Paramount brings back Harold Bell Wright's beloved drama of the human heart

Starring: John Wayne, Betty Field, Harry Carey Sr., Ward Bond, Beulah Bondi, James Barton, Marjorie Main, John Qualen

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I got too big for my britches. I ain't an orphan no more." – Matt Matthews

Why watch this? It's about a father who deserted his wife and son. What is created in the wake of that event?

Plot Summary: An Ozark Mountains moonshiner, Matt harbors deep hatred for his unknown father, believing he abandoned his mother. This bitterness fuels animosity within the local community until a mysterious stranger, Daniel Howitt, arrives and begins to exert a gentle, positive influence on the mountain people, encouraging them to shed their hostility. Matt, however, remains wary of Howitt, because he has expressed a desire to purchase the home place.

Jack Moss; Paramount Pictures

There Will Be Greed. There Will Be Vengeance.

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds, Russell Harvard, Colleen Foy, Davis Willis, Hans Howes, Jim Downey

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"What are you looking so miserable about? There's a whole ocean of oil under our feet! No one can get at it except for me." – Daniel Plainview

Why watch this? Lewis excels as merciless greed personified.

Plot Summary: The film follows Daniel Plainview, a driven and ruthless prospector who shifts from mining to oil extraction in early 20th century California. Accompanied by his adopted son H.W., Daniel skillfully acquires land, often using the boy's presence to cultivate a trustworthy image among locals. As Daniel's wealth and influence grow, he develops a bitter rivalry with Eli Sunday, a charismatic local preacher whose church stands on a potentially lucrative oil field.

Ghoulardi Film Co., Scott Rudin Prod.;
Paramount Vantage

Heat of the plains in his veins... the gunfighter's stain on his name, and now a woman's life in his hands!

Starring: John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate, James Arness, Leo Gordon, Lassie

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You baked today. I can smell fresh bread on you. You smell all over like soap. You took a bath, and on top of that you smell all over like a woman. I could find you in the dark, Mrs. Lowe, and I'm only part Indian." - Hondo Lane

Why watch this? This was John Wayne's favorite Western novel and film. Mine, too.

Plot Summary: Set in Apache territory, cavalry dispatch rider Hondo Lane encounters Angie Lowe, a courageous woman raising her young son alone on an isolated ranch. He tries to convince her to abandon the dangerous area, but she insists on staying. A complex dynamic develops between Hondo, Angie, and the Apaches as tensions rise on the frontier.
 

Dad's Preview: John Wayne had a special place in his heart for this treasure. His estate kept the film out of public distribution for many years after the Duke's death in 1972. In 1990, I was working in California for EDS. It was announced that a local cable TV channel was going to air Hondo - in 3D! Special 3-D glasses were available at the station! It is so easy to watch. Wayne's so very comfortable as the independent, quiet, honorable man-of-action. Here he comes across a woman and her young son, living in Indian territory, and her husband hasn't been home for some time. I particularly admired the honorable portrayal of Vittorio, the Apache Chief. Unlike most white representatives, he was plain-spoken and honest.

Batjac Prod., Wayne-Fellows Prod.;
Warner Bros.

The story of a boy suddenly alone in the world. The men who challenge him.
And the girl who helps him become a man.

Starring: Kirk Douglas, Tom Burlinson, Jack Thompson, Sigrid Thornton, Lorraine Bayly, Terrence Donovan, Tony Bonner

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You've got to treat the mountains like a high-spirited horse; never take it for granted." - Jim Craig

Why watch this? The horsemanship used to make this film is amazing and a thing of beauty.

Plot Summary: Following the death of his father, young Jim Craig leaves his mountain home to work on a cattle ranch in the lowlands where he falls for the wealthy rancher's daughter. Treated poorly by the other ranch hands, Jim must prove his worth and integrity when he is wrongly accused of setting a valuable horse free. He joins a thrilling pursuit to recover the horse, hoping to clear his name and earn the right to the woman he loves, all against a backdrop of breathtaking Australian wilderness.

Cambridge Prod., Edgley Int'l, Snowy River
Investment Pty. Ltd.; 20th Century Fox

Wayne's greatest role as an Indian fighting Captain!

Starring: John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, Arthur Shields, Chief John Big Tree

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Captain of the troop one day: every man's face turned towards you; lieutenants jump when I growl! Now, tomorrow, I'll be glad if a blacksmith asks me to shoe a horse." – Capt. Nathan Brittles

Why watch this? Wayne's performance, as a retiring cavalry captain, was Oscar-worthy.

Plot Summary: Nearing retirement, Cavalry Captain Nathan Brittles is tasked with one last mission: to prevent an impending Native American uprising and transport two women to safety. This final patrol takes them through dangerous territory.

Argosy Pictures; RKO Radio Pictures

The brute in every man was also in him... And the love and the violence!

Starring: Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Slim Pickens, Lee Majors, Anthony Zerbe

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Leave him be. Out here, by hisself, no goods, winter coming on. He's gonna be a long while dying. And all that time, he's gonna know who done it to him. Yes, sir, a mighty long time, and then he'll be dead." - Preacher Quint

Why watch this? ... what happens when a loner suddenly starts to care for others?

Plot Summary: Aging cowboy, Will Penny, accepts a job as a line rider on a vast ranch during a harsh winter. He discovers a stranded woman and her son have taken refuge in his assigned cabin. Though initially resistant, Will allows them to stay, leading to a blossoming romance and a newfound sense of family. However, a past confrontation with a vengeful outlaw family threatens their fragile happiness.

Fred Engel, Walter Seltzer; Paramount Pics

A deeply moving story of a remarkable family and a wonderful homely old yellow dog!

Starring: Dorothy McGuire, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran, Jeff York, Chuck Connors, Beverly Washburn, Spike the dog

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If that don't beat all. I never saw such a dog." - Katie Coates

Why watch this? Because, every once in a while, a grown man needs a good cry.

Plot Summary: In late 1880's Texas, teenage Travis Coates is left in charge of his family's homestead while his father is away on a cattle drive. A stray yellow dog, initially unwanted by Travis, befriends his younger brother, Arliss, and slowly wins over the entire family through its bravery and loyalty. However, the family's bond with Old Yeller is challenged by the threat of rabies spreading through the area.

Walt Disney Prod.; Buena Vista Dist.

Two Great Stars Appear Together For the First Time!

Starring: James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O’Brien, Andy Devine, Woody Strode, Strother Martin, Lee Van Cleef

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact...print the legend." – Maxwell Scott

Why watch this? ... finally! Two classic film titans, Wayne and Stewart, together on screen!

Plot Summary: Senator Ransom Stoddard returns to the small frontier town of Shinbone for the funeral of an old friend Tom Doniphon. When asked by a newspaper reporter about his presence, Stoddard recounts the story of his arrival in the lawless territory as a young lawyer and his fateful confrontation with the notorious outlaw, Liberty Valance. Stoddard's tale delves into the complex relationship between himself, Tom, and the pursuit of law and order in the developing West.

John Ford Prod.; Paramount Pictures

LYNCH LAW RULES THE MOB!

Starring: Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Harry Morgan, Frank Conroy, Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Jane Darwell, Matt Briggs

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You don't even care whether you've got the right men or not. All you know is you've lost something and somebody's got to be punished." - Donald Martin

Why watch this? This is a twist on the old West's posse - what if they catch the wrong people?

Plot Summary: In a small Western town, news arrives that a local rancher has been murdered and his cattle stolen. With the sheriff out of town, a posse forms to track down the perpetrators. When the posse finds three men with cattle bearing the rancher's brand, a heated debate ensues about whether to administer immediate justice or wait for the sheriff and a formal trial.

Lamar Trotti; 20th Century Fox

Big as the men who faced this challenge! Bold as the women who loved them!

Starring: John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Walter Brennan, Joanne Dru, Harry Carey, John Ireland, Noah Berr Jr., Coleen Gray, Chief Yowlachie

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You're soft, you should have let 'em kill me, 'cause I'm gonna kill you. I'll catch up with ya. I don't know when, but I'll catch up. Every time you turn around, expect to see me, 'cause one time you'll turn around and I'll be there." - Tom Dunson

Why watch this? Wayne rarely played against "the good guy" character. Here he is downright nasty as a Western Captain Ahab.

Plot Summary: Thomas Dunson is a determined rancher leading a massive cattle drive from Texas to Missouri after the Civil War renders his land valueless. Faced with Dunson's increasingly tyrannical methods during the arduous journey, his adopted son, Matthew Garth, must choose whether to challenge his adoptive father's authority for the sake of the men and the herd. This conflict between father and adopted son unfolds against the challenging backdrop of the cattle drive.

Monterey Productions; United Artists

The strangest trio ever to track a killer.

Starring: John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glenn Campbell, Robert Duvall, Jeremy Slate, Dennis Hopper, Strother Martin, Jeff Corey, John Fieldler

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #41 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of True Grit

"They say he has grit. I wanted a man with grit." - Mattie Ross

Why watch this? For his role as Rooster Cogburn, the Academy finally delivered Best Actor to John Wayne.

Plot Summary: A determined teenager, Mattie Ross, hires a gruff, one-eyed U.S. Marshal named Rooster Cogburn to track down Tom Chaney, the outlaw responsible for her father's murder. They are joined by a Texas Ranger, La Boeuf, also pursuing Chaney for a separate crime. Despite the Marshal's initial reluctance to allow Mattie on their dangerous journey into Indian Territory, her tenacity and courage earn her a place alongside the two lawmen.

Hal B. Wallis; Paramount Pictures

The nearer they get to their treasure, the farther they get from the law.

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, Bruce Bennett, Barton MacLane, Alfonso Bedoya, Arturo Soto Rangel, Robert Blake

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Of course I'll go. Any time, any day. I was only waiting for one or two guys to ask me. Out for gold? Always at your service." - Howard

Why watch this? ... to see what gold-fever can do to men - as it exposes their true souls.

Plot Summary: Three Americans, two down-on-their-luck drifters and an experienced prospector, decide to team up and search for gold in the remote Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. While their quest is initially successful, the pursuit of riches gradually corrodes their sense of camaraderie and ignites a dangerous spiral of suspicion and greed.

Warner Bros.-First National;
Warner Bros. Pictures

They fought back to back...No quarter given...No quarter asked...No way in...No way out...of Rio Bravo

Starring: John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, John Russell, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Well, they call it the "Degüello"... the cutthroat song. The Mexicans played it for those Texas boys when they had 'em bottled up in the Alamo." - Colorado

Why watch this? This is one of Wayne's best films.

Plot Summary: In the small town of Rio Bravo, Texas, Sheriff John T. Chance arrests Joe Burdette, the brother of a powerful rancher, for murder. The rancher, Nathan Burdette, then uses his resources to try and break his brother out of jail. Chance, with the help of a diverse and sometimes unlikely group of allies, must hold the jail against Burdette's forces until a U.S. Marshal can arrive.

Armada Productions; Warner Bros.

There never was a man like SHANE. There never was a motion picture like SHANE.

Starring: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan, Ellen Corby, Emile Meyer, Elisha Cook Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Joey, there's no living with... with a killing. There's no going back from one. Right or wrong, it's a brand. A brand sticks. There's no going back." - Shane

Why watch this? An epic tale of the loner who tries to help a family in need.

Plot Summary: A mysterious, soft-spoken ex-gunfighter becomes entangled in the lives of a family of homesteaders in 1889 Wyoming. The homesteaders, led by Joe Starrett and his family, are facing a bitter struggle against a powerful cattle baron, Rufus Ryker, who wants their land for his herds. Shane's presence brings a glimmer of hope to the settlers as they fight to protect their homes and way of life against Ryker's increasing intimidation tactics, including the hiring of gunslinger Jack Wilson.

George Stevens; Paramount Pictures

No place to run. No reason to hide.

Starring: Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Benning, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter, Diego Luna

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Men are gonna get killed here today, Sue, and I'm gonna kill 'em." - Charley Waite

Why watch this? ... the respect-filled relationship between cowhands Costner and Duvall.

Plot Summary: Boss Spearman and his cattle crew, as free-grazers, are driving their herd across the vast prairies of the Old West. When they encounter a town ruled by a corrupt rancher and sheriff, their peaceful existence is threatened. Forced to defend their values and way of life, Boss and his second-in-command, Charley Waite, find themselves drawn into an inevitable confrontation.

Touchstone Pics, Cobalt Media Group, Beacon
Comm., Tig Prod.; Buena Vista Pictures Dist.

It's a hell of a thing, killing a man

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Jaimz Woolvett, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It's a hell of a thing, killin' a man. You take away all he's got, and all he's ever gonna have." - William Munny

Why watch this? This is Eastwood's masterpiece, a testament to a lifetime in the film business.

Plot Summary: Set in the late 1800s, this Western follows William Munny, a retired, once-feared gunslinger turned struggling hog farmer. When news of a bounty for the killing of two cowboys who disfigured a prostitute reaches him, Munny, needing money for his children, reluctantly takes on the job. He teams up with his old partner Ned Logan and a young, aspiring gunfighter known as the Schofield Kid to confront the harsh realities of violence and the changing West, blurring the lines between hero and villain.

Malpaso Productions; Warner Bros.

There were three men in her life. One to take her... one to love her... and one to kill her.

Starring: Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robarbs, Charles Bronson, Woody Strode, Cabriele Ferzetti, Jack Elam

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"He's whittlin' on a piece of wood. I've got a feeling when he stops whittlin'... Somethin's gonna happen." - Cheyenne

Why watch this? This Leone Western is as good as they get.

Plot Summary: Jill McBain, a former prostitute turned landowner, arrives in the frontier town of Flagstone only to find her new husband and his children murdered. A ruthless assassin, Frank, working for railroad baron Morton, is responsible for the murders and has framed the bandit Cheyenne. A mysterious man, known only as Harmonica, also arrives seeking revenge against Frank. Jill, Cheyenne, and Harmonica form an uneasy alliance as they attempt to hold onto the valuable land that Morton wants for his railroad.

Euro Int'l Films, Rafran Cinematografica,
Finanzia San Marco; Paramount Pictures

the story of a man who was too proud to run!

Starring: Gary Cooper, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado, Grace Kelly, Otto Kruger, Lon Chaney Jr., Henry Morgan

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"You risk your skin catching killers and the juries turn them loose so they can come back and shoot at you again. If you're honest you're poor your whole life and in the end you wind up dying all alone on some dirty street." - Martin

Why watch this? Watching Cooper act is like butter melting on a piece of toast.

Plot Summary: On the day of his wedding and retirement, Marshal Will Kane learns that Frank Miller, an outlaw he sent to prison, has been released and is returning on the noon train for revenge. Despite his new wife's urging to leave, Kane feels a duty to stay and confront the threat, but finds the townspeople, including his deputies and friends, unwilling to help him. As the clock ticks towards the inevitable showdown, Kane must grapple with the decision to face Miller and his gang alone or abandon the town that has abandoned him.

Stanley Kramer Prod.; United Artists

An Epic Film as Big as The West

Starring: Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Robert Urich, Frederic Forrest, D. B. Sweeney, Ricky Schroder, Anjelica Huston, Chris Cooper, Barry Corbin, William Sanderson, Steve Buscemi

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #4 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Lonesome Dove

"By god, it ain't dyin' I'm talkin' about, it's livin!" - Gus McCrae to Captain Woodrow Call

Why watch this? An American masterpiece that perfectly balances Western myth and Western realism.

Plot Summary: This epic Western is about two retired Texas Rangers, Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Woodrow Call, who decide to leave their quiet life in Texas for one last great adventure. They gather a crew and embark on a massive, perilous cattle drive spanning 3,000 miles to the unsettled lands of Montana Territory. Along the journey, the men face numerous challenges, including dangerous terrain, outlaws, and personal struggles that test their enduring friendship and character in the unforgiving American West.

Dyson Lovell, Suzanne de Passe,
Motown Productions; CBS

The Biggest, Roughest, Toughest ...and Most Beautiful Picture Ever Made!

Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, Natalie Wood, John Qualen, Olive Carey, Henry Brandon, Ken Curtis, Harry Carey Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #8 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Searchers

"Seems like he never learns there's such a thing as a critter that'll just keep comin' on. So we'll find 'em in the end, I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as the turnin' of the earth." – Ethan Edwards, referring to the Indians who kidnapped Debbie

Why watch this? Basically to watch the greatest Western ever made.

Plot Summary: Confederate veteran Ethan Edwards has returned to his brother's Texas homestead only to find it raided by Comanches, his family massacred, and his niece Debbie abducted. Fueled by a complex mix of hatred and a desire for vengeance, Ethan embarks on a years-long search with Debbie's adopted brother, and half-breed, Martin.
 

Dad's Preview: This is by far the most complex character in John Wayne's long, storied career. Set in the stark, beautiful desert landscape of Monument Valley, famous director John Ford masterfully delivers this Western odyssey filled with danger, tragedy, and two lost men - determined to rescue a kidnapped family relative, young Debbie. After years of making movies together, Ford knew Wayne could create a compelling, conflicted character, and not just play himself. Throw in our history's racism towards Native Americans, and you've got a powerful film. The final scene forever belongs to cinematic history. Wayne deserved the Oscar for Best Actor, in my opinion.

C.V. Whitney Pictures; Warner Bros.

Lt. John Dunbar is about to discover the frontier...within himself.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney Grant, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Tantoo Cardinal, Jimmy Herman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #2 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Dances With Wolves

"I've never known a people so eager to laugh, so devoted to family, so dedicated to each other.  And, the only word that came to mind was harmony." - John Dunbar

Why watch this? This "Western" finally depicts Native Peoples with accuracy.

Plot Summary: This epic Western film, starring and directed by Kevin Costner, was adapted from Michael Blake's novel of the same name. It tells the story of a Union Army lieutenant who requests duty on the American frontier and develops a profound connection with a tribe of Sioux Indians. The film explores themes of cultural exchange, prejudice, and the conflict between expanding American civilization and Indigenous ways of life.

Tig Productions, Majestic Films Int.;
Orion Pictures