The Big Trail

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The Big Trail

1930,

2h 6m,

Western

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Watchlist

100%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Upstart fur trapper Breck Coleman (John Wayne) agrees to lead and protect a group of pioneers trying to make their way on the treacherous Oregon Trail. Amid a harrowing series of trials, including an Indian raid, a blizzard, scorching desert sands and nearly unnavigable woods, Breck attempts to begin a romance with frontier woman Ruth Cameron (Marguerite Churchill). Meanwhile, he searches for the men who killed his mentor -- and who may be members of another wagon train traveling westward.

Fred Camper

Chicago Reader

May 11, 2022

3/4

The oddly meditative quality of Walsh’s long takes, the curious lack of a dominant narrative tension controlling the film’s space, and the oddly disjunct tableau-to-tableau editing combine to make a statement quite different...

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Jul 15, 2013

Integrating the settlers' passionate mortal conflicts into the landscape, Walsh turns the theatrical limitations of early sound technique to an advantage, composing vast, static tableaux with the mighty breadth and noble pace of epic stanzas.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Aug 30, 2026

3/4

Wayne is noticeably awkward with his line readings, but he already displays a commanding screen presence and easy rapport with the camera.

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Steve Crum

Kansas City Kansan

Feb 17, 2008

3/5

More historical than anything, but a must for Wayne fans.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Dec 21, 2005

B+

Raoul Walsh believed that John Wayne would become a big star after his epic Western but he did not. A combo of factors account for this failure, not just Wayne's stiff acting but also the cool reception of the horseopera itself.

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Andy Klein

Los Angeles CityBeat

Jul 31, 2005

3/5

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Finn W

Mar 17, 2019

Concerning that this is the 1st wide screen movie & John Wayne's 1st leading role & 1st epic talking western I found this most pleasing to watch & find it hard to believe it wasn't a big hit in its day! No special affects what you see is what you get with a cast of hundreds!

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Kylo S

Feb 27, 2019

One of the first and finest films to use widescreen.

Theodore S

Nov 21, 2017

Directed by Raoul Walsh synonymous for well known gangster movies such as "White Heat", "High Sierra" and "The Roaring Twenties" starring John Wayne as a cowhand raised by natives seeking retribution for the slaughter and murder of his friend. He does this by tagging along a wagon train seeking for better settlements.

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Theodore W

May 11, 2017

Me And My Brother Jesse Krajci Both Like John Wayne.

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Raoul Walsh

Director

John Wayne

Breck Coleman

Marguerite Churchill

Ruth Cameron

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Synopsis

Upstart fur trapper Breck Coleman (John Wayne) agrees to lead and protect a group of pioneers trying to make their way on the treacherous Oregon Trail. Amid a harrowing series of trials, including an Indian raid, a blizzard, scorching desert sands and nearly unnavigable woods, Breck attempts to begin a romance with frontier woman Ruth Cameron (Marguerite Churchill). Meanwhile, he searches for the men who killed his mentor -- and who may be members of another wagon train traveling westward.

Director: Raoul Walsh
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 24, 1930, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2013
Runtime: 2h 6m

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