Gary Cooper MGM Movie Legends Collection (The Cowboy and the Lady / The Real Glory / Vera Cruz / The Winning of Barbara Worth) DVD
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 Rating: - Great collection of films by Coop
Gary Cooper is my favorite actor and this is an excellent collection to showcase his diversity as an actor.

The Winning of Barbara Worth is a silent film made in 1926 and was his first credited screen appearance. The story revolves around a young woman named Barbara Worth, her family and other members of the town they live in out in the Nevada desert where they are trying to reroute the Colorado river in order to irrigate the town and make it more habitable. After a year of appearing in movies as a stunt rider, a 25 year old Gary lobbied to win the supporting role of Abe Lee, the son of the surveyor who is working on the irrigation project and a childhood friend of Barbara who he is also in love with. He had already been hired to be a stunt man but he wanted to try his hand at actual acting. They had already cast that part but the actor who was to play it was still finishing another movie. As it became clear he would not be able to make it they gave Gary the part. The irrigation project is successful and the river is diverted but unfortunately after a short time the system is in danger of failing and flooding the town. Gary's character must endure a 24-hour horse ride into town from the dam site to warn them. He is supposed to arrive at Barbara's house and knock on the door. When it is opened he is to say the dam is about to break and then fall flat on his face worn out from his long, arduous journey. He absolutely nailed the scene and indeed he was so good that the studio was afraid he would end up being the star of the picture and not Ronald Colman who plays the lead and is the son of the man in charge of the dam construction project. They were instructed to either cut that scene or reshoot it with Colman making the journey instead, they opted to cut it so unfortunately it does not appear in the film. However this scene as well as his others gave everyone a glimpse of the wonderul, natural acting ability Gary had even that early in his career. This movie was a huge hit when it was originally released and it has an interesting story and incredible special effects as seen when the dam does break and the town floods.

The Real Glory was made in 1939 and is set in the Phillipines during the early 1900s. Gary plays an army doctor named Bill Canavan and his outfit is part of a small group of soldiers that are left on the island to try and help the natives defend themselves from other warring tribes. It is a very good adventure story with lots of scenes shot in the jungles and also in raging rivers. There's a nice love story mixed in and the characters are well developed and very likeable.

Vera Cruz was made in 1954 by Burt Lancaster's production company and he costars with Gary in this very entertaining western set in and filmed in Mexico. Gary and Burt play two men who sell their services as soldiers of fortune to the highest bidder during the Mexican revolution of 1866. They end up on the side of the emperor and are charged with protecting a lady friend of the emperor on her journey to Vera Cruz. However it gets complicated when the two men realize that along with the beautiful woman they are also transporting a large chest of gold that is going to be used to buy weapons. They along with the woman played by Denise Darcel hatch a plan to make off with the gold themselves. Burt and Denise for selfish reasons but Gary intends to give it to the people who are fighting to oust the emperor. There are many wonderful scenes including displays of fancy sharp shooting at the emperor's palace and also of a festival in a small Mexican town with brightly colored costumes and decorations. Wonderful acting performances all around and a very entertaining film.

The Cowboy and the Lady was released in 1938 and is a very funny, charming story about a wealthy young woman played by Merle Oberon whose father is running for president. She has a very boring life and is not allowed to have much fun so one night she rebels and goes to a night club to dance but unbeknownst to her it's also a gambling den which is raided by the police. In order to keep her out of any more trouble her father sends her to his house in Palm Springs. Here she meets a cowboy played by Gary who is in town for the rodeo. He's from Montana (in real life he was from Montana) and he's making the rodeo circuit looking for a wife. She pretends to be a ladies maid so no one will discover her real identity of a presidential candidates daughter and she and Gary fall in love. He proposes to her but she brushes him off because she knows her father wouldn't approve of her marrying a cowboy. Her heart gets the better of her however and she catches the boat he's sailing to Galveston on just as it's leaving. While on the trip they get married and she decides to head back home to Palm Springs while he finishes up his tour with the rodeo then they will meet back up at his Montana ranch. However before that can happen he discovers that she lied to him about who she was. But don't worry, it has a happy ending and is just a joy to watch. My favorite scene is of Gary on his ranch pretending to play house in the new home he's building. It's just a frame so all the workers on the ranch can see him pretending to seat his wife at the dinner table and then also pretending to eat. When he's caught he invites them all inside and serves them imaginary drinks!!!

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