- Film Review
- Reviewed By Tony Sloman
- 4 out of 5
This epic re-creation of the settling of the American west seen through the eyes of a single family is one of only two narrative films made in three-camera Cinerama - if you look very carefully you can see the joins in its widescreen version. To match the scale of the movie, it also has a truly all-star cast with the likes of James Stewart and Gregory Peck pairing up with feisty pioneering women such as Carroll Baker and Debbie Reynolds. Genre icons John Wayne, Henry Fonda and Richard Widmark also make significant appearances. Of the three credited directors, Henry Hathaway shot the all-star Rivers, Plains and Outlaws sections, George Marshall filmed that dangerous stunt-work on the railroad and the great John Ford directed the splendid American Civil War sequence, beginning with a marvellous slice of widescreen action, as surgical tables are sluiced down, seeming to drown the audience. A massive undertaking at the time, it really is true to say they don't make them like this anymore. Alas, the total impact will inevitably be dwarfed on your average television.
Plot Summary
Three generations of a pioneering family experience many ordeals and adventures in their endeavour to build a new life for themselves on the American frontier in the 19th century. Epic Western, starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, Debbie Reynolds, Lee J Cobb and Richard Widmark.
Cast and crew
Cast
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Linus Rawlings
- James Stewart
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Gen William T Sherman
- John Wayne
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Cleve Van Valen
- Gregory Peck
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Jethro Stuart
- Henry Fonda
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Eve Prescott
- Carroll Baker
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Zeb Rawlings
- George Peppard
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Lilith Prescott
- Debbie Reynolds
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Charlie Gant
- Eli Wallach
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Mike King
- Richard Widmark
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Julie Rawlings
- Carolyn Jones
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Marshal Lou Ramsey
- Lee J Cobb
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Zebulon Prescott
- Karl Malden
Crew
- Director
- Henry Hathaway
- Director
- John Ford
- Director
- George Marshall
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