The Covered Wagon (1923)

Director:

James Cruze

Writers:

Emerson Hough (novel)
Jack Cunningham (adaptation)

Release Date:

8 September 1924 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance | Western

Tagline:

The cowards never started: - The weak died on the way.

Plot:

Two wagon caravans converge at what is now Kansas City, and combine for the westward push to Oregon...

Plot Keywords:

Ménage À Trois | Partially Lost Film | Based On Novel

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

J. Warren Kerrigan	...	Will Banion
Lois Wilson	...	Molly Wingate
Alan Hale	...	Sam Woodhull
Ernest Torrence	...	William Jackson
Tully Marshall	...	Jim Bridger
Ethel Wales	...	Mrs. Wingate
Charles Ogle	...	Jesse Wingate
Guy Oliver	...	Kit Carson
Johnny Fox	...	Jed Wingate
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Cruze	...	Indian (scenes deleted)
Frank Albertson	...	Bit (uncredited)
Constance Wilson	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
James Cruze

Writing credits
Emerson Hough		(novel)
Jack Cunningham		(adaptation)

Produced by
Jesse L. Lasky	....	producer

Original Music by
Manny Baer
Hugo Riesenfeld
J.S. Zamecnik

Cinematography by
Karl Brown

Film Editing by
Dorothy Arzner

Costume Design by
Howard Greer

Art Department
Delmer Daves	....	props

Stunts
Jack Padjan	....	stunt double: J. Warren Kerrigan (as Jack Padjeon)
Spike Spackman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Edwin W. Willat	....	still photographer
Irvin Willat	....	assistant camera

Other crew
Ennice G. Anderson	....	historical advisor
Tim McCoy	....	liaison: Indians
A.E. Sheldon	....	historical advisor
Yakima Jim	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Ed Jones	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1923) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Movies Unlimited (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

A Caravana Gloriosa (Portugal) [pt]
Caravana de Oregón, La (Spain) [es]
Caravane vers l'Ouest, La (France) [fr]
Karawana (Poland) [pl]
Karawane des Westens, Die (Austria) [de]
Karawane, Die (Germany) [de]
Pionieri, I (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

De Forest Phonofilm | Silent

Certification:

Portugal:17 (director's cut)

Filming Locations:

Antelope Island, Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

Company:

Famous Players-Lasky Corporation

Trivia:

J. Warren Kerrigan had fallen out of favor with the industry by the time he was cast in this film. James Cruze, with who he had a long friendship and professional relationship, cast him more or less as a favor.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Movie Memories (1935)

Circle the Wagons

The first great western epic, The Covered Wagon established many of the cliches that appear in many subsequent westerns, both "A" and "B" features alike.

Here for the first time, we have the wagon train of eastern settlers trekking west in search of a new land and a new start. We have the circling of the wagons in preparation for the Indian attack, the attack itself and the ride to the rescue of the besieged wagons.

Cruze captures the feel of what a real wagon train journey must have been like. The long lines of slow moving covered wagons, the dusty trails, life and death situations on the prairie, as well as the celebrations around the campfire.

The sub-plot of boy-girl-villain is "B" western calibre, however, the players carry it of admirably. J. Warren Kerrigan as the hero is adequate but not memorable. The lovely Lois Wilson as the heroine and a young Alan Hale as the villain are much better. It is curious that the Cruze portrayed legendary mountain man Jim Bridger (Tully Marshall) as an absent-minded, liquor swilling comedy relief.

The ending is strictly Hollywood. Boy gets girl of course and the villain is defeated, but I thought that the final shoot-out left a little to be desired.

Despite its apparent faults, The Covered Wagon remains today as powerful a film as it must have been in 1923.