Ward Bond

58 films on Best Blurays6 in 4K37 in HD11 in SD4 with no official release

Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in more than 200 films, as well as in the NBC television series Wagon Train from 1957 to 1961. Among his best-remembered roles are Bert the cop in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Captain Clayton in John Ford's The Searchers (1956).

Biography from TMDB

By format

List

6 in 4K

UHD Blu-ray or 4K streaming

The Searchers (1956)

Supporting role · Director: John Ford

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray

Sources: bsky.app (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS

Audio Notes:

Crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas

The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.

Additional Info:

Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.

That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNR: https://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l

Rio Bravo (1959)

Supporting role · Director: Howard Hawks

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988 WB VHS

4.2

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Supporting role · Director: John Huston

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2023 WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

HBO MAX WEB-DL/2000 R1 MGM DVD

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Supporting role · Director: Frank Capra

4K · Solid

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 Republic Pictures LaserDisc

It Happened One Night (1934)

Small role · Director: Frank Capra

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1986 Columbia VHS

4.2

You Can't Take It with You (1938)

Small role · Director: Frank Capra

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Sony Frank Capra Boxset 4K Blu-ray

3.9

37 in HD

Blu-ray or HD streaming

On Dangerous Ground (1951)

Leading role · Directors: Nicholas Ray & Ida Lupino

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

3.7

Wagon Master (1950)

Supporting role · Director: John Ford

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan IVC Blu-ray

3 Godfathers (1948)

Supporting role · Director: John Ford

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

3.6

Fort Apache (1948)

Supporting role · Director: John Ford

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB old transfer

3.8

They Were Expendable (1945)

Supporting role · Director: John Ford

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive

3.6

The Quiet Man (1952)

Supporting role · Director: John Ford

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2023 Paramount Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

2023 Paramount Blu-ray or Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Additional Info:

USA Paramount has the best video transfer with the least amount of artifacts: https://slow.pics/c/sjZ3mqF6

Olive Films Blu-ray and Eureka MoC Blu-ray are sourced from the same restoration and are both very good.

Apart from some mild attenuation, the audio is the same on all releases of the newest restoration and is relatively untampered with: https://slow.pics/c/bWF9EGuM