In 1951 William Wellman directed a film that was co-written by the great Frank Capra (It's a Wonderful Life). The film was entitled Westward the Women, and it was about strong females long before the female empowerment movement was even thought about! Now Warner Archive Collection is releasing this film on Blu-ray!
They are rugged pioneers and brave trailblazers who tame the wild west. These are the women of the great frontier -- that's right -- the women! Based on historical record, this wagon-train saga details a 2,000-mile journey from Chicago to California. The men seek gold; the women seek matrimony. Both strike pay dirt! Buck Wyatt (Robert Taylor) is a tough, experienced scout who leads a wagon train comprised of two ex-showgirls (Denise Darcel and Julie Bishop), a hearty widow (Beverly Dennis) and fifteen men who act as guides. When one of the men disobeys Buck's orders not to fraternize with the ladies, Buck shoots him, causing the others to desert. Instead of turning back, the determined women insist on going on, learning to ride, shoot, and drive mules. Although treacherous terrain and a deadly ambush lay ahead, these tough ladies are filled with the American frontier spirit, and nothing will stop them!
The direction of William Wellman is stellar. He really uses the western location to extreme degrees. The desert land becomes a character in the film all itself. Robert Taylor is the only big-name star of this film, and what a choice it was for him to be in this film. His rough and tough character Buck really reigns in this film. But the supporting cast is great as well! Running at almost 3 hours, you would never know it as the films moves at a tremendous pace.
Warner Archive Collection has transferred this film to Blu-ray in 1080p and presented in 1.37:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There are also English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
The picture quality of this transfer is amazing. The film looks crisp and clean with no signs of damage whatsoever. The soundtrack is devoid of any hiss or pops. The film looks gorgeous on Blu-ray, it could pass for being shot yesterday. But an amazing looking transfer is not all that this release has going for it. Not by a longshot. Warner Archive added some cool bonus features to this release. Take a look at what is included.
* Audio commentary by Scott Eyman
* Challenge of the Wilderness (A 10 minute behind the scenes vintage featurette)
* Lux Radio Theater Broadcast 12/29/52 with Robert Taylor
* Tom and Jerry cartoons: Texas Tom and The Duck Doctor
* Theatrical Trailer
William A. Wellman’s Westward the Women is a film that truly surprised me. It's a inspiring tale of women that won't take no for an answer, won't take defeat. And are determined to see their journey to its end. With a tremendous looking Blu-ray transfer and a good amount of bonus features Warner Archive's Blu-ray or Westward the Women is a must own for western fans.
In the lexicon of westerns there are many on the list of great ones. Westward the Women would probably not be on many people's list, and that is a shame as it is a great little western film. So, if you love a good western, I highly recommend Westward the Women on Blu-ray. Head over to MovieZyng and order your copy today.
Out of 4 Film Reels (4 being the best) Warner Archive's Blu-ray of Westward the Women receives....
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