Another Western from the legendary John Ford, 1950’s Wagon Master introduces us to a group of Mormon settlers on their way to Utah circa 1849. To help them arrive safely, they hire wagon masters Travis Blue (Ben Johnson) and Sandy (Harry Carey Jr.).

Inevitably, they run into issues along the way. These lead them to a mix of encounters, some positive, some not so much.

In the latter category, the wagon train runs into the Cleggs, a band of outlaws. They want to use the settlers as camouflage for their own actions, a choice that leads to potentially violent ramifications.

Because I never became a big fan of Westerns, I can’t say I go into any with great expectations. That said, since Ford directed 1939’s Stagecoach, maybe my all-time favorite entry in the genre, I always hold out hope he’ll bring another winner.

Alas, Master fails to approach the heights of Stagecoach or any of Ford’s better films. While not without some charms, the film seems fairly forgettable.

Actually, Master reminds me of another Ford movie: 1940’s Grapes of Wrath. While not a remake, the two share a lot of similarities and can come across as a little too close for comfort.

Maybe I wouldn’t compare the two if Master did more to keep me enchanted as it ran. Unfortunately, the movie lacks much energy, so it tends to feel like a fairly generic Western.

Some of the problems stem from the casting of Johnson as the lead. While a talented actor, he seems too flat and laconic to develop into a compelling main character.

We get compensation from the supporting cast to a degree, as we find a mix of the era’s stable professionals. Though they add charm, they can’t overcome the movie’s basic aimlessness.

We just never get a really good feel for the characters or circumstances beyond genre basics. The use of the Mormons brings a little depth – especially in the way the movie advocates tolerance – but that component doesn’t play a prominent role.

Ultimately, Wagon Master winds up as a pretty ordinary Western. Nothing about it flops, but the movie fails to develop into anything especially memorable.

Wagon Master appears in an aspect ratio of 1.37:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The transfer gave us a largely good reproduction of the film.

Sharpness appeared nicely tight and distinctive most of the time. A smidgen of softness occurred, though those concerns never became problematic, as the definition was fine most of the time.

No issues with shimmering or jagged edges occurred. Edge haloes remained absent, and the image lacked print flaws.

Contrast was usually strong, as the movie maintained a nice silver tone, though a few shots looked a little overblown. Blacks were deep and firm, while shadows were smooth and well-defined. Overall, this was a pleasing presentation.

The movie’s DTS-HD MA monaural audio felt more erratic. Speech seemed intelligible and moderately natural, though some edginess appeared at times.

Effects were modest but they showed reasonable clarity and accuracy within the confines of 69-year-old stems. Some distortion cropped up at times, however.

Music ran into problems, mainly via songs, as those tended to come across as rough and shrill. This was an adequate auditory presentation for an older movie but not a terribly good one.

Only one extra shows up here: an audio commentary with actor Harry Carey Jr. and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich. Some excerpts from a 1966 interview between Bogdanovich and director John Ford also appear.

The 1966 clips don’t tell us much about Master, as they tend to look at Ford’s career and filmmaking thoughts in general. We get some good material, though the poor quality of the recordings makes the comments a little tough to understand.

Carey and Bogdanovich sit together for a running, screen-specific discussion of the movie. They touch on production observations as well as thoughts about the cast and crew.

When Bogdanovich discusses the films of other directors, he tends to be a bore. Paired with Carey, he fares better, mainly because he defers to the actor and doesn’t say a whole lot. Thankfully Bogdanovich doesn’t offer his usual insufferable impersonation of Ford – I suspect he felt too sheepish to do so in Carey’s presence.

This makes the commentary more engaging than other Bogdanovich chats, but it doesn’t bring a lot of useful information. While Carey occasionally throws out a good nugget, much of the discussion just praises the film. This becomes a passable track but not a particularly good one.

Even with the legendary John Ford at the helm, 1950’s Wagon Master can’t develop into a compelling story. It hits on the usual notes and generally fails to bring anything fresh to the table. The Blu-ray offers generally good picture along with erratic audio and a mediocre commentary. Master feels like mediocre Ford.