The 1957 John Wayne and Sophia Loren adventure Legend of the Lost comes to DVD and Blu-ray this week from KL Studio Classics. Originally presented in theaters in the short-lived “Technirama” format, this Italian/American co-production starred the Duke as grizzled soldier-of-fortune Joe January. His mission? To guide treasure hunter Paul Bonnard (Rossano Brazzi) through the Sahara Desert in search of some long lost loot. However, the seemingly simple job becomes complicated when a beautiful prostitute (Sophia Loren) comes along for the ride and the men find themselves battling for her affection — leading Bonnard to plan a double-cross once he gets his hands on the riches.
The film was directed by Henry Hathaway, who was also responsible for such bona fide classics as Sons of Katie Elder, True Grit, and How the West Was Won (among many others). Although not as revered as his other works, Legend of the Lost offers up enough steamy thrills to more than warm up your winter viewing.