Wagon Master [DVD] [2009] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

"Wagon Master"(50) is certainly one of John Ford's lesser known Westerns but it is certainly one of his better. Ford himself once said "I think Wagon Master came closest to being what I wanted to achieve". Coming from the master that should give pause for thought. Ford himself formulated the story which was then written by Frank S Nugent and Ford's son Patrick. The film was made in black and white on location in Professor Valley near Moab, Utah. Ben Johnson as Travis Blue and Harry Carey Jnr as Sandy Owens play the two lead roles. Ford opted for lesser known actors in this film. Ben Johnson was a former world rodeo star and was a stalwart support actor for the duration of his career. Harry Carey jnr was the son of a famous silent Western star who Ford had worked with in the past. Carey jnr had already taken a major role as one of Fords "3 Godfathers"(48). He too was to spend his career in support roles. Ward Bond provides solid support and Joanne Dru provides the romantic interest. Bond's role later propelled him into the star role for the TV series "Wagon Train" 57-65, later taken over by John McIntire after his death.

The film opens with the evil Clegg gang robbing a bank. They later force the wagon train led by Bond to hide them from a pursuing posse. Travis and Sandy have been hired by the Mormon wagon train to guide them through unfamiliar territory. Travis later falls in love with Joanne Dru who joins the train. Later one of the Clegg boys is whipped by Bond for molesting an Indian girl. The Cleggs swear vengeance. We head to a climactic shoot out as Sandy and Travis come to the Mormons aid.

I am pleased that this lesser known work has got a thoroughly deserved DVD release. The film is rich in gentle, nostalgic emotion with lighter comedic moments. It is deceptionally unpretentious, which was not always the case with Ford, and in many ways is the high point of his Westerns. His optimism and pessimism are well balanced. The whole film has a good balance to it and is a hugely enjoyable experience. Highly recommended.

Wagon Master is an outstanding John Ford Western. Not that much of a story but it does not need it. Great acting. This film gets better the more time it is watched. Showing how a Wagon Train would have looked. Full of interesting and people, there are no real stars and perhaps that is right as the film it's self is the real star!

Wagon Master is one of John Ford's lesser known westerns - but reputed to be among his most satisfying pieces of work - one in which he felt he had captured the very essence of the genre.
The film is actually a simple story, straightforward and formulaic. A wagon train of Mormons led by (Ward Bond) are heading off to a new life and persuade a couple of cowhands (Ben Johnson and Harry Carey jr) to assist by leading the way and taking charge of the wagon train. On the way they encounter a travelling medicine show and also attract a bunch of villains who are being sought by a posse following a shooting. A troop of Navaho Indians put in a token appearance also. You will have seen it all before, but what makes the movie standout is the brilliant atmospheric photography and the horses, dust of the trail and the rolling, jolting wagons, all superbly captured on film. There is not a lot of violence and what there is not especially graphic. It was probably a Saturday afternoon `U' on release.
The film has no major star, only actors that usually appeared in the also rans lists. A very youthful James Arness, who was some years later to play the lead in the TV series `Gunsmoke' appears in the
gang of crooks. The horsemanship of Johnson and Carey is splendid - Johnson especially, as would be expected from a horseman who was a rodeo star before he even began appearing in films. Ward Bond of course appeared in many a western, both in cinema and TV series. If you like 50s westerns and especially the work of John Ford, you will have nothing but pleasure by catching up on this one!