The Big Trail poster & wallpaper

Charles Stevens, David Rollins, El Brendel

The first epic western of the talkie era, 'The Big Trail' is a wagon-train saga starring a 22-year-old John Wayne in his first leading role.

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57% liked it

1,482 ratings

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100% liked it

7 critics

Unrated, 2 hrs. 1 min.

Directed by: Charles Stevens, David Rollins, El Brendel, Frederick Burton, Ian Keith, John Wayne, Louis R. Loeffler, Marguerite Churchill, Raoul Walsh, Tully Marshall, Tyrone Power, Tyrone Power Sr.

Release Date: January 1, 1930

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DVD Release Date: May 20, 2003

Stats: 60 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (60)

  • donaldwhite1
    September 19, 2009
    donaldwhite1
    John Wayne's first movie is actually two movies. There is the 70 mm wide screen and the 35 mm square screen. Since 70 mm and sound movies were both new technologies in 1929 they literally filmed this movie with two separate cameras. The complex scenes they filmed simultaneously f...( read more)rom two separate angles. Some of the scenes had the actors perform twice for two different camera crews. This required the actors to duplicate their performance exactly the same twice. Watching the two versions is like watching a stage play twice on different days. One scene had one of the characters wearing a coat in the 70 mm version but was coatless in the 35 mm film. Other scenes the sound synched up perfectly but the camera angle was different. Towards the end of the movie John Wayne had to make a speech urging the pioneers not to turn back. Both were good and both started out the same but he started to ad-lib a little and the two versions aren't exactly the same. Due to mechanical problems with the new cameras there were some scenes in the 35 mm film that weren't in the 70 mm version and there were many scenes that were in the 70 mm version that weren't in the 35 mm version. There was a section of the 35 mm film were the travelers have to cross a desert (even though there is no desert on the Oregon Trail) but is totally left out of the 70 mm version. In the 70 mm version John Wayne's love interest is left behind and John Wayne has to go back to rescue them. This is left out of the 35 mm version. Over all the 70 mm is better but was only shown in two theaters and the rest of the country was shown the 35 mm version. In some sections the 35 mm is better. Sometimes the 70 mm is cleaner, sharper with better contrast and other times it's the 35 mm with the better photography. Overall the 70 mm version is 14 minutes longer than the 35 mm version. John Wayne played a young version of himself. You can see the John Wayne character begin his development into the character so familiar in his later movies. The story of the movie is the first wagon train to follow the Oregon Trail. They tried to make it look as accurate as possible by having oxen pull some of the wagons. They still have too many being pulled by horses and mules. In 1850 all the wagons were drawn by oxen. Also in 1850 nobody rode in the wagons. Wagons carried the food and supplies. The people walked. They wore out so many shoes the Indians would sell them moccasins along the way. They filmed the movie in 5 states but nowhere along the real Oregon Trail. In the movie there were too many trees and too many hills. For most of the movie everyone carried single shot guns, then all of the sudden in the middle of a buffalo hunt John Wayne pulls out a revolver and starts shooting. Before that all he had was a rifle. By todays standards this is a boring movie and in 1930 the places were they had to watch the 35 mm version they thought is was boring too.
  • shchase2000
    July 25, 2009
    shchase2000
    Saw it before and really love his movies
  • ima365ryder
    March 11, 2009
    ima365ryder
    Outstanding movie John Wayne is my family favorite actor
  • Ghw12158
    September 7, 2008
    Ghw12158
    pretty good for its time
  • perr2fam125
    July 1, 2008
    perr2fam125
    zzzzzz. Dispapointing since it was john wayne
  • RuthieGreenGirl
    December 30, 2007
    RuthieGreenGirl
    It was supposed tobe Wayne's big break, but that wouldn't come until later with Stagecoach
  • MissSherryW
    November 8, 2007
    MissSherryW
    The only movie starring John Wayne that was any good.
  • turnerd32
    August 21, 2007
    turnerd32
    i would like to see this one..
  • dbatesphoto
    August 2, 2007
    dbatesphoto
    This started it for John Wayne. Truly a historic gem. Showed how handsome The duke was as well as how talented he is.
  • indixiesheart
    July 9, 2007
    indixiesheart
    Young John..GReat movie..BUT NOT yet the very experienced Wayne we love !

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