Rating: 
Summary: Good western, unacceptable DVD transfer!
Review: I ordered both this Roan Group DVD and the Goodtimes version of the same film, both available here at Amazon. This Roan Group version is of generally poorer image quality compared to the Goodtimes version, is not as sharp, has poor balance/contrast balance. It also has no chapter selection menu. Also, the Goodtimes DVD has a trailer for you to watch.Worst of all, and the thing that makes this DVD unacceptable in my opinion, is the extremely bad interlacing effect in the transfer. This causes ghost effects that are very annoying. Additionally, it is very difficult to freeze frame this DVD. The Goodtimes DVD does not suffer from any of these failings. This is a neat western (see my review of the Goodtimes version, also here at Amazon) and well worth the very reasonable price, but don't get this version! Get the Goodtimes version!
Rating: 
Summary: Peter Weir's Witnesses Angel
Review: I think Peter Weir must have seen and even loved this great little masterpiece. If you love both movies (and I do), you will see scene for scene the similarities...Instead of a badman, Harrison Ford is a cop. The Angel's little brother becomes her son. But the bullets hidden in the peaches, etc., the scene where she listens to his delerious ravings while he hovers between life and death in her bed. His very presence is a threat -- he brings the men who hunt him into their peaceful life. John Wayne is luckier than Harrison in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: The Roan DVD:
Review: I'm not going to comment about the story here other than to say this is a must-have movie for anyone who likes character development in a good story levened with warmth, humor and action. So far, I've seen two DVD releases of this John Wayne classic western, the Roan DVD is by far superior. The image quality of the Roan release leaves the Laserlight DVD in the dust. The latter exhibits a very soft first half and a fine quality purple hue in the second half. Not so the Roan release which is a clean and sharp representation of this 1948 B&W western. I had a brief look at the bit rate and if my player is to be believed it's mostly 10Mbps! Someone correct me if I'm mistaken about this. The mono sound quality suffers somewhat in places but is fine for the most part. I grudgingly admit the Laserlight has better overall sound quality. Features here are next to nill. There is a cast listing but that's all it is, no bios or filmographies here. There is a one-screen "making of" page with print tiny enough to make you want to use your player's zoom feature. What were they thinking? Overall, this is the best-looking video release I've seen of this film. I wish Republic would retrieve the film rights and do a proper release with superior image and sound. This is a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: A new side to Wayne, here the woman calls the shots!
Review: I've always been a huge John Wayne fan but have only recently seen Angel and the Badman. It is now one of my favorite films! Wayne portrays a gambling, drinking, womanizing, gunslinger in the Old West. He meets a charming Quaker family that end up nursing him back to health after he's taken ill...and that's where the plot really starts. The beautiful daughter that has taken care of him finds herself smitten and when he awakens she has no reservations in telling him so. The highlight of this movie was her outright honesty about her feelings for Wayne, as a result we get to see him be the persuee for once! It's also exciting to see him struggle to decide how to make decisions in light of her passive beliefs. The most captivating thing about Angel and the Badman is that we get to see a whole new John Wayne, and wouldn't you know it, he's still as wonderful as ever!
Rating: 
Summary: O.K.
Review: In this movie, Wayne meets a Quaker family whose beliefs to say the least, is different from the cowboy Wayne portrays. Overall, it is a good movie with great actors, lines, and scenery. The plot is the thing that stinks. The ending comes out in a too "happily ever after" ending that makes this movie totally unrealistic. I wish that it would differently, but that doesn't make this movie a bad movie, it just doesn't make it the #1 Wayne movie.
Rating:
Summary: Best Wayne Movie
Review: John Wayne has made a slew of fantastic movies; this is one of them. His portrayal of a young gunslinger, Quirt Evans, rescued by a Quaker family was dead-on. The inclusion of Gail Russell as the doe-eyed Quaker farmgirl was what made the movie better than most Wayne flicks. The character of Penelope Worth accurately portrayed a young country gal unused to the gunslinger's criminal elements, yet able to steer his heart towards her. The final showdown scene illustrated her connection with the gunman which led to a romantic conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Best Wayne Movie
Review: John Wayne has made a slew of fantastic movies; this is one of them. His portrayal of a young gunslinger, Quirt Evans, rescued by a Quaker family was dead-on. The inclusion of Gail Russell as the doe-eyed Quaker farmgirl was what made the movie better than most Wayne flicks. The character of Penelope Worth accurately portrayed a young country gal unused to the gunslinger's criminal elements, yet able to steer his heart towards her. The final showdown scene illustrated her connection with the gunman which led to a romantic conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Gail Russell lives!
Review: The 'feel good' caliber of this western classic is second to none. You'll come to appreciate almost every character- and especially that of Gail Russell's. The spiritual themes and qualities that imbue the lives of the film's charitable Quaker family are irresistible and give the film its special charm. Gail Russell, in her radiant prime, is immortalized in the role of Penny, the Quaker daughter who is willing to abandon her sheltered life for Wayne, but not her principles. Often a silent performance- her eyes communicate deeply what's in her heart. She brings a thoughtful, heartfelt presence to the film that is unforgettable, and nearly steals every scene she's in. John Wayne is also in top form and demonstrates his understated comedic talent here better than ever. (There's plenty of humorous scenes sprinkled throughout the film. Even the bad guys wry humor and sarcasm make for comic moments) Harry Carey plays a dogged, Columbo like lawman who is shadowing Wayne, looking for a good excuse to "hang him with a new rope", a fitting honor on account of how much he respects him. Dialogue is excellent with some memorable one-liners like the reference to Wayne as a fellow who has "closed the eyes of many a man, and opened the eyes of many a woman". The story has good episodic development, with interesting plot twists and timely changes of pace that allow the film to stand up to repeat viewings. Even the obligatory bar room brawl and ultimate showdown are set up uniquely and carried out in a refreshing manner. And did I mention Gail Russell? Check out the timeless scene of her tending to the lamb in the barn. Lord have mercy. I'm ready for farmer school.
Rating:
Summary: A Pre-Review
Review: The 3 stars above are on the strength of the movie itself. I'm waiting to see how good this transfer is.
I recently bought a different DVD edition of this movie (a "double feature" with a docu about Wayne's movie career as the other feature), and the transfer was literally the worst I've ever seen for any movie. It looked like it was done by pressing Silly Putty onto the film stock and then onto the DVD. Just wanted to give everyone a warning to avoid that edition.
Other reviews indicate this edition is a good transfer, so once I confirm that, I'll give it another star.
-- Edit --
This is, indeed, an excellent transfer. I've tried to add a fourth star to my rating, but Amazon's review editing page seems to be having technical difficulties. So I'll just have to say: 4 stars.
This is perhaps the only John Wayne movie in which another actor's presence overshadows his: this is a Gail Russell movie.
Rating:
Summary: A Pre-Review
Review: The 3 stars above are on the strength of the movie itself. I'm waiting to see how good this transfer is. I recently bought a different DVD edition of this movie (a "double feature" with a docu about Wayne's movie career as the other feature), and the transfer was literally the worst I've ever seen for any movie. It looked like it was done by pressing Silly Putty onto the film stock and then onto the DVD. Just wanted to give everyone a warning to avoid that edition. Other reviews indicate this edition is a good transfer, so once I confirm that, I'll give it another star.
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