DVD

How the West Was Won
Filmed in panoramic Cinerama, this star-studded, epic Western adventure is a true cinematic classic. Three legendary directors (Henry Hathaway, John Ford, and George Marshall) combine their skills to tell the story of three families and their travels from the Erie Canal to California between 1839 and 1889. Spencer Tracy narrates the film, which cost an estimated 15 million dollars to complete. In the first segment, "The Rivers," pioneer Zebulon Prescott (Karl Malden) sets out to settle in the West with his wife (Agnes Moorehead) and their four children. Along with other settlers and river pirates, they run into mountain man Linus Rawlings (James Stewart), who sells animal hides. The Prescotts try to raft down the Ohio River in a raft, but only daughters Lilith (Debbie Reynolds) and Eve (Carroll Baker) survive. Eve and Linus get married, while Lilith continues on. In the second segment, "The Plains," Lilith ends up singing in a saloon in St. Louis, but she really wants to head west in a wagon train led by Roger Morgan (Robert Preston). Along the way, she's accompanied by the roguish gambler Cleve Van Valen (Gregory Peck), who claims he can protect her. After he saves her life during an Indian attack, they get married and move to San Francisco. In the third segment, "The Civil War," Eve and Linus' son, Zeb (George Peppard), fights for the Union. After he's forced to kill his Confederate friend, he returns home and gives the family farm to his brother. In the fourth segment, "The Railroads," Zeb fights with his railroad boss (Richard Widmark), who wants to cut straight through Indian territory. Zeb's co-worker Jethro (Henry Fonda) refuses to cut through the land, so he quits and moves to the mountains. After the railway camp is destroyed, Zeb heads for the mountains to visit him. In the fifth segment, "The Outlaws," Lilith is an old widow traveling from California to Arizona to stay with her nephew Zeb on his ranch. However, he has to fight a gang of desperadoes first. How the West Was Won garnered three Oscars, for screenplay, film editing, and sound production. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Cast James Stewart as Linus Rawlings Henry Fonda as Jethro Stuart Gregory Peck as Cleve Van Valen Debbie Reynolds as Lilith Prescott Richard Widmark as Mike King George Peppard as Zeb Rawlings Karl Malden as Zebulon Prescott John Wayne as Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman Carolyn Jones as Julie Rawlings Robert Preston as Roger Morgan Eli Wallach as Charlie Gant Carroll Baker as Eve Prescott Lee J. Cobb as Marshal Lou Ramsey Brigid Bazlen as Dora Hawkins Walter Brennan as Col. Hawkins David Brian as Attorney Andy Devine as Corporal Peterson Raymond Massey as Abraham Lincoln Agnes Moorehead as Rebecca Prescott Thelma Ritter as Agathe Clegg Mickey Shaughnessy as Dep. Stover Russ Tamblyn as Confederate deserter

Crew George W. Davis - Art Director William Ferrari - Art Director Addison Hehr - Art Director Robert Sidney - Choreography Walter Plunkett - Costume Designer Wingate Smith - First Assistant Director Robert Saunders - First Assistant Director William Shanks - First Assistant Director William McGarry - First Assistant Director George Marshall - Director John Ford - Director Henry Hathaway - Director Harold Kress - Editor Ken Darby - Composer (Music Score) Alfred Newman - Composer (Music Score) Whiskeyhill Singers - Songwriter Dave Guard - Songwriter Johnny Mercer - Songwriter William J. Tuttle - Makeup William H. Daniels - Cinematographer Milton Krasner - Cinematographer Joseph La Shelle - Cinematographer Charles B. Lang - Cinematographer Harold E. Wellman - Cinematographer Bernard Smith - Producer Don Greenwood, Jr. - Set Designer Jack Mills - Set Designer Henry W. Grace - Set Designer Arnold A. Gillespie - Special Effects Robert R. Hoag - Special Effects Loren Janes - Stunts James R. Webb - Screenwriter

How the West Was Won
(not reviewed)
 

Addison Hehr: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Art Direction (nominated) Alfred Newman: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Score (nominated) Charles B. Lang: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Cinematography (nominated) Don Greenwood, Jr.: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Art Direction (nominated) Franklin E. Milton: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Sound (winner) George W. Davis: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Art Direction (nominated) Harold Kress: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Editing (winner) Henry W. Grace: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Art Direction (nominated) Jack Mills: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Art Direction (nominated) James R. Webb: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Joseph La Shelle: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Cinematography (nominated) Ken Darby: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Score (nominated) Milton Krasner: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Cinematography (nominated) Walter Plunkett: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Costume Design (nominated) William Ferrari: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Art Direction (nominated) William H. Daniels: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Color Cinematography (nominated)

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Picture (nominated) Library of Congress, U.S. National Film Registry (winner) National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: "The Making of How the West Was Won" Interactive menus Scene access Languages: English and Français Subtitles: English, Français, and Español DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1: Theatre Wide-Screen MPAA Rating: G DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 155 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 0. Scene Selections 1. Overture [4:27] 2. Credits [3:18] 3. Five Generations Ago [6:29] 4. The Erie Canal [3:26] 5. Linus Rawlings [7:42] 6. "Gone!" [2:33] 7. The Likker Pit [4:54] 8. Unsavory Dealings [5:58] 9. "Rapids Ahead!" [4:37] 10. "Oh, Linus." [4:52] 11. St. Louis: a Goldmine [5:16] 12. Alone and Single [3:56] 13. Westward the Women [4:35] 14. Raise a Ruckus [3:39] 15. Mr. Morgan Proposes [2:14] 16. "Cheyenne!" [4:31] 17. Cleve Returns: a Bust [3:26] 18. What Was Your Name [4:14] 19. Lily and Cleve [3:55] 20. Intermission and Entr'Acte [5:08] 21. Zeb Goes for a Soldier [7:52] 22. The Deserters [4:49] 23. Sherman and Grant [3:56] 24. Zeb Returns [4:55] 25. Railroad Troubles [7:16] 26. The Peacekeepers [4:22] 27. White Lies, Red War [10:17] 28. Lily Meets Hard Times [5:52] 29. Charlie Gant [6:40] 30. Gunning For Gant [11:39] 31. Home in the Meadow [4:45] 32. Exit Music [2:42]