The Cowboys (Blu-ray)

     A veteran rancher risks everything when he recruits schoolboys to man a dangerous cattle drive. One of John Wayne's solid twilight hits co-starring Bruce Dern and Colleen Dewhurst. Year: 1972 Director: Mark Rydell Starring: John Wayne Roscoe Lee Browne Bruce Dern.

Comment:
    I watched this movie when I was about 5 years old for the first time and loved it! I really wouldn't suggest that parents let their kids watch it at 5 though. Its a good movie, actually showing John Wayne's age and some lines that my dad still uses today, "We're burning daylight" along with my favorite responses, "day light? The sun isn't even out!" I've already seen this under-rated John Wayne Western classic. Unjustly maligned at the time of its release because of its theme, "boys become men though a violent rite of passage" (echoes of Vietnam & Iraq) now can be placed alongside Wayne's other great films like "The Searchers" & "The Shootist". I am not normally a fan of Westerns or of the Duke because of his conservative politics but I have to admit this is one gem in Duke's crown. Roscoe Lee Browne, Bruce Dern (at his most villainous) and Colleen Dewhurst in a brief, but amusing turn as a madam are excellent. Mark Rydell shines in his first directorial effort at a Western. The visuals and sound in HD or Blu-ray (I have both but am ordering HD) is superb. Do check this one out!! Anyone who is shopping for The Cowboys is most likely already a fan of the Duke and this picture so I won't comment on the story of movie except to say that it's a great Western. What I do want to comment on is the quality of the HD-DVD transfer. I own both the standard definition release and HD-DVD release of this movie and there is no comparison. The standard definition transfer of The Cowboys is simply very poor. The colors are faded and the whole picture is marked and grainy. The HD-DVD version of this picture on the other hand is PERFECT! WB really worked magic on the HD transfer and cleaned up every mark and scratch. The picture is sharp and the colors are beautiful. The audio is crisp and clear. If you own an HD-DVD player and are a fan of The Cowboys you owe it to yourself to own this perfectly restored HD version of a Western classic. The Cowboys was one of the Duke's best performances. His character needs to get his cows to market and the men have all left chasing gold. Only option is to use school boys. The boys become men on the drive, seeing the job through and overcoming some tough situations. It is funny, action packed and great drama - all rolled into one. It did not achieve much aclaim at the time, but that's true with lots of movies that are timeless, like James Stewarts It's a Wonderful Life, which was a box office flop. I am a John Wayne fan, and this is without a doubt one of his best performances. I was so proud to find this movie.