The Big Trail | 1930 | Western, Adventure

Title: The Big Trail | 1930 | Western, Adventure Director: Raoul Walsh. Studio: Fox Film Corporation. Starring: John Wayne, Marguerite Churchill, El Brendel, Tully Marshall, Tyrone Power Sr., David Rollins. Based on: A story by Hal G. Evarts. Release Date: October 24, 1930. Runtime: 122 minutes. Format: Black-and-white; shot and released in both 70mm Fox Grandeur widescreen and 35mm; mono sound ; approx. aspect ratios 2.13:1 and 1.20:1 . Country: United States. Language: English. Genres: Western, Adventure. --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Opening and recruitment 00:24:00 Wagon train departs west 00:48:00 River crossing and prairie trials 01:15:00 Mountain passage and winter hardships 01:40:00 Rivalry exposed and pursuit 02:02:00 Settlement and resolution --- Summary: Scout Breck Coleman agrees to lead a large wagon train of settlers on a hazardous overland journey to the far West. As the caravan faces rivers, deserts, mountains, storms, and raids, Breck contends with tensions inside the group, including dangerous rivals tied to the murder of his mentor. Along the trail, Breck’s developing bond with pioneer Ruth Cameron intersects with his quest for justice. The film traces the collective hardships and resilience of the emigrants while setting a personal vengeance story against an epic migration. --- Background: The Big Trail was produced by Fox Film Corporation and directed by Raoul Walsh as an ambitious early-sound epic, notable for being shot simultaneously in 70mm Fox Grandeur and standard 35mm, with separate camera units and edits for each format. It marked 23-year-old John Wayne’s first starring role and featured extensive location filming across multiple Western states. The Los Angeles premiere in 70mm took place at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on October 2, 1930, followed by a 70mm engagement at New York’s Roxy Theatre on October 24, 1930; despite critical admiration, widescreen’s limited adoption during the Depression hindered commercial performance. --- Trivia: Fox produced multiple foreign-language versions in 1931—French, German, Italian, and Spanish—each with different casts, a common early-sound practice before dubbing became standard. The production used hundreds of wagons, thousands of animals, and large numbers of extras, and traveled thousands of miles on location during a months-long shoot. The film was photographed in both 70mm Grandeur and 35mm, with different cinematographers for each format, resulting in notable compositional differences between the two versions. The Grandeur widescreen version was exhibited at only a few equipped venues, notably Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles and the Roxy Theatre in New York. It was the final completed film of Tyrone Power Sr., who died in 1931; it is also his only sound role. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: October 24, 1930. Original Studio / Distributor: Fox Film Corporation. Copyright Status: Public Domain . Renewal: Yes. --- Hashtags: TheBigTrail JohnWayne RaoulWalsh Western ClassicCinema PublicDomain FoxFilm Grandeur 1930s OregonTrail Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Big_Trail_(1930).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/The_Big_Trail_%281930%29.webm