John Wayne: American Legend [DVD]

Features

• Type: DVD
• Studio: Vintage Home Ent.
• Language(s): english
• Actor(s): Wayne, John

This video from A&E's Biography series follows the life of John Wayne from his troubled childhood to his peak as America's biggest box-office draw to his later years as a controversial conservative icon. Examined closely, Wayne's life is a startling series of contradictions. He was a member of his high school's Shakespeare club who began his career by acting in scores of B-grade Westerns, and though he avoided military service, he was considered an American hero. Filled with well-chosen archival stills, as well as seldom-seen early clips, this video also features interviews with fellow actors Charlton Heston and Ron Howard, as well as writer and scholar Garry Wills (author of a brilliant intellectual study of Wayne's work and life, John Wayne's America). Taking a generally chronological approach, this video presents an insightful look at the progression of Wayne's acting career (the discussion includes clips from such milestone films as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Quiet Man). But the production also seeks to explain the contradictions and upheavals of Wayne's private life. John Wayne, as a man, an actor, and a symbol, gets a thoughtful and balanced examination in this video. --Robert J. McNamara