The Big Trail

A wagon train with twenty thousand Midwest pioneers blazes a trail through the treacherous Oregon wilderness expanding the American landscape into the Pacific Northwest. Experience director Raoul Walsh's and writer Hal G. Evarts' epic Americana saga. In his first starring role, John Wayne (Stagecoach) plays Breck Coleman a young scout who leads the caravan while seeking vengeance for the death of a friend. Courageously, he leads the pioneers through untold dangers including attacks by Indians, buffalo stampedes, snowstorms, rough terrain and hunger. Along the way, Coleman is charmed by the lovely and vulnerable young trekker, Ruth Cameron (Marguerite Churchill) who is travelling with her younger siblings. However, he finds he must defend her and his fellow travellers from the ruthless wagon master Red Flack (Tyrone Power, Sr.), his lackey, Lopez (Charles Stevens), and a hustler, Bill Thorpe (Ian Keith), whose bad habits make the journey more perilous for everyone.