A 1967 Western epic that attempted to revive the grand scale of pioneer cinema
In short: Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, The Way West brought an exceptional cast to the screen in 1967. While it aimed to capture the harrowing reality of the 1843 Oregon Trail, the film became known for its disjointed narrative, controversial sexual themes, and a production history marked by studio-mandated cuts.
The Way West follows a wagon train led by the ambitious former U.S. Senator William Tadlock, played by Kirk Douglas. Alongside mountain man Dick Summers, portrayed by Robert Mitchum, the group traverses the American frontier toward the Willamette Valley. The film is based on the 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by A. B. Guthrie Jr. and features notable performances from Richard Widmark and Sally Field, who made her mark in a role that contributed to the film's reputation for pushing the boundaries of 1967 movie norms.
The production is perhaps most famous for a sequence depicting pioneers lowering wagons over a cliff using ropes, a feat not seen on such a scale since the 1930 film The Big Trail. Despite this technical ambition and the work of cinematographer William H. Clothier, the film struggled with critics. Reviews often compared it unfavorably to the work of John Ford, describing the narrative as a series of rushed, disconnected incidents rather than a cohesive story. United Artists even requested that 22 minutes be cut from the opening to tighten the pacing.
The plot centers on the moral and physical toll of the journey. After a tragic incident involving a Lakota Sioux chief's son, Tadlock executes a member of the party to prevent a massacre, sparking deep resentment among the settlers. As the trek continues, Tadlock’s grief over his own son’s death turns him into a despot, leading to internal power struggles. Ultimately, the film concludes with Tadlock’s death at the hands of a grieving widow, leaving the remaining settlers to finish the journey while the guide, Summers, departs into the unknown.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Way West (film)
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