The Big Trail (1930) was John Wayne's 19th film - although some of those films were uncreditied - and in it he landed his first leading-man role. The 70mm screen print is impressive, even with its flaws. One of the first talkies, the sound in Raoul Walsh's The Big Trail wasn't yet perfected. This is clear when some of the dialogue is barely heard while other times actors seem to be shouting, and many times their dialogue is unclear. That's all minor, however. Just watching this early filmmaking and a young 23-year old - who took the name of John Wayne - take his first big step into celebrity is funny at times but to fans of early films, very exciting.

This epic tale (read about what all was involved in the special features section) was about a wagon train of early settlers heading west on the Oregon trail. Although Breck Colman, (Wayne) is more intent on avenging two friend's murders, he agrees to lead the massive group. Although other men (Tyronne Power Sr. one of them) along the route have the idea they should lead the group, Breck always comes out on top as the man for the job.

Ian Keith &

 Marguerite Churchill

would eventually cover 2,200 miles; there would be many side-stories. One involves Ruth Cameron (Marguerite Churchill) a young woman who is taking her young brother and sister west. Breck is drawn to her, but she's constantly told lies about him by the ruthless Louisiana gambler Bill Thorpe (Ian Keith) who wants this sweet gal for himself.

John Wayne & Tully Marshal

El Brendel

The film has all the subplots one would imagine in an early western - hard times, Indian raids, bad guys vs. good guys, romance, testosterone matches and getting across difficult passings such as rivers and cliffs - one of these scenes is amazing to watch.

Because of its scope, the film is long and plodding in some spots so the fast forward button comes in handy, but not for too long, as comprehending what it took to make the film is fascinating. There are title cards through out that set where the wagon train is in regard to what's happening at the time. Note in the image below of the title card how the American (left) and Indian (right) icons as well as ropes, wagon wheels and skulls were used to depict the theme.

Examples:

"Dedicated - to the men and women who planted civilization in the wilderness and courage in the blood of their children."

"The last outpost; the turning back place for the weak; the starting place for the strong."

"Ten weary miles a day there is no road, but there is a will and history cuts the way."

How director Raoul Walsh tackled this immense feat is as interesting as the movie itself. There are some wonderful features on the DVD that go into great detail about different aspects. Each scene had to be shot twice as The Big Trail was released in two versions: the conventional 35mm print size and the large 70mm print, called Fox Grandeur.  

Although compared in monumental aspects to the silent film The Iron Horse, sadly, the scope of the filming and the $2 million dollar price tag of The Big Trail set unreachable goals for its time. The depression was in full swing upon the film's release in 1930, so the movie did poorly at the box office.

Although Walsh originally wanted Gary Cooper for the role of Coleman, Paramount wouldn't lend him out. When Walsh saw a clip of Wayne from Fox's Men Without Women (1930), he saw possibilities in the young actor's strength, voice and handsome face and hired him. Indeed Wayne carried off the lead role without a hitch. He looked as comfortable as Coleman; it seemed as if Wayne had carried dozens of lead roles before instead of this being his first. Other actors that did well in their roles include Churchill, Keith, Brendel, Tyronne Power Sr. and Carver.

Every fans of early classic films or of John Wayne will want to own this DVD. The movie is offered in both 35mm and 70mm prints on the DVD and the bonus features offer up incredible insight about the movie, Wayne and Walsh.

Special Features

Disc One

• Fox Grandeur Version of The Big Trail
• Commentary with film historian/Author Richard Schickel
• The Big Vision: The Grandeur Process - Ralph Sargent (President/Founder Film Technologies), John Hora (Director of photography), Rick Jewell (author The Golden Age of Hollywood, 1929-1945) talks about photography that was ahead of its time and the Grandeur Process. It was used to make the film, which was 70mm and included a taller, wider, higher quality film but everything had to be changed and how much it cost. This is an interesting segment that shows clips of a scene in both 35 mm and 70mm together.
• The Creation of John Wayne - Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian (co-authors The Young Duke: The Early Life of John Wayne), Rick Jewell talk about what filmmakers saw in Wayne - kindness, rugged demeanor, persona of western, everyman's hero, stood for justice, Americana - his early life growing up in Glendale, his dog Duke, and how he got his nickname as big Duke and much more.
• Raoul Walsh: A Man in His Time - Michael Henry Wilson (Film Historian/Documentary Filmmaker), Tag Gallagher (author John Ford: The Man and His Films), Courtney Joyner (screenwriter/Film Historian), Scott Simmon (author The Invention of the Western Film: A Cultural History of the Genre's First Half Century) talk about his Walsh's life as an actor, writer and director of 140 movies, how he lost an eye.
• The Making of The Big Trail - Michael Henry Wilson, Rick Jewell, Scot Simmon, Kevin Stoehr (editor John Ford in Focus), Courtney Joyner talk about the complexities of making the film: 20,000 extras, 1800 heads of cattle, 1400 horses, 500 buffalos, 725 Indians, 185 wagons, 93 principal cast members, 22 cameramen, production staff of 200, they traveled 2200 miles in seven states, 700 pigs, chickens and dogs. The film was made in several languages (German, Spanish, English) and shot duplicate scenes for both the 35mm and 70mm versions all for a budget of $2 million.
• Scene Selection
• Galleries

Disc Two

• Academy Ratio Version of The Big Trail
• Scene Selection
• Fox Flix - trailers of The Comancheros (1961), North to Alaska (1960), The Undefeated (1969)

Director: Raoul Walsh, Louis R. Loeffler

Writers: Hal G. Evarts - Story, Raoul Walsh, Jack Peabody, Florence Postal - screenplay (uncreditied), Raoul Walsh, Jack Peabody, Florence Postal - dialogue (uncreditied)

Cast: John Wayne, Marguerite Churchill, El Brendel, Tully Marshall, Tyrone Power Sr.

Rating: Not Rated (fine for children, but they will find it very boring)

Classic Movie Guide Rating:  3 stars out of 5

DVD Release Date: 05/13/2008

Run Time:  111 minutes

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Format: Black-and-white, Widescreen

Photo Credits: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment