Watch new restorations of two of John Wayne’s early Westerns for Lone Star Productions!

After the failure of the 1930 big-budget film The Big Trail, twenty-three-year-old John Wayne was sidelined as a major studio star. He now faced a choice: supporting roles in big studio productions or starring roles in low-budget Westerns. Wayne wisely opted for the latter, using these films to hone his technique as a movie actor and develop the swagger, horsemanship, sincerity, and awareness of the camera that would become hallmarks of his screen persona.

Introduction by Steven Peros, film historian and vice president of Cineverse.

Films provided by Cineverse, producers of John Wayne: Birth of a Legend, a new Blu-ray box set featuring all sixteen Lone Star Westerns, restored from the original 35mm negatives.

Blue Steel (1934)

U.S. Marshal John Carruthers observes a robbery, and Sheriff Jake thinks Carruthers may be the

culprit. Meanwhile, the town’s leading citizen is engaged in a secret scheme of his own.

Directed and written by Robert N. Bradbury | Starring John Wayne, Eleanor Hunt, and George “Gabby” Hayes. Runtime: 54 mins

Sagebrush Trail (1933)

A man framed for murder escapes prison and goes west, where he joins a gang with the real killer involved.

Directed by Armand Schaefer | Written by Lindsley Parsons and Will Beale | Starring John Wayne, Nancy Shubert, and Lane Chandler. Runtime: 54 mins

The What Is a Western? Film Series explores the wide range of movies that can be considered Westerns, and the ways in which they shape our understanding of the American West. Each screening features a guest lecturer who introduces the film and explains its significance within the genre.