John Wayne Triple Feature, Volume 6 (The Lucky Texan / Blue Steel / The Trail Beyond) (DVD)

Undisputed King of the Hollywood Cowboys, John Wayne's formative acting years saw him playing in B-grade Westerns for studios like Lone Star Pictures. Cast by old friend John Ford, his role as The Ringo Kid in 1939's Stagecoach brought stardom, and he would continue to be an iconic figure on screen until his death in 1979. This triple feature looks back at those early years, where The Duke's gritty persona and trademark halting drawl are present but not as pronounced as they would eventually become. All three films are full of fast-paced action and humor, thanks in no small part to the presence of Yakima Canutt, Hollywood's top stuntman, and George "Gabby" Hayes, seen without his trademark beard (and in drag!)

THE LUCKY TEXAN (1934): Jerry Mason returns home when he hears that his father's old friend, Jake Benson, discovered gold in a nearby creek. Together they find the gold's source and open a mine that will make them both rich. Two crooked land assayers, Harris and Cole, are jealous of the pair's discovery. They frame Jake for a bank robbery, knowing they can take the mine for themselves if he is sent to jail. Jerry must prove Jake's innocence, and expose Harris and Cole as the real crooks, if he is to save the gold mine.

BLUE STEEL (1934): The trail of "The Polka-Dot Bandit" leads U.S. Marshal John Carruthers to Yucca City. The Bandit has been ambushing all the wagons coming into the city, depriving the townspeople of much needed supplies. Crotchety old sheriff Jake Withers, unaware of Carruthers' deputized status, suspects the young man of being the robber himself. When Carruthers discovers that Yucca City is built on a massive gold deposit, he realizes that the Bandit's goal is to get all the townspeople to leave so he can take the gold for himself. With Withers now convinced of his innocence, the two team up to bring the Bandit to justice.

THE TRAIL BEYOND (1934): Rod Drew is searching the Canadian wilderness for an old friend, John Ball, and Felice, his niece. He meets Wabi, a half breed Indian who has been falsely accused of murder. After Rod saves him from the hangman's noose, Wabi agrees to help him find his quarry. They discover Ball's corpse and the directions to a secret gold mine. Realizing the killers have kidnapped Felice, Rod and Wabi race to the hidden mine to save her life.

• western