Western author Frank Gruber cleanly delineates the seven basic Western plots. Gene Autry shows off his developing Melody Ranch (the former Monogram Western ranch), while a group of kids riding a small train are absolutely floored to see Clayton Moore as the Long Ranger, race over a small rise. No less than William S. Hart (recorded at some point before his death in 1946) delivers some beautiful narration about the Western genre, before Autry comes back to sing Back in the Saddle Again, putting Champion, Jr. through some tricks. Quick-draw master Rodd Redwing shows Maverick's James Garner and Jack Kelly how to split a bullet on an ax head, before Jay Silverheels discusses the treatment of Indians in the movies. And finally, James Arness and Gunsmoke producer Norm MacDonald show up, before Arness smacks Wayne right in the face. This is television as art, a moving tableau much like a long magazine article flipped back and forth in your hands; The Western is a remarkable achievement.

1971's The American West of John Ford allows the viewer to see Wayne gazing out over Ford's Monument Valley, as he begins a discussion of Ford's work and the significance of his contribution to the genre (it's also funny to see Ford giving Wayne a hard time, directing him in an action scene). James Stewart then takes over the hosting duties, looking at the importance of music and women in Ford's films, before Henry Fonda joins Pappy and Jimmy, where they reminisce about past, and better, times. Ending on a horrible note, Fonda takes Pappy back through what was once the 20th Century-Fox backlot...now obliterated by Century City: a moment to chill any movie lover.

DISC THREE

The DVD:

The Video:
The full-screen, 1.33:1 transfers for everything but McLintock! betray their video-dupe sourcing. Some of it is acceptable, if faded and burnt-out (The American West of John Ford), while others are painful to watch at times (John Wayne: Bigger Than Life). McLintock! must have been taken from the recent restoration of the title: it looks phenomenal-good color, and a bright, bright, sharp picture.

The Audio:
The English audio tracks are split mono, and they're re-recorded with hiss intact. Not distracting, though, and the recording levels are strong...but that's no 5.1 on McLintock!

The Extras:
No extras.

Final Thoughts:
If just for the pristine copy of McLintock! and the remarkable Wide Wide World episode, The Western, John Wayne: Bigger Than Life would come highly recommended. That makes everything else here gravy (and much of that is fun, too). I'm highly, highly recommending John Wayne: Bigger Than Life.