The Big Trail (1930)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writer:

Hal G. Evarts (story)

Release Date:

1 November 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Western | Romance

Tagline:

The Most Important Picture Ever Produced

Plot:

Breck Coleman leads hundreds of settlers in covered wagons from the Mississippi River to their destiny out West.

Plot Keywords:

Cliff | Mississippi | Desert | Settler | Wagon Train

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Wayne	...	Breck Coleman
Marguerite Churchill	...	Ruth Cameron
El Brendel	...	Gus, comical Swede
Tully Marshall	...	Zeke, Coleman's sidekick
Tyrone Power Sr.	...	Red Flack, wagon boss (as Tyrone Power)
David Rollins	...	Dave 'Davey' Cameron
Frederick Burton	...	Pa Bascom (conducts prayer, wedding)
Ian Keith	...	Bill Thorpe, Louisiana gambler
Charles Stevens	...	Lopez, Flack's henchman
Louise Carver	...	Gus's mother-in-law

Runtime:

125 min (35 mm version) | 158 min (70 mm version) | 120 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

Australia:G | New Zealand:PG | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Buttercup Dunes, Imperial County, California, USA

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Incredibly, five different versions of this film were shot simultaneously. (1) a 70mm version in the Grandeur process for exhibition in the biggest movie palaces; (2) a standard 35mm version for general release; (3) a 35mm alternate French language version La piste des géants (1931)' (4) a 35 mm alternate Spanish language version La gran jornada (1931), and (5) a 35 mm alternate German language version Die große Fahrt (1931). The three alternate language versions were shot with (mostly) different casts.

Quotes:

Gussie: You know, I don't like that fellow. He's the kind who will pat you on your back to your face, and then laugh in your face behind your back.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Song of the Big Trail

Unbelievable beautiful!

I just saw The Big Trail in Vienna's Filmmuseum for the first time. Immediately I was astonished by both the pictures optical high quality and unusual format and by its beautifully detailed story. Who has ever seen such a documentary style western with John Wayne? And there is so much time, you can actually look around on the screen, there is so much to see! One is ever grateful that the scenes are often static, because every single shot is so well composed and you want to take it it. Even the acting is good and fits in well. The long running time of the picture is wonderful, you don't want to miss a minute of it!