HOW THE WEST WAS WON

US, 1962, 157 minutes, Colour.
Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Debbie Reynolds, Carroll Baker, James Stewart, Karl Malden, Richard Widmark, Robert Preston, Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Eli Wallach, John Wayne, Brigid Bazlen, Walter Brennan, David Brian, Agnes Moorehead, Russ Tamblyn, Thelma Ritter, Henry Morgan, Lee Van Cleef. Narrated by Spencer Tracy.

Directors: The Civil War, John Ford; The Railroad, George Marshall. The majority of the film was directed by Henry Hathaway.

How the West Was Won was a big film of its day. Filmed in Cinerama, it showed the scope of the American Western and its tribute to the American pioneering spirit. Many stars appear in the variety of episodes. Technically the film is spectacular, although the Cinerama origins are evident in lines seen on the screen where the images are joined. The music is also rousing. The film was directed by veteran Henry Hathaway. The Civil War section, directed by John Ford, is worth noting.

1. How successful as a Western epic was the film? Its overall impact? An American response to this history and heritage of the west? For a non-American audience?

2 The use of Cinerama and wide screen techniques, location photography, the episodic structure of the film, the use of colour, musical themes, time-span, the narrative and its patriotic tone, the modern and patriotic ending, the list of stars?

3. What picture of America was presented in the film? What presuppositions about Americans and American history? Aspects like pioneering,: courage, the families, settling down, the dangers, confidence tricksters, war, the building up of towns, money, law and order, railways, outlaws, the growth of civilization? What is particularly characteristic of the American west? How optimistic was the film? The implications of the title and the glory and achievement of the west?

4. Rivers: the picture of the Prescott family, the individuals, the group and the hopes, going down the Eyrie canal, daughters out in the west, the sequence of the rapids, the parents' deaths, the pirates and Linus's rescuing them? Was this a fair picture of pioneering days? How strong was the development of characters? The presentation of the feeling behind pioneering? The use of songs? The emphasis on Linus as a hero and mountain man, his coming to help, his decision to settle, his relationship with Lilith? With Eve? The man and woman pioneering in the wilderness?

5. Plains: the emphasis on Lilith and the change on the previous story, the picture of St. Louis life, Lilith's admirers, the ethos of gambling, Cleve as the suave hero-villain? The story of the inheritance, the picturing of the Wagon-train and the Indians; Morgan as a character and his rivalry with Cleve for Lilith? The picture of the steamboats, the picture of San Francisco? The development of characters in this section? The complicated opening up of the west? The picture of the Indians in the west?

6. Civil War: was it evident that this section was made by a different director? The picture of Zeb and his farewell? The brother who did not go to war? Eve and her heritage and the next generation? The picture of the Civil War and the explanation? Grant and Sherman? The temptation to desert? The Southern deserter and his deception? Zeb's heroism? The nature and impact of war? The horror? Its impact in America's history? Zeb's return and his decision to stay in the army? The quality of character in this segment?

7. Railroads: yet another director, was this evident? The picture of Zeb as an American hero? The mountain man? His work in the frontier? The question of the railways? Mike King and his pressurising? The question of land grabbing? Stampedes? What insight into the problems of the west?

8. Outlaws: the continuing saga of Zeb? The family and the growing generation? Lou and law and order? Gant as the typical criminal of the west? The picture of Lilith in old age and the picture of continuity of the story through the generations? The adventure on the train? The lawman saving the west? The picture of civilization and the building up of modern American cities? How interesting, how convincing?

9. The film had a happy ending? Was this appropriate for American history? The patriotism and optimism of the postscript?

10. How successful was this film as entertainment? As a picture of American values?