The Big Trail: Special Edition DVD Review
Posted by Shawn S. Lealos on 05.18.2008
Before John Ford, it was Raoul Walsh who made John Wayne a star. Here is the movie that introduced a legend.
Directed by Raoul Walsh Written by Hal G. Evarts Cinematography by Lucien N. Andriot and Arthur Edeson
Cast
John Wayne .. Breck Coleman
Marguerite Churchill .. Ruth Cameron
El Brendel .. Gus
Tully Marshall .. Zeke
Tyrone Power .. Red Flack
David Rollins .. Dave “Davey” Cameron
Frederick Burton .. Pa Bascom
Ian Keith .. Bill Thorpe
Charles Stevens .. Lopez
Louise Carver .. Gus’s mother-in-law
The Film
The Big Trail is Raoul Walsh’s seminal western depicting the pioneers’ travels on The Oregon Trail. One of the earliest talkies (1930), Walsh crafted a film showcasing the iconic scenery that would become paramount in the mythical western films. It introduced John Wayne to the movie world and it was clear he possessed the talent to become a star. He was still raw and youthful and had not developed the hard edge he would display in classics such as Stagecoach and The Searchers but carried himself in a strong, secure manner.
When watching this film, it seems strange that Raoul Walsh got his real break acting in the controversial D.W. Griffith film, The Birth of the Nation. Where The Birth of the Nation remains controversial for its racial tones, The Big Trail seems to back track that notion, showing Native Americans that were noble while the white man was depicted as greedy and evil. This is unique in a genre where Native American’s were normally viewed as Savages.
John Wayne portrays Breck Coleman, a trapper who has vowed revenge on the men who killed his friend. The murder was staged to appear it was Native Americans who were responsible but Coleman knew it was white men guilty of the crime. He was asked to help lead settlers to Oregon, but he refused because he wants to hunt the “skunks” responsible for his friend’s death. He soon realizes that the wagon boss leading the group might be one of the men he is hunting, so he agrees to help lead the people through to their new homes. The title of the movie becomes two-fold, referring both to the trail to Oregon as well as Coleman’s personal trail to the murderers.
While many classical westerns depict Native Americans as savage people, The Big Trail shows they were largely noble and helpful, as long as you did not try to force your will upon them. It is a refreshing change of pace when compared to movies such as The Searchers, which remains a masterpiece, but showcases the Native Americans as evil and brutally savage. Breck Coleman is a character that was raised and trained by the Native Americans and lived among them, understanding their rituals and honoring their values. There were savage Indians they would meet along the way, but they were offset by the numerous honorable tribes. Once again, the true evil characters in this story were the white men.
The main problem holding the film down is the random slapstick style humor on display throughout the movie. At over two hours, much of the movie displays the traveling and is broken up with bits of humor such as the “zany comedy” involving Gus, the Swede, and his mother-in-law. Those are some of the worst parts of the movie, as they needlessly stretch out a movie that could have used some tightening. There are also comedic moments with an old man who can voice funny sound effects as well as a man who is constantly drunk. It is humor that could have easily been weeded out to make a leaner film. None of these comedic characters, save the drunkard, have any character development in the story. They are excessive and serve no purpose, save unfunny humor.
The acting, with the exception of John Wayne, was not very good. Many actors were stage trained actors, such as Tyrone Power and Tully Marshall, and performed in an over-the-top manner that does not feel right on film. Every time these characters began to speak their lines, the movie seems to drop a bit. Even the scenes depicting the possible romance between Coleman and Ruth Cameron never worked because Marguerite Churchill’s inexperience shows through. John Wayne remained the only person who seemed comfortable in the skin of his character.
On the whole, the film remains brilliant due to the spectacular set pieces that pop up throughout the story. There is the great trek through torrential rivers, a struggle lowering wagons down steep cliffs, and a passage through snow covered mountains. Shot on location in Yuma, Sacramento, Sequoia National Park, and Montana, the film presents a wild west that has only been matched by the iconic scenery in John Ford’s films. It is a beautiful film that presents a diagram that would be the precedent for all westerns to come.
With great, iconic scenery and big, magnificent set pieces, as well as a solid acting job by John Wayne, The Big Trail remains a seminal piece of western history that holds up as well today as it did seventy-five years ago. While Raoul Walsh was responsible for some of the greatest gangster films in cinema history (Regeneration, White Heat, The Roaring Twenties), it is The Big Trail that provides what might be his true masterpiece.
The Video
The first disc includes the Fox Grandeur 70mm version. When Walsh filmed the movie, he shot it simultaneously on 35mm and 70mm. The 35mm would be played throughout the country, but the 70mm would be available for deluxe cinemas. The 70mm version was thought lost in 1960, but a copy was found in 1972 and restored in the 1980s. The 70mm print still has a number of scratches and dirt but the landscape is showcased best in this widescreen version. Despite the consistent scratches, it is a beautiful version of the film.
The second disc includes the Academy Aspect Ratio version of The Big Trail. This is the full screen 35mm version. I would assume this was only included to give collectors both versions of the film for their collection.
The Audio
It’s not fair to count off for the numerous sound problems, as they were simply a sign of the times. Made during the early years of the sound era, this film does a fine job with what was available. It is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1.
The Extras
The Big Vision – The Grandeur Process (12:17) – This is a featurette that discusses the Grandeur process, which shot films in 70mm widescreen. It unfortunately was ahead of its time and would not last thanks to the financial difficulties of the depression. Everything about the process cost more and since they did not know how to transfer the 70mm film down to 35mm, it had to be filmed with two different cameras so all theaters could show the film. There is also footage that shows the differences between the 70mm and 35mm shots. Think about the differences between widescreen and full screen today and amplify that by 100. After watching the 70mm version, you would never want to watch the 35mm version again because of how much of the scenery you lose. It also goes into the restoration of the 70mm print.
The Creation of John Wayne (13:53) – This is a short and sweet feature about John Wayne, from his childhood to his football playing days at USC to his eventual stardom. Interesting trivia: John Ford was angry that John Wayne took the lead role for Raoul Walsh’s film. Ford wanted to slowly bring Wayne into the business and was mad because Wayne became a star without him. He held a grudge for years, keeping Wayne out of his pictures until Stagecoach nine years later. The feature only touches on the beginning of Wayne’s career.
Raoul Walsh: A Man in His Time (12:33) – This is a feature that describes Walsh as a forgotten filmmaker. The significance of the positive showing of Native Americans in this film is explained here as Walsh’s father was friends with Sitting Bull and Walsh was raised on friendly terms with many Native Americans. The feature mainly talks about Walsh’s childhood and beginnings in his filmmaking career, stopping at the making of The Big Trail.
The Making of the Big Trail (12:41) – This is another short feature talking about the film’s place in history. Film scholars talk about the techniques used to shoot and the problems that they faced at the time making a movie with limited technology. They also talk about the cast of the film and the actor’s lives outside the film. Interesting trivia: Charles Stevens was Geronimo’s grandson.
Galleries (29:04) – There are production stills (65) and a promotional studio gallery (15). There are also foreign production stills from the separate foreign films made with different actors playing the parts – German (37), Italian (45) and Spanish (39).
Feature Commentary with Film Historian/Author Richard Schickel – Schickel is an author, journalist and documentary filmmaker. He has written books over D.W. Griffith, James Cagney and Clint Eastwood as well as creating documentaries over Gary Cooper, Cary Grant and Clint Eastwood. Prior to this he provided the commentary on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. His commentary is relaxed and informative, never talking over the head of the viewer. Most of his discussion is over the historical context of the film as well as the actors who performed in the film. There is some technical talk, but this is not a commentary track that dwells on the film making itself.
Trailers – The second disc includes the trailers for The Comancheros, North to Alaska and The Undefeated.
The Film: 9.9/10.0 The Extras: 8.5/10.0
The 411: The Big Trail is not only a great film from one of the greatest directors who ever lived, but also one of the earliest western masterpieces. Before John Ford would revolutionize western cinema, Raoul Walsh set the table introducing a look and feel that would only be matched by Ford himself. While Walsh is best known for his work in creating the gangster genre with Regeneration, it is this western that arguably remains his most important work. It is a film that holds up as well seventy-five years later as it did when it was first released. The DVD contains the best print of the film you will ever see and is a seminal addition to any film lovers collection.
