An overview of the colonisation of the central and western USA is told via various episodic tales of the trials and triumphs of several generations of one family.This 1962 movie was an Event as much as a film. It ran for nearly 3 hours, it featured a large number of big stars in roles from major down to cameos, and it was a Cinerama presentation - 3 linked cameras filmed 3 linked images which were projected on 3 linked screens which ran in a near semicircle, engaging the audience's peripheral vision.And that, in a nutshell, is both the film's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. For the very nature of Cinerama mean that the film is necessarily composed throughout in wide angle shots, many of which are simply gorgeous landscape vistas or shots of spectacular action. Conversely, given the choice to tell the story through one family, it turns out to be very difficult to convey intimacy when you can't use closeups. There are further problems, especially with sideways camera movements or lateral action - the fact that the left and right thirds of the image were at an angle to the audience plays tricks on a flat screen.It is nice to report that good work has been done on the remaster: the vertical lines where the 3 images met have been largely rendered unnoticeable where, previously, they were quite jarring on a TV screen.As for the film itself, putting to one side image issues (good and bad) and the starry cast list - well, it's OK. It tells a big story in general terms, and tells it tolerably well (but not brilliantly). Definitely well worth a watch, though.

Brilliantly titled, "How the West Was Won" was originally released in a super-widescreen format known as "Cinerama". This was meant to duplicate the human vision span. The film had to be shot using three cameras, with the resulting three pictures segued into a final product. The right and left portions would be slightly curved. MGM's epic looked great in theaters and was a big hit for producer Bernard Smith and the crew. However, the "Cinerama" process had its limitations. Full-screen close-ups were not possible. The positioning of players and sets was difficult to align. And, the lines dividing the separate images were sometimes detectable, especially when released on home video and aired on television...The problems in watching "How the West Was Won" have been fixed, however. The latest home video restoration and current airings on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) look fine. The film's greatest strength is its sprawling landscape, which beautifully compliments the story. Still, there will come a point, relatively early in the running time, when the "Cinerama" limitations make viewing dull. The failure to get close to the performers slows the pace and takes away some of the story's intimacy. Incredibly, John Wayne looks small...The all-star cast is credited alphabetically, but some of the performers are seen more often than others. Initially, you will presume the film stars James Stewart (as Linus Rawlings). However, Mr. Stewart is only the leading man in the first (of five) segments. Even at a distance, Stewart looks amusingly miscast as a hot young stud. The main star is young frontier woman and singer Debbie Reynolds (as Lilith Prescott). Uniting the segments, Ms. Reynolds goes from teenager to family matriarch. She sings and dances, too. The soundtrack music, by Alfred Newman, is very appealing. Ken Darby and others contribute memorably to standards like "Shenandoah" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home".****** How the West Was Won (1962-11-01) Henry Hathaway ~ Debbie Reynolds, George Peppard, Gregory Peck, James Stewart

How the West Was Won (1962) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Epic and landmark Western has three directors telling the story of a group of travelers heading from the East and marking on a journey through the West. Throughout the decades we see them heading out West and then taking part in a variety of stories including those dealing with the railroad, The Civil War and a grand voyage down a dangerous river.An epic such as this could only be filmed in the then hyped up Cinerama and of course you needed epic directors like John Ford, Henry Hathaway and George Marshall to bring it to the screen. Throw in the all-star cast and you're really left with a film that has to be seen and, if you can, see it on as large as a screen as possible. Thankfully I got to view the film in the theater and it's certainly unlike many other adventures on the screen. I think a lot of the credit has to go to the Cinerama. Yes, you get two black lines down the screen and it's easy to see why this gimmick didn't last but at the same time, looking back at these films today, they're just something unique about such a wide image.There's no question that there are some flaws to be found in the film and this includes the actual stories. Even though we've got a running time of 166-minutes, that's still not long enough to really tell the history of the West so what we've got is small stories set during these historic events. The first two stories before the intermission deals with love stories, which might sound corny but it actually works quite well and just think how many years this was before TITANIC. The stories themselves are all "B" material but you're still highly entertained thanks to the director's work behind the scenes as well as the excellent cast members. You can look up the cast yourself and just see how many legends are on one screen. Some like John Wayne just make cameo appearances but there's still some very good work here by the likes of James Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, Gregory Peck, Carroll Baker and Richard Widmark.The Cinerama is something that's hotly debated by film buffs but I think the locations are beautifully captured here. The scenery just leaps off the screen and especially early on. The sequence dealing with the family moving down the river is full of adventure and excitement. Once the twist in the story happens and Stewart must seek revenge, there's no question that it packs a punch. The wagon trail sequence with Peck is also extremely entertaining and features some great action. I actually found Ford's stuff with The Civil War to be the weakest element of the picture but things pick up for the climax and a wonderful shoot out on a train.HOW THE WEST WAS WON certainly has a fair amount of flaws but there's still no question that it's one of the most beautiful films to look at and it features a terrific cast so there's no getting bored through the long running time. If you're going to see the film it's certainly best that you try to seek it out on as big as a screen as possible, the way it was meant to be seen.

Turbulent and mighty story about a family saga set against the background of wars and historical deeds ; covering several decades of Westward expansion in the nineteenth century--including the Gold Rush , the Civil War, , Pony Express , Telegraph , confrontation between cattlemen and homesteaders . And of course , the building of the railroads and career between Union Pacific and Central Pacific to arrive in Promontory Point ; among other epic events . As a family of Western settlers from the 1830s to the 1880s , beginning with their voyage on The Eerie Canal and going on to encompass a Civil War battle and other happenings .The picture gets great action , expansive Western settings , shootouts , love stories , it is quite entertaining and there some some scenes still rate with the best of the West , including marvelous moments along the way . It efficiently describes an attractive panoramic view of the American Western focusing on the tribulations , trials and travels of three generations of a family . It's a big budget film with good actors , technicians, production values and pleasing results . Awesome as well as spectacular scenes such as an exciting white-water rafting sequence , a train robbery , a thundering buffalo stampede and Indian attacks . The Civil War is the shortest part and the weakest including a brief acting by John Wayne as General Sheridan and Harry Morgan as General Ulysses S Grant . Particularly supreme for its all-star cast list with some actors epitomising the spirit of the early West , at least as Hollywood saw it , including a Mountain man as James Stewart , a rogue card player , Gregory Peck , and Debbie Reynolds is notable here as a gorgeous dancer seeking fame and fortune . Not many of the players have a chance to register as a bearded Henry Fonda as a scout , Walter Brennan , Lee Van Cleef , Agnes Moorehead , Ken Curtis , Raymond Massey as Abraham Lincoln , Agnes Moorehead , Thelma Ritter , Mickey Shaughnessy , Russ Tamblyn and an interminable list ,Impressive cinematography filmed in Cinerama, and photographed in splendorous Metrocolor , though it loses much of its breathtaking visual impact on TV but otherwise holds up pretty well . All four cinematographers were Oscar-winners such as William H. Daniels , Milton R. Krasner , Milton Krasner , Charles Lang Jr and Joseph LaShelle . Rousing musical score by the classical Alfred Newman , including an immortal leitmotif . The motion picture was spectacularly directed by three veteran filmmakers , they were enlisted by producer Bernard Smith to handle the multi-part frontier stories relating exciting exploits of an ordinary family . Of the five segments, Henry Hathaway directed "The Rivers", "The Plains" and "The Outlaws", John Ford directed "The Civil War" and George Marshall did "The Railroad". Some uncredited work was done by Richard Thorpe. The picture won Oscar 63 to Film editing , Sound , Story and Screenplay . Rating : Extraordinary film , essential and indispensable watching . It's a magnificent example of the kind of old-fashioned blockbuster just don't make anymore .