How the West Was Won Movie Information

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Movie Information

Overall Rank: 4739

Average Rating: 2.7/4

# of Ratings: 55

Theatrical Release Date: 02/20/1963

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 09/09/2008

Language: English

Genre: Adventure, Drama

MPAA Rating: G

Director: John Ford, Henry Hathaway

Actors: Carroll Baker, Lee J. Cobb, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden, Gregory Peck

Plot: An epic saga of the Prescott family that covers four generations from the construction of the Erie Canal to gold rush to the Civil War to the pioneering railroad system and all the triumphs and tragedies that come from living through those times. -- Chris Kavan

Logan D. McCoy - wrote on 05/08/2023

"How the West Was Won," a delectable Thanksgiving feast of a western, paints an episodic mural of the New Frontier with fables full of all the tropes, characters, and set pieces that audiences watch and love westerns for.

dukeakasmudge - wrote on 09/28/2011

Good movie but very long.I fell asleep after awhile

TheWolf - wrote on 08/20/2007

James R. Webb's original screenplay for the screen won an Oscar in 1962 and it involves an episodic account of the Presscott family and their contribution to settling the American west in the 19th century. We first meet the Presscotts, Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead going west on the Erie Canal and later by flatboat on the Ohio River. They have two daughters, dreamy romantic Carroll Baker and feisty Debbie Reynolds. The girls meet and marry mountain man James Stewart and gambler Gregory Peck eventually and their adventures and those of their children are what make up the plot of How the West Was Won. This was the first film recorded in Cinerama that is not a documentary.

Looneymanthegreat
Producer

What fun!

Looneymanthegreat - wrote on 04/13/2013

The western used to be a big deal. Back in the hay day of actors like John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart Western flicks made tons of money. It’s actually kind of refreshing that there was a time when a film like How the West Was Won could have been made.

How the West was won is a tribute to the west, not just the cinematic west, but the historical one. The movie uses a series of very loosely connected story lines to give examples of the sort of people populated the western United States. It’s a fitting send off to the men and women who made our today, and a fitting history lesson to boot.

This movie just screams a huge budget. This movie never takes short cuts in its production and it shows. The film is breathtaking in its scope.

Honestly it isn’t a great film, but it’s …

Daniel Corleone
Movie God

How The West Was Won review

Daniel Corleone - wrote on 01/28/2012

A movie with an all-star cast about four generations of a family in the 1800’s. It involves the Prescott’s and perilous rapids. Next would be the story of Lily (Debbie Reynolds) and Cleve (Gregory Peck) being attacked by Indians. The American Civil war involving Zeb (George Peppard), Generals Ulysses S. Grant (Harry Morgan) and William Tecumseh Sherman (John Wayne) was narrated. Jethro Stuart (Henry Fonda) is then introduced, a buffalo hunter, gets in trouble with Mike King (Richard Widmark). Zeb (George Peppard) encounters Charlie Gant (Eli Wallach) and asks assistance from Gold City's marshal, Lou Ramsey (Lee J. Cobb).

The film had one of the best cinematography onscreen with various locations, the costumes were extravagant while the camera direction splendid. It’s score …