The Big Trail

The Big Trail is a 1930 American Pre-Code early widescreen movie shot on location across the American West starring John Wayne in his first leading role and directed by Raoul Walsh.

In 2006, the United States Library of Congress deemed this film "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry, saying "the plot of a trek along the Oregon Trail is aided immensely by the majestic sweep provided by the experimental Grandeur wide-screen process used in filming."

Pre-production

After the film was given the greenlight by the producers at Fox Studios in early 1930, Walsh offered the lead to actor Gary Cooper, who couldn't accept it. He then asked friend and fellow director John Ford for suggestions: Ford recommended a then-unknown named John Wayne because he “liked the looks of this new kid with a funny walk, like he owned the world.” When Wayne professed inexperience, Walsh told him to just “sit good on a horse and point.” Filming began on-location just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico in April 1930, which was unheard of at the time and quickly became very costly to the studio.