The Big Trail

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David K I'm putting this out there as a four star because of its historical significance and the cinematography. A very rare 1930 widescreen film (70mm) Grandeur process - very short lived. Two things about the production quality: 1) visual; and 2) aural. The high quality print I saw on TCM was beautiful. Oddly, the film relies on mid-range shots over close ups because of the limitations of the process. It takes a little getting used to. But, Walsh sets up each shot that is textbook. In fact, it reminds me so much of stills we studied in film classes with each character and object arrayed around the frame perfectly. 2) On the sound topic, it's a semi-mess. Because of the more rudimentary technology of the time, and the fact the film was shot outdoors (the first sound film to be done "on location"), the main dialogue is sometimes overwhelmed by the massive amount of chatter going on elsewhere. Finally, the acting. John Wayne is rough. Really rough. Although some might say he wasn't a great actor (I'm not one of those), here you can see where he was starting from before other films like Stagecoach and Red River. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/20/25 Full Review Helen A This is a fabulous movie. The fact it was filmed in the wild outdoors and not on a film stage is an incredible achievement. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/11/24 Full Review Greg H John Wayne in his first Epic Western and if watched in the grand widescreen format it's truly Epic. It's the Lawrence of Arabia of westerns because of its unmatched ambition, cinematography and life risking journey. With the end of silent movies you had the beginning of sound and this film forges the path. At times you feel as if your watching a documentary or maybe seeing a snapshot of life in the American Frontier as it happened at that time. You witness the birth of John Wayne along with the "nothing can stop us" American spirit that many believed guided their destiny. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Highly recommend this one James Welch, Henderson, Arkansas, June 16, 2023 Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/18/23 Full Review Deke P CLASSIC cuz John WAYNE's FIRST starring movie & in 1930!! wow. Was on tv Grit tv May 2023. Note to sef, watch it again. Pay close attention to most all. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 05/22/23 Full Review Christopher B The film version i had on blu-ray contained both the regular 35mm print at 108 minutes and the "Fox Grandeur" version filmed at 70mm and running 122 minutes. The Fox Grandeur version is certainly the way to watch it in my opinion and really showcases the vast landscapes and wide-open space of the land. While the cinematography was impressive, the film's simple narrative, wooden acting on John Wayne's part and the scope was a little ambious for what we are given in the final product. The film apparently was a financial failure as it was filmed two times and dubbed in French and German as well as the native English and the costs were substancial. The film is essential viewing I would think for John Wayne films, and while he would work on B-westerns the next nearly decade it eventually got him to the fame he would gain one day and become the star of such greats as Stagecoach and countless other A-films to come. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/19/22 Full Review Read all reviews

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