Centenary of John Wayne's birth celebrated

It’s the centenary of John Wayne’s birth, and among the many titles launched to mark the occasion is Rio Bravo Special Edition (Warner, 24.99) a classic Howard Hawks western, with Wayne playing Sheriff Chance, who is determined to hold a prisoner against a gang of desperadoes.

On his side are drunkard Dean Martin and the ancient Walter Brennan, a gung-ho youngster (Ricky Nelson) and Angie Dickinson.

Wayne proves what a dominant actor he was in the western genre with another stellar performance. Director John Carpenter and movie critic, Richard Schiekel, are the surprise analysts on the audio commentary as they look at the film and Hawk’s legacy.

There is also a fine documentary on Hawks, plus several other featurettes, including one on Tucson, the home of western legends.

Western