FOX has been releasing some John Wayne films on blu-ray this summer. One of John Ford’s classics, “THE HORSE SOLDIERS” stars Wayne as Colonel John Marlowe, given the daring mission to infiltrate the Confederate lines and travel some 600 miles, sabotaging railroad lines, bridges and more, before making their way back, all in the aim of ending the bloody civil war, faster.  Inspired by a true story, Wayne’s Marlowe is a perfect character for Wayne, having the chance to push men to their limits, and win their respect. William Holden is great as Major Henry Kendall, a doctor sent along with Marlowe’s men, and serving as subtext, dealing with Marlowe’s resentment towards the profession after his wife failed to be saved by “modern medicine.”  Of course, Marlowe’s begrudging respect for Kendall will be won, after some major feats. 

While the story is pretty straight-forwards, “THE HORSE SOLDIERS” shines in its character study. Ford allows for great depth here, and even minor players take on integral moments.

Of course, with a setting of war, Ford demonstrates his talent in staging “epic” battles, and there are some intriguing moral dilemmas presented, putting “THE HORSE SOLDIERS” in a category that differentiates itself from being just an adventure film. 

MGM/FOX has provided the correct aspect ratio for this AVC MPEG-4 1080p encoded blu-ray.  Colors are impressive, giving the soldier’s uniforms a rich look, as with farmland, and everything else. Unfortunately, the age of the source material shows its age and defects sporadically, with scratches and inconsistent color-timing. Still, none of these draw enough attention to ruin the best aspects of the image. Blacks, while not inky, are deep enough to retain the often stunning detail presented.

MGM/FOX has provided a DTS-HD MA 1.0 mix. While the jacket reads “2.0,” this is a mono mix. While some may have preferred a 5.1 remix, this lossy mix demonstrates that a great film, never created with mono, can still hold its appeal without having to change it. Dialogue is sharp, and reproduced with flawless clarity and timbre. The score, while forgettable, is presented with wonderful fidelity, never strained or distorted.