I just watched Wayne’s first official “Republic” film the other day, “Westward Ho” (1935), one of him many little B’s he was doing before finally breaking through with “Stagecoach.” A dvd outfit called Olive Films has released several of these early Wayne b-westerns (including all eight of his Three Mesquiteers films) over the past year, and the re-mastered print quality is absolutely stunning. Bright and sharp, looking like they were filmed yesterday.
You will see the great silent screen beauty, Louise Brooks, in one of his 3 Mesquiteer movies. She was way down on her luck at the time she made it, fell for the Duke, but I don’t think anything ever happened on that front. I had an old grainy videotape of it which got lost in one of our many moves. So pleased to read someone’s post who really knows his stuff!