Robbing banks, holding up stagecoaches: That’s the life Jake Wade tried to leave behind when he put on a badge, found himself a pretty fiancée and set his path on the straight and narrow. But not yet. Wade’s outlaw partner resurfaces to take the lawman and his girl captive, forcing them into a trek to recover the loot Wade buried long ago — and plunging captors and captives into the violent heart of Comanche territory. John Sturges (The Great Escape) directs, continuing his string of rugged, character-driven tales of action. Robert Taylor and Richard Widmark deliver vivid contrasts as the resolute hero and the depraved desperado. And the snowcapped Sierras provide towering backdrops for the mounting clash of wills.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive provided The Law and Jake Wade with a fetching 1080p master transfer in 2.35:1 when it was released in 2017 sourced from a new 2K scan of the Interpositive. This one was one of the films captured with the Eastmancolor process, a type of film that historically suffered much more when it comes to preservation elements. Thankfully, the team at Warner Archive and MPI were able to get this looking splendid. The label has eliminated any potential imperfections with no significant instances of damage or dirt detected.

The film unlocks the deep, earthy colors within the sprawling plains and corresponding outfits. This transfer delivers admirable accuracy when it comes to the hues. Highlights stay resolute and black levels are largely deep outside some intrusion of elevated blacks. Compression artifacts, banding, and other such nuisances do not emerge as an issue in this transfer. Outside of some optical transitions, you are afforded a brilliant transfer bursting with detail and clarity. The natural film grain translates the cinematography of Robert Surtees. Warner Archive achieved something notable here.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a serviceable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio split mono track that holds up well enough with some age-related limitations. The uncredited score establishes the appropriate mood while staying clear of obvious anomalies. Dialogue and environmental noises work harmoniously with the score so everything has a dynamic presence in the mix. Exchanges come through clearly with no elements commanding undue focus. The more active moments of gunfire are handled well and give the track a bit of personality, although the dynamic range is on the reserved side of the spectrum. There is no inexcusable damage to the track such as hissing, dropouts, or popping. Warner Archive has put forth a fine effort. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Trailer (2:04)

Final Thoughts

The Law and Jake Wade is a sturdy Western that finds our hero reckoning with the fallout of his past misdeeds and confronting the question of whether people can truly change. John Sturges directs with his usual confidence behind the camera while keeping things lean and mean. Robert Taylor can play both sides of the morality spectrum with equal believability, which aids him particularly here. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray that sports a stellar A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. If you are looking for an underrated Western, make sure to put this one on your list. Recommended

The Law and Jake Wade can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.