Warner Archive Collection’s wonderful compilations of great Hollywood stars of yesteryear continue with James Stewart. The memorable actor, who still has his voice imitated to this day, had an incredible career and many great collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. Now, the new James Stewart Collection Blu-ray brings together four of his best films: The Shop Around the Corner, The Mortal Storm, The Naked Spur, and How the West Was Won.

“The legendary James Stewart takes the spotlight here with four of his best performances. In Ernst Lubitsch’s charming The Shop Around the Corner, Stewart co-stars with Margaret Sullavan in the comedic love story that was later remade as You’ve Got Mail. Director Frank Borzage’s The Mortal Storm once again co-stars Stewart and Sullavan, in a dark drama reflecting the growing Nazi threat in Europe. Stewart is electrifying in director Anthony Mann’s Technicolor western masterpiece The Naked Spur, and finally, Stewart portrays a Western settler in the all-star epic How the West Was Won,” says the official description.

James Stewart broke through in the 30s and was a full-fledged leading man by the time this collection starts with two 1940 films, The Shop Around the Corner and The Mortal Storm. The first is a fun romantic comedy with Margaret Sullivan that is really fun to revisit, as it was remade into You’ve Got Mail and inspired similar films like Maintenance Required. Meanwhile, The Mortal Storm is a drama that looks at the rise of fascism in Germany and is a very effective anti-Nazi film. Both films are in black-and-white and look remarkable in high definition, as the transfers are very clean and you can really appreciate the details that went into each movie.

The other two films are two Westerns that were filmed a few decades into his spectacular career, which spanned all the way to 1991. Both 1953’s The Naked Spur and 1962’s How the West Was Won are iconic films that any fan of the genre will get a lot out of. Another collaboration with Anthony Mann, The Naked Spur sees Stewart and Janet Leigh star in the intense masterpiece. Meanwhile, How the West Was Won is an incredibly ambitious epic that is directed by Henry Hathaway, John Ford, and George Marshall and features one of the greatest casts ever assembled. It’s a true American achievement and a spectacle that must be seen. Both Westerns look fantastic on Blu-ray, as their color really shines and they have rich black levels that balance the picture well.

All four of the films come on their own disc and feature a wide range of bonus features. The Shop Around the Corner has two radio adaptations, including one with Sullivan and Stewart reprising their roles, plus a short 10-minute featurette taking a look at MGM’s early films with sound. The Mortal Storm is weaker but features a classic MGM cartoon called Peace on Earth, plus a color short film about Navy recruits called Meet the Fleet. The Naked Spur also features some unrelated shorts, as there’s Dave O’Brien’s Things We Can Do Without and a really charming Tex Avery cartoon called Little Johnny Jet. Finally, How the West Was Won features an insightful audio commentary track and a documentary on it being a Cinerama production.

James Stewart Collection Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict

Any fan of classic films or James Stewart will have a blast going through these four movies. The James Stewart Collection Blu-ray is an easy recommendation as a result. Filled with worthwhile bonus features and strong transfers, this is a welcome addition to anyone’s collection.

Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our James Stewart Collection Blu-ray review.