Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Straight Shooting Blu-ray Movie Review

An exciting western: the debut feature-film of the great John Ford

A fast-paced action-adventure western that is ahead of its time, Straight Shooting is the feature-film debut of acclaimed filmmaker John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance). Following production on several short films the same year, Ford set out to make a full-length film with this little-seen gem. The end results are a fantastic western that demands to be seen.

Sweet Water Sims (George Berrell) is a down-on-his-luck farmer who is simply trying to make a living across the barren outdoors. As Sims attempts to get by as a farmer, trouble brews when the ruthless and conniving Cattleman Thunder Flint (Duke R. Lee) decides to cut off the water supply to the farmers in an attempt to prevent them from being able to plow the land. Drip, drip, drip...

Sims sends out his son, Ted (Ted Brooks) to get water for their farming but the youth is murdered by one of the henchmen in no time. Flint's top henchman, Cheyenne (Harry Carey), is sent out to kill off Sweet Water Sims himself and put a end to the story but Cheyenne has a sudden change of heart – and switches sides. Which side will become victorious in a feud of cattlemen and farmers? (And who will shoot first?)

"Straight Shooting... is side-shootin' ok?"

Fans of classic westerns are in for a real treat with this action-packed shoot-em-up gem. The film has many creative sequences and the framing on display is impeccable. The cinematography by George Scott (Money) is well preserved by the 4K restoration and the visuals are a lot more creative and breathtaking than one expects for a film that is over 100 years old. Outstanding visuals.

One of the best things about the film is the strong editing. Straight Shooting is so well cut that the scenes fly by with a zip-zag attitude that keeps viewers engaged. The film is never a bore (or a chore) and is stunning in its use of fast-paced quick cut editing. It keeps the action intense. The film reminded me of the work of more modern filmmakers. What if John Woo's editor worked on a western? Perhaps it would look something like this.

The original score composed by Michael Gatt (Blood Drive, Braid) is another smashing success. The music accompanying the film manages to give the visuals a real sense of energy that is dynamic and enthralling. The score remembers to match the tone and style of the filmmaking and is appropriately scored to emphasis action scenes and dramatic moments.

Directed by the legendary John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance), Straight Shooting is a confident first feature-length effort. The transition of short films to feature filmmaking was a seamless one. Ford is a gifted auteur and the creativity of the master director is apparent from the get-go. The dedication to creative camera shots and angles is impressive and far ahead of the time of the production. Working with a script by George Hively (The Great Air Robbery, Bringing Up Baby), Ford turns a standard shoot-em-up western into something truly special. Check it out.

Straight Shooting Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Straight Shooting is a revelatory experience for a classic silent feature-film. Arriving on Blu-ray from distributor Kino Lorber, Straight Shooting features a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The film has a stunning new 4K restoration from Universal Pictures. The black and white cinematography is impressive to behold with the new scan.

The transfer has more strengths than weaknesses. Though the scan does showcase some thin scratches and the print occasionally demonstrates some unfortunate wear, the overall clarity of the restoration is simply outstanding. The level of detail on display is off-the-charts for a silent feature of over 100 years in age. It is hard to believe a silent feature from this era could look so well preserved but Universal has lovingly preserved it nonetheless. Kino has also handled the material well by utilizing a high bit-rate encode. This presentation is more than sufficient, it is truly a revelation.

Straight Shooting Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features a knock-out DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. The audio on the release is superb. The audio score is pristine and as such the track sounds marvelous from beginning to end. As a silent era feature with a new score, the film doesn't have any issues with hiss, crackle, and other warps. The recording is crisp, clear, and remarkably vital to the enjoyment of the film. Each note of the score is well realized. The level of detail does not disappoint. Fans will find this to be a top-notch score that accompanies the 4K restoration with equal vitality.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Straight Shooting Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Inside of the package, the release features a printed booklet featuring an essay written by film critic Tag Gallagher.

On disc supplements include the following:

Audio commentary by film historian Joseph McBride (author of Searching for John Ford: A Life)

Hitchin' Posts (HD, 3:11) is a 1920 production directed by John Ford. Only a fragment was available and the piece was preserved by the Library of Congress. It is a fun segment and is certainly worthy of watching. It's unfortunate that it is only available as a fragment. Nonetheless, it is worth a look for any John Ford fans.

Bull Scores a Touchdown (HD, 10:37) is a video essay featuring film critic Tag Gallagher. The essay explores the works of renowned filmmaker John Ford and the director's history in the business. A fascinating exploration on Ford that must be seen by any and all fans of the filmmaker.

Straight Shooting Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Straight Shooting is the action-packed silent western you are looking for. The filmmaking is top notch. The visuals are ahead of their time. The direction of Ford is confident and surprisingly daring for the time. The Blu-ray has a stunning 4K restoration and an outstanding score to accompany the silent-feature visuals. What a treat. Don't miss it.