How the West Was Won
Directed by	John Ford Henry Hathaway George Marshall Richard Thorpe
Produced by	Bernard Smith
Written by	James R. Webb
Narrated by	Spencer Tracy
Starring	Carroll Baker Lee J. Cobb Henry Fonda Carolyn Jones Karl Malden Gregory Peck George Peppard Robert Preston Debbie Reynolds James Stewart Eli Wallach John Wayne Richard Widmark Walter Brennan Andy Devine Raymond Massey Agnes Moorehead Thelma Ritter
Music by	Alfred Newman
Editing by	Harold F. Kress
Distributed by	MGM / Cinerama
Release date(s)	November 1, 1962
Running time	162 min. Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer George E Marshall ( December 29, 1891 &ndash February 17, 1975) was an extremely prolific American film actor writer and director For the historian and biographer see D R Thorpe. Richard Thorpe ( February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991 "Father" Bernard Smith (c 1630 - 1708 was a German-born master organ maker in England in the late seventeenth century James R Webb ( October 4, 1909 &ndash September 28, 1974) was an American writer Spencer Tracy ( April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was a two-time Academy Award -winning Actor of stage and Lee J Cobb ( December 8, 1911 – February 11, 1976) was an American Actor. Henry Jaynes Fonda ( May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American Academy Award -winning Film and Carolyn Sue Jones ( April 28, 1930 — August 3, 1983) was an American Actress, best remembered for playing the role Karl Malden (born on March 22, 1912) is an American Actor of Serbian origin known for his expansive manner Gregory Peck (April 5 1916 &ndash June 12 2003 was an Academy Award -winning and four-time Golden Globe Award-winning American Film George Peppard Jr (October 1 1928 – May 8 1994) was an American Film and Television Actor. Robert Preston ( June 8, 1918 – March 21, 1987) was an American award-winning Actor. Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (born April 1, 1932) is an Academy Award -nominated American actress, Singer James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor Eli Herschel Wallach (born December 7, 1915) is an American BAFTA - Tony Award - and Emmy Award -winning and Golden John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American Richard Widmark ( December 26, 1914 &ndash March 24, 2008) was an American Actor of Films stage, Walter Brennan ( July 25 1894 – September 21 1974) was a three-time Academy Award winning American Actor. Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine ( October 7, 1905 - February 18, 1977) was a rotund raspy-voiced American Character actor Raymond Hart Massey ( August 30 1896 &ndash July 29 1983) was a Canadian -born American actor Agnes Robertson Moorehead ( December 6 1900 – April 30 1974) was an American Actress. Thelma Ritter ( February 14 1902 – February 5 1969) was an American Tony Award -winning character actress Alfred Newman ( March 17, 1900 &ndash February 17, 1970) was a major American Composer of music for Films Harold F Kress ( June 26, 1913 – September 18, 1999) was an American Film editor best known for the 1962 film Cinerama is the trademarked name for a Widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge deeply-curved The year 1962 in film involved some significant events Events Dr
Language	English, Arapaho
Budget	estimated $15,000,000[1]
IMDb profile

How the West Was Won is a 1962 epic Western film which follows four generations of a family (starting as the Prescotts) as they move ever westward, from western New York state to the Pacific Ocean. The year 1962 in film involved some significant events Events Dr New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Filmed in the Cinerama curving widescreen process, the movie is set between 1839 and 1889. Cinerama is the trademarked name for a Widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge deeply-curved A widescreen image is a film computer or television image with a wider and shorter aspect ratio than the standard Academy frame developed during the Classical

The all-star cast includes Carroll Baker, Walter Brennan, Lee J. Cobb, Andy Devine, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden, Harry Morgan, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, Eli Wallach, John Wayne, and Richard Widmark. Walter Brennan ( July 25 1894 – September 21 1974) was a three-time Academy Award winning American Actor. Lee J Cobb ( December 8, 1911 – February 11, 1976) was an American Actor. Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine ( October 7, 1905 - February 18, 1977) was a rotund raspy-voiced American Character actor Henry Jaynes Fonda ( May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American Academy Award -winning Film and Carolyn Sue Jones ( April 28, 1930 — August 3, 1983) was an American Actress, best remembered for playing the role Karl Malden (born on March 22, 1912) is an American Actor of Serbian origin known for his expansive manner Harry Morgan (born Harry Bratsburg on April 10, 1915 in Detroit Michigan) is an Emmy -winning American television Gregory Peck (April 5 1916 &ndash June 12 2003 was an Academy Award -winning and four-time Golden Globe Award-winning American Film George Peppard Jr (October 1 1928 – May 8 1994) was an American Film and Television Actor. Robert Preston ( June 8, 1918 – March 21, 1987) was an American award-winning Actor. Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (born April 1, 1932) is an Academy Award -nominated American actress, Singer James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor Eli Herschel Wallach (born December 7, 1915) is an American BAFTA - Tony Award - and Emmy Award -winning and Golden John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American Richard Widmark ( December 26, 1914 &ndash March 24, 2008) was an American Actor of Films stage, The introductory and closing narration is voiced by Spencer Tracy. Spencer Tracy ( April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was a two-time Academy Award -winning Actor of stage and

The movie consists of five segments, three directed by Henry Hathaway ("The Rivers", "The Plains" and "The Outlaws"), and one each by John Ford ("The Civil War") and George Marshall ("The Railroad"), with transitional sequences by the uncredited Richard Thorpe. Henry Hathaway ( March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer George E Marshall ( December 29, 1891 &ndash February 17, 1975) was an extremely prolific American film actor writer and director For the historian and biographer see D R Thorpe. Richard Thorpe ( February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991 The screenplay was written by John Gay (uncredited) and James R. Webb. John Gay ( 30 June, 1685 - 4 December, 1732) was an English Poet and Dramatist. James R Webb ( October 4, 1909 &ndash September 28, 1974) was an American writer Popular western author Louis L'Amour wrote a book based on the screenplay. Louis L'Amour ( March 22, 1908 &ndash June 10, 1988) was an American author ^[2]

In 1997, How the West Was Won was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The National Film Registry is the registry of Films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress

Plot summary

The Rivers (1830s)

The settlers' raft is caught in rapids.

Mountain man Linus Rawlings (James Stewart) is returning east to Pittsburgh to trade his furs when he meets a group of settlers led by Zebulon Prescott (Karl Malden) heading west down the Ohio River to the Illinois country. The Mountain Men is also the name of a 1980 movie starring Charlton Heston. The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. The Illinois Country ( Pays des Illinois) was the name used in the 17th century and afterwards to refer to an undefined region centered around present day southwest His daughter Eve (Carroll Baker) and Linus are attracted to each other, but he isn't ready to settle down, and he leaves her.

Linus stops at an isolated trading post run by a murderous clan headed by "Colonel" Hawkins (Walter Brennan). Walter Brennan ( July 25 1894 – September 21 1974) was a three-time Academy Award winning American Actor. Linus is betrayed when he accompanies pretty Dora Hawkins (Brigid Bazlen) into a cave to see a "varmint". Brigid Bazlen was an American Actress. Although she made only three Hollywood films The Honeymoon Machine, King of She stabs him in the back and pushes him into a deep hole. Fortunately, Linus is not seriously wounded, and is able to rescue the Prescott party from a similar fate. The bushwhacking thieves, including Dora, are dispatched with rough frontier justice.

The settlers continue down the river, but their raft is caught in rapids, and Zebulon and his wife Rebecca (Agnes Moorehead) drown. RAPID is an acronym for Rural Address Property IDentification a scheme instituted in New Zealand to assist emergency services in identifying and locating rural properties Agnes Robertson Moorehead ( December 6 1900 – April 30 1974) was an American Actress. Linus, finding that he cannot live without Eve, reappears and marries her, even though she insists on homesteading at the spot where her parents died.

The Plains (1850s)

The wagon train is attacked by Cheyenne Indians.

Eve's sister Lily (Debbie Reynolds) chooses to go to St. Louis, where she finds work performing in a dance hall. She attracts the attention of professional gambler Cleve Van Valen (Gregory Peck). After overhearing that she has just inherited a California gold mine (and to avoid paying his debts), Cleve joins the wagon train that will take her there. The California Gold Rush (1848&ndash1855 began on January 24 1848 when Gold was discovered by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California Wagon Train is a Television Western Series on NBC from 1957 - 1962 and then on ABC from 1962- He and wagonmaster Roger Morgan (Robert Preston) court her along the way, but she turns them both down, much to the dismay of her new friend and fellow traveler Agatha Clegg (Thelma Ritter). Thelma Ritter ( February 14 1902 – February 5 1969) was an American Tony Award -winning character actress

Surviving an attack by Cheyenne Indians, Lily and Cleve arrive at the mine, only to find that it is now worthless. Cheyenne are a Native American nation of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taa'e (more commonly Cleve leaves. Lily returns to work in a dance hall in a literal "Camp Town", living out of a covered wagon. Morgan finds her and again proposes marriage in a rather unromantic way. She tells him, "No, not ever. "

Later, Lily is singing in the music salon of a riverboat. A riverboat is Ship designed for Inland navigation. These vessels are usually less sturdy than ships built for the open seas with limited navigational and By chance, Cleve is a passenger. When he hears Lily's voice, he leaves the poker table (and a winning hand) to propose to her, telling her of the opportunities waiting in the rapidly growing city of San Francisco. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city She accepts.

The Civil War (1861~1865)

American Civil War.

Linus joins the Union army in the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Despite Eve's wishes, their son Zeb (George Peppard) eagerly enlists as well, looking for glory and an escape from farming. George Peppard Jr (October 1 1928 – May 8 1994) was an American Film and Television Actor. Corporal Peterson (Andy Devine) assures them the conflict won't last very long. Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine ( October 7, 1905 - February 18, 1977) was a rotund raspy-voiced American Character actor The bloody Battle of Shiloh shows Zeb that war is nothing like he imagined. Background and opposing forces After the losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862 Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston withdrew He encounters a similarly disillusioned Confederate who suggests deserting, to which Zeb agrees.

However, by chance, they overhear a private conversation between Generals Ulysses S. Grant (Harry Morgan) and William Tecumseh Sherman (John Wayne). Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States Harry Morgan (born Harry Bratsburg on April 10, 1915 in Detroit Michigan) is an Emmy -winning American television John Wayne ( May 26, 1907 &ndash June 11, 1979) was an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award -winning American The rebel realizes he has the opportunity to rid the South of two of its greatest enemies and tries to shoot them, leaving Zeb no choice but to kill him. Afterwards, Zeb rejoins the army.

When the war finally ends, he returns home, only to find his mother has died. She had lost the will to live after learning that Linus had been killed in the fighting. Zeb gives his share of the family farm to his brother and leaves in search of a more interesting life.

The Railroad (1860s)

The construction of railroad.

Following the daring riders from the Pony Express and the construction of the transcontinental telegraph line in the early 1860s, two ferociously competing railroad lines, the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad, one building west and the other east, open up new territory to eager settlers. The Pony Express was a fast Mail service crossing the North American continent from St The Central Pacific Railroad was the California-to-Utah portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in North America

Zeb becomes a lieutenant in the U. S. cavalry, keeping peace with the Indians with the help of buffalo hunter Jethro Stuart (Henry Fonda), an old friend of Linus. Henry Jaynes Fonda ( May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American Academy Award -winning Film and When ruthless railroad man Mike King (Richard Widmark) violates a treaty by building on Indian territory, the Sioux Indians retaliate by stampeding buffalo through his camp. Richard Widmark ( December 26, 1914 &ndash March 24, 2008) was an American Actor of Films stage, Sioux (pronounced SUE are a Native American and First Nations people Disgusted, Zeb resigns and heads to Arizona.

The Outlaws (1880s)

The desperadoes who want to rob the train.

In San Francisco, widowed Lily auctions off her possessions (she and Cleve had made and spent several fortunes) to pay her debts. She travels to Arizona, inviting Zeb and his family to oversee her remaining asset, a ranch.

Zeb (now a marshal), his wife Julie (Carolyn Jones) and their children meet Lily at Gold City's train station. Carolyn Sue Jones ( April 28, 1930 — August 3, 1983) was an American Actress, best remembered for playing the role However, Zeb also runs into an old enemy there, Charlie Gant (Eli Wallach). Eli Herschel Wallach (born December 7, 1915) is an American BAFTA - Tony Award - and Emmy Award -winning and Golden When Gant makes veiled threats against his family, Zeb decides he has to act rather than wait for Gant to show up someday. Suspecting Gant of planning to rob an unusually large gold shipment being transported by train, he prepares an ambush with the reluctant help of his friend, Gold City's marshal, Lou Ramsey (Lee J. Cobb). Lee J Cobb ( December 8, 1911 – February 11, 1976) was an American Actor. Gant and his gang are killed in a shootout. In the end, Lily and the Rawlings travel to their new home.

Modern Los Angeles (1962)

A short epilogue shows Los Angeles in the early 1960s, with the famous four-lane freeway interchange downtown, indicating the growth of the West in eighty years.

Cast

Academy Awards and nominations

The movie won three Academy Awards for:

• Best Writing, Story and Screenplay — Written Directly for the Screen (James R. Webb)
• Best Film Editing
• Best Sound

It was also nominated for:

• Best Picture
• Academy Award for Best Art Direction — Set Decoration, Color
• Best Cinematography, Color
• Best Costume Design, Color
• Best Music, Score — Substantially Original (Alfred Newman and Ken Darby)

Production

A scene showing the visible joins resulting from the three-strip Cinerama process. Raymond Hart Massey ( August 30 1896 &ndash July 29 1983) was a Canadian -born American actor Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal Spencer Tracy ( April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was a two-time Academy Award -winning Actor of stage and "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best script not based upon previously published material James R Webb ( October 4, 1909 &ndash September 28, 1974) was an American writer The Academy Award for Film Editing was first given for films issued in 1934 The Academy Award for Sound Mixing is an Academy Award that recognizes the finest or most euphonic Sound mixing or recording The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working The Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a Cinematographer for work in one particular Motion picture. This Academy Award was first given for movies made in 1948 when separate awards were given for black-and-white and color movies The Academy Award for Original Music Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically Alfred Newman ( March 17, 1900 &ndash February 17, 1970) was a major American Composer of music for Films Ken Darby ( May 13 1909 - January 24 1992) was an American Academy Award and Grammy Award winning Composer, vocal Cinerama is the trademarked name for a Widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge deeply-curved

How the West was Won is one of only two feature films (the other being The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm) made using the three-strip Cinerama process. The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962 is a Cinerama film directed by Henry Levin, who had a long career directing movies such as Journey Cinerama is the trademarked name for a Widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge deeply-curved Although the picture quality when projected onto curved screens in theatres was stunning, attempts to convert the movie to a smaller screen suffer from that process's technical shortcomings. When shown on television in a Cinemascope print made from the original three-strip version, the joins between the three frames are clearly and sometimes glaringly visible; when seen in letterbox format the actors' faces are nearly indistinguishable in long shots. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic CinemaScope was a Widescreen movie format used from 1953 to 1967 Letterboxing is the practice of transferring Widescreen Film to Video formats while preserving the film's original aspect ratio. There have been efforts to put the three parts of the image together in a better way, and to make the Cinerama image look better on a flat screen, led by HP. ^[3] The aspect ratio of Cinerama was 2:59:1. The aspect ratio of an Image is its width divided by its height This list of Film formats catalogues formats developed for shooting or viewing Motion pictures, ranging from the Chronophotographe format from 1888 to mid-20th century

John Ford complained about having to dress such huge sets since Cinerama photographed a much wider view than the standard single camera process to which Hollywood directors had become accustomed.

Stuntman Bob Morgan, husband of Yvonne De Carlo, was severely injured and lost a leg during an accident while filming. Yvonne De Carlo ( September 1, 1922 &ndash January 8, 2007) was a Canadian -born American Film and ^[4]

Gallery

James Stewart	Henry Fonda	Gregory Peck	John Wayne
Carroll Baker	Walter Brennan and Brigid Bazlen	Lee J. Cobb	Carolyn Jones
Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead	George Peppard	Robert Preston	Debbie Reynolds
Thelma Ritter	Eli Wallach	Richard Widmark

References

External links

• How the West Was Won at the Internet Movie Database
• How the West Was Won at the TCM Movie Database
• An Amateurs Making Of HTWWW