I am so happy that this film has been restored! I would watch it just for the Authenticity and the craftsman ship that went into its making. The sets, the props, & the cast were like a HISTORY BOOK's PAGES brought to life. Then you throw in The Duke! I bought this DVD as soon as I could find it. Thank you, Rob for showing it. The West in all of its glory.
The IMMENSE cast in those long shots never cease to amaze!!! But seeing them hoist those Conestogas down the cliff side 😮🤯🤯 I think people should start looking at these older movies not only as historic as films but also for the history they contain n reflect like in all these scenes. The people of those times were, many times, just a hair’s breadth away from the original people who made these treks and accomplished these obstacles!!
John Wayne became a superb actor in so many films, but this is my favorite as it’s more realistic and historical. Thanks AWOW, for the delight to see again.
This is an amazing production. How impressive it is to watch this restored version of this film. As the host stated, It is practically a documentary. Thank you!
I had read about this movie and to know it was shot 95 years ago is simply astonishing. It's an example of something so far ahead of its time. To see a lanky Duke kid is also something. Thanks Rob!
Debbie. Today ! 02.37. Saw this Re.Mastered At BFI. Yrs Ago. Tough hard nosed Western to Make. Someone said To Many Wagons.?Brilliant Film Making!! Hear wind storm? Familiar Dialogue from John Wayne! Generator IN Background ? Thank you Rob- Again! ❤😊
I had seen this film once years ago but the picture quality was very poor. I'm just amazed at how beautiful this print is and the sound quality is fantastic. Thank you Rob !!
I wonder how such a beautiful film could have been a flop, I can't believe it. John Wayne 's acting isn't bad either for his first major role. I love this movie because it still feels very wild west. Then there are the actors who I call with the right faces because they are not plastic. Thanks Mr Word
We loved it. People and animals actually died in the making! Real covered wagons, real mud, real Indians! A must for ol' timers and the young alike, if that can get away from their phones.
THE BIG TRAIL was certainly BIG in everything but Box-Office... The budget certainly was, but as Rob says the settlers wagons crossing the plains looks and feels very authentic, exactly like a time capsule of the period... It's a shame that the DUKE didn't do his time in the "salt-mines" of the 1930's cheapie "B-movies" first, where he could learn and pefect his craft from the veteran western actors and be ready for the starring role, because for a unknown this is a very big picture to thrown-in at the deep end on... THE BIG TRAIL needed a BIG Star to help carry it. As one of this historians at 20th Century-Fox, I remember they screened it in 70mm at the theater on the lot years ago, and it was very well received. Since then, it has been remastered and looks fabulous. The $2 million picture was made by the William Fox Film Corporation five years before the merger with 20th Century Pictures. But having spent so much on it there was no way it was going to turn a profit, specially at the start of the Great Depression. The acting is somewhast wooden and overly theatrical, but remember the cast of character actors are mostly from the silent era where the acting style was totally different from talking pictures. But the BIG question for me, is why John Wayne never worked with RAOUL WALSH ever again? You'd think that the man who gave the Duke the surname of Wayne, having first suggested Anthony Wayne, only to be told by Fox executives to change the first name to John... you'd think that the director who did this for him and gave him his BIG break... well, how strange they never worked with each other ever again! We'll never know why, but maybe Duke felt that Walsh jinxed him or something, because it took nine more years till that STAGECOACH came along and everything changed when he became a real star with director John Ford... Later, director Howard Hawks made the Duke a super-star with RED RIVER, but the public and historians failed to see that Raoul Walsh was every bit the equal of those directors!
@@AlunThomas-mp5qoWell spotted Alun, I think that was Republic... but that's it though, I spent 40 years working in HOLLYWOOD at different studios and you run into the same many people all the time! Thank you, Alun, for the correction...
@@grahamhill6340 Thank you. I'm not aware of Wayne having any problems with Raoul Walsh, in fact he was quite amenable with almost every director he worked with. I've only ever heard of three directors that he was contemptuous of - Edward Dmytryk on Back to Bataan, John Huston on The Barbarian and the Geisha and Don Siegel on The Shootist.
@@AlunThomas-mp5qo I never got to talk with the Duke personally but I did meet many who did, including those that worked on more than a dozen movies with him... the consensus being that he was always professional and easy to like, but just as easy to unlike. A good example being Bill Clothier the DP on so many of his Batjac movies, and a combat photographer who stood up to Wayne numerous times on his vindictive politics. He said Duke with all his flag-waving, war mongering talk, never understood that life isn't black and white, it's a lot of shades of grey! Directors Mark Rydell and Don Siegel did very well and stood their ground with the Duke, as THE COWBOYS and THE SHOOTIST were not Wayne's Batjac productions, and for that reason they were not just routine Duke movies, but something more solid and special. Like most people I like the Duke's movies, but I wouldn't want to be around him, as with most celebrities. Being more than just a star but an icon, John Wayne always had to be what the public expected him to be, he couldn't just be Marion Morrison anymore. But I can say I worked on a Duke movie in the early 1970's, it was called BRANNIGAN, and it was a Batjac co-production shot in England where I'm from... naturally I'd see him on set, but being a young lowly crew member it wasn't the thing to do to bother a star. Still his secretary Pat Stacey, who was also his live-in girlfriend at the time, did get me an autograph.
El Brendels's character and performance are straight out of silent cinema. Compare Karl Dane's "Slim" character in "The Big Parade", a silent WWI film. And going back further, the (painful to modern tastes) comic relief in Griffith's "Way Down East." It was felt that drama needed the insertion of intermittent comedy, often slapstick.
The woman is a basket case. She denied him when he showed his vulnerability, when he made prose to her, when he saved her from being a squaw - dinner for the desert creatures and victim to a rattlesnake. Then after rebuffing his advances for months she blubbers when he leaves. Yes I know the part was written by men.
![The Navy Lark! Series 1.1 [E01 to 6 Incl. Chapters] 1959 [High Quality]](/img/n.gif)
I am so happy that this film has been restored! I would watch it just for the Authenticity and the craftsman ship that went into its making. The sets, the props, & the cast were like a HISTORY BOOK's PAGES brought to life. Then you throw in The Duke! I bought this DVD as soon as I could find it. Thank you, Rob for showing it. The West in all of its glory.
This film is a national treasure. Thank goodness it was restored so we have it for generations. Love anything John Wayne ❤ Thanks Rob!
I’ve watched this movie many times. An incredible amount of ACTUAL history in it.
Absolutely love every scene.
This has to be one of the most visually stunning movies ever made!
I love the old John Wayne westerns.
The IMMENSE cast in those long shots never cease to amaze!!!
But seeing them hoist those Conestogas down the cliff side 😮🤯🤯
I think people should start looking at these older movies not only as historic as films but also for the history they contain n reflect like in all these scenes.
The people of those times were, many times, just a hair’s breadth away from the original people who made these treks and accomplished these obstacles!!
John Wayne became a superb actor in so many films, but this is my favorite as it’s more realistic and historical. Thanks AWOW, for the delight to see again.
Glad you enjoyed it, sue. Thanks!
This is an amazing production. How impressive it is to watch this restored version of this film. As the host stated, It is practically a documentary. Thank you!
I had read about this movie and to know it was shot 95 years ago is simply astonishing. It's an example of something so far ahead of its time. To see a lanky Duke kid is also something. Thanks Rob!
Debbie. Today ! 02.37. Saw this Re.Mastered At BFI. Yrs Ago. Tough hard nosed Western to Make. Someone said To Many Wagons.?Brilliant Film Making!! Hear wind storm? Familiar Dialogue from John Wayne! Generator IN Background ? Thank you Rob- Again! ❤😊
Truly awesome movie. A history lesson in itself 👍
Man how I miss those wonderful trails. Thanks for sharing with us all, Rob & RJ. 👍👍 10🤠
imagining things, oh my! Terrific to see Wayne's first...d
I had seen this film once years ago but the picture quality was very poor. I'm just amazed at how beautiful this print is and the sound quality is fantastic. Thank you Rob !!
Fantastic movie and very good start of Duke's career 👏
Wayne has that walk and stare that got him through the movie
Will watch this movie to the end first time
I love this film!!!
Excellent movie!
Love this movie so aithentic
I wonder how such a beautiful film could have been a flop, I can't believe it. John Wayne 's acting isn't bad either for his first major role. I love this movie because it still feels very wild west. Then there are the actors who I call with the right faces because they are not plastic. Thanks Mr Word
excellent intro...I need a solid bolo tie..."Tip of the hat, Sir".
Thanks, Ryder. I dressed up for Duke.
This movie was Epic.
Brilliantly filed for its time it's a movie that got lost in time
We loved it. People and animals actually died in the making!
Real covered wagons, real mud, real Indians!
A must for ol' timers and the young alike, if that can get away from their phones.
very interesting. I didn't know the reason why it was a flop...
Holy Moses The first western in,70 mm what a movie 😊😊😊😊😊😊
Thanks for sharing it! I always enjoy watching Old Western Movies though. 👍👌👏
And of course, I'm a subscriber!
Thanks Again Though.
Love it. great video detail. john wayne the birth of the duke. Keep up your wonderful work or love, for westerns. thank you
Thank you! Will do!
Damn straight that’s excellent ❤
Filmed 65 years after the civil war. That’s crazy. Cool
A cast of thousands and wagons and animals true epic movie
Thank you!
You're welcome!
It also has the most locations of any John Wayne film, all the way from Yuma to Sequoia National Park.
Wonderful treat for us Rob. Young Wayne reminds me a bit of Patrick Swayze. Or vice versa.
2Hrs Out "THE DUKE.!" FT Worth Museum.! Ethan Wayne Manager: Does An Excellent Job .....
THE BIG TRAIL was certainly BIG in everything but Box-Office... The budget certainly was, but as Rob says the settlers wagons crossing the plains looks and feels very authentic, exactly like a time capsule of the period...
It's a shame that the DUKE didn't do his time in the "salt-mines" of the 1930's cheapie "B-movies" first, where he could learn and pefect his craft from the veteran western actors and be ready for the starring role, because for a unknown this is a very big picture to thrown-in at the deep end on... THE BIG TRAIL needed a BIG Star to help carry it.
As one of this historians at 20th Century-Fox, I remember they screened it in 70mm at the theater on the lot years ago, and it was very well received. Since then, it has been remastered and looks fabulous.
The $2 million picture was made by the William Fox Film Corporation five years before the merger with 20th Century Pictures. But having spent so much on it there was no way it was going to turn a profit, specially at the start of the Great Depression.
The acting is somewhast wooden and overly theatrical, but remember the cast of character actors are mostly from the silent era where the acting style was totally different from talking pictures.
But the BIG question for me, is why John Wayne never worked with RAOUL WALSH ever again?
You'd think that the man who gave the Duke the surname of Wayne, having first suggested Anthony Wayne, only to be told by Fox executives to change the first name to John... you'd think that the director who did this for him and gave him his BIG break... well, how strange they never worked with each other ever again!
We'll never know why, but maybe Duke felt that Walsh jinxed him or something, because it took nine more years till that STAGECOACH came along and everything changed when he became a real star with director John Ford... Later, director Howard Hawks made the Duke a super-star with RED RIVER, but the public and historians failed to see that Raoul Walsh was every bit the equal of those directors!
Raoul Walsh DID direct John Wayne again in Dark Command 1940.
@@AlunThomas-mp5qoWell spotted Alun, I think that was Republic... but that's it though, I spent 40 years working in HOLLYWOOD at different studios and you run into the same many people all the time!
Thank you, Alun, for the correction...
@@grahamhill6340 Thank you. I'm not aware of Wayne having any problems with Raoul Walsh, in fact he was quite amenable with almost every director he worked with. I've only ever heard of three directors that he was contemptuous of - Edward Dmytryk on Back to Bataan, John Huston on The Barbarian and the Geisha and Don Siegel on The Shootist.
@@AlunThomas-mp5qo I never got to talk with the Duke personally but I did meet many who did, including those that worked on more than a dozen movies with him... the consensus being that he was always professional and easy to like, but just as easy to unlike. A good example being Bill Clothier the DP on so many of his Batjac movies, and a combat photographer who stood up to Wayne numerous times on his vindictive politics. He said Duke with all his flag-waving, war mongering talk, never understood that life isn't black and white, it's a lot of shades of grey!
Directors Mark Rydell and Don Siegel did very well and stood their ground with the Duke, as THE COWBOYS and THE SHOOTIST were not Wayne's Batjac productions, and for that reason they were not just routine Duke movies, but something more solid and special.
Like most people I like the Duke's movies, but I wouldn't want to be around him, as with most celebrities. Being more than just a star but an icon, John Wayne always had to be what the public expected him to be, he couldn't just be Marion Morrison anymore.
But I can say I worked on a Duke movie in the early 1970's, it was called BRANNIGAN, and it was a Batjac co-production shot in England where I'm from... naturally I'd see him on set, but being a young lowly crew member it wasn't the thing to do to bother a star. Still his secretary Pat Stacey, who was also his live-in girlfriend at the time, did get me an autograph.
❤❤❤❤❤
Wouldn't mind betting on that horse the duke was on chasing buffalo
El Brendels's character and performance are straight out of silent cinema. Compare Karl Dane's "Slim" character in "The Big Parade", a silent WWI film. And going back further, the (painful to modern tastes) comic relief in Griffith's "Way Down East." It was felt that drama needed the insertion of intermittent comedy, often slapstick.
My favourite is Tall in the saddle but can't find it anywhere
John Wayne the Draft Dodger!!
I love this movie how come it lost a lot of money? Can’t understand it?
БОЛЬШАЯ СЛЕЖКА(1930)ВЕСТЕРН,ИНДЕЙЦЫ.
No six shooter for the duke in this movie
The woman is a basket case. She denied him when he showed his vulnerability, when he made prose to her, when he saved her from being a squaw - dinner for the desert creatures and victim to a rattlesnake. Then after rebuffing his advances for months she blubbers when he leaves.
Yes I know the part was written by men.