How the West Was Won (1962)

Cast

John Wayne
as Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman
Gregory Peck
as Cleve Van Valen
Eli Wallach
as Charlie Gant
James Stewart
as Linus Rawlings

Get more information about How the West Was Won (1962) on IMDb

Genres & Description

Action History Western

7.1 / 10

Setting off on a journey to the west in the 1830s, the Prescott family run into a man named Linus, who helps them fight off a pack of thieves. Linus then marries daughter Eve Prescott (Carroll Baker), and 30 years later goes off to fight in the Civil War with their son, with bloody results. Eve's sister, Lily, heads farther west and has adventures with a professional gambler, stretching all the way to San Francisco and into the 1880s.

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Comments on this trailer
Comments may include spoiler!

Ricky Carr

I'm proud of my American heritage! The Nazis and the KKK were once a serious threat, but that threat has been replaced by the new evil...the progressives! - @Sunday, November 19, 2017 8:32 AM

Jallerrøv Larsen

i hoped for led zeppelin - @Wednesday, May 31, 2017 3:06 PM

Sukar Noriega

I put like gust because george peppard in it - @Monday, January 30, 2017 4:13 PM

Rinrin Rin

Exit Music (Finale Ultimo) The promised land - the promised land - the promised land! The promised land, the land of plenty rich with gold Here came dreamers with Bible, fist and gun Bound for land, across the plains their wagons rolled Hell bent for leather - that's how the West was won Side by side they tamed the savage prairie land (note: the songbook says "stride by stride") Nothing stopped them - no wind nor rain nor sun Side by side these pioneers from ev'ry land All pulled together - that's how the West was won And they sang of the day when they would rest their boots In a land where the still waters flow Where the dreams of a man and wife could put down roots And their love and the seeds of love would grow And grow and grow! Dream by dream they built a nation on this land Forged in freedom for ev'ry mother's son Here it is, the beautiful the promised land We won't forget them and how the West was won! - END - - @Tuesday, January 3, 2017 6:35 PM

njpete987

I have such fond memories of this 3-hour masterpiece. Filmed in "Cinerama." - @Friday, December 30, 2016 7:00 PM

John Spektr

When she was on top of the world! RIP Debbie Renolds, today 12-28-16. - @Thursday, December 29, 2016 2:39 AM

Ralf Vogel

Birdy was here too - @Saturday, November 5, 2016 2:24 AM

Emma Johnson

John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, and Gregory Peck?! How have I not yet seen this... - @Tuesday, July 19, 2016 11:27 PM

ORPHEVS

C'EST DE LA MERDE PUTAIN ! - @Thursday, March 31, 2016 2:30 PM

Le Nouveau Buzz

Supprimé cette merde - @Thursday, March 31, 2016 2:26 PM

Le Nouveau Buzz

C'est de la daube - @Thursday, March 31, 2016 2:22 PM

Dat homie Rabbit

And don't forget the racism they forgot to mention - @Wednesday, December 30, 2015 7:55 AM

Tamsin Parker Art

Basically the cast of 'Baby Doll' among many others. - @Saturday, November 21, 2015 7:07 PM

David Mayhew

I saw this at the Orpheum theater in S.F. It was just thrilling!! The thrill of the opening light on the screen as the huge curtain divided and everyone was transported into this gorgeous wonderland. Every Cinerama film was a huge event! I didn't much care about the finer points of the film, it was the scale and magic of Cinerama! I believe that it all culminated in 2001 Space Odyssey, I suppose for many it was Star Wars. The film played for months on end and then was repeatedly brought back. We just loved it!! The audiences were mesmerized! You'd leave the theater in this otherworldly kind of trance. It was a special time. - @Monday, October 19, 2015 3:47 AM

ALLNEWSUX

Every movie made before and after this masterpiece must compare their cast to the cast of 'How The West Was Won' and just be ashamed...a wonderful story of our country - @Monday, October 5, 2015 5:09 AM

John Jarou

debbie reynolds MADE this movie. - @Monday, September 28, 2015 10:03 PM

Bawookles

"Debbie Reynolds who left the frontier for a gayer life!"....snicker - @Sunday, January 25, 2015 7:33 PM

Max Power

Just received the Blu-ray and it is quite stunning. But I bet it doesn't compare to the big screen Cinerama version! - @Friday, September 5, 2014 10:56 PM

Kathleen Pfeiffer

I remember seeing this in Cinerama and being awe filled! The music score is one of the best ever IMHO. - @Thursday, September 4, 2014 6:53 AM

Josh Brett

Looks good - @Sunday, April 27, 2014 7:34 PM

Loïck M'béké

Mdr non vraiment c'etait pas moi - @Monday, February 3, 2014 6:08 PM

Loïck M'béké

Twès bonne videow sur les fwewes blancs - @Monday, February 3, 2014 5:56 PM

florian jotteur

pomme de reinette et pomme tapiiis tapis tapis rouuugeee pomme de reinette et pomme tapiiis tapis tapis gris ;) - @Monday, February 3, 2014 5:44 PM

sebygon

Celui qu'a fait Margaux s'est pris un gros coup de flip mdr (Loick grillé) - @Saturday, February 1, 2014 5:02 PM

Salomon Ruben David Isaac

Mazheltov pour ce film - @Saturday, February 1, 2014 4:59 PM

sebygon

TS6 TS6 TS6 Les rois de la souris - @Saturday, February 1, 2014 4:52 PM

Loïck M'béké

TS6 RPZ - @Saturday, February 1, 2014 3:18 PM

AmericanIsraeliJew

Thank you pioneers of the American West and G-d bless your souls wherever you are. - @Saturday, January 25, 2014 3:00 AM

Bozhestvo Smerti

the 1st expandable I suppose... - @Monday, January 20, 2014 6:58 PM

Raitis Freimanis

Now that's what I call a line-up! - @Tuesday, December 17, 2013 7:48 AM

Eastwood Unforgiven

Should be titled "how the west was stolen from the indians" - @Thursday, November 21, 2013 11:54 PM

Soundtrack Fred

well, they did their best at the time..i bought the bluray of that epic movie and well, the stripes are GONE. what just is there is the fantastic panorama and beautiful colors - @Monday, October 28, 2013 12:24 PM

mustang6172

Saw this on TCM. They tried to letterbox for the curved screen by giving the film a bow tie shape. Trippiest movie I ever saw. - @Saturday, August 17, 2013 3:34 AM

Jimmy Zappa

He actually got the idea from the Flash Gordon serials. - @Thursday, July 4, 2013 3:20 PM

retrogaming

"Awesome violence and lusty old West fun." That's an interesting description for a fairly conservative movie. - @Monday, June 24, 2013 1:06 PM

XieYali

Love Cinerama!! - @Wednesday, June 12, 2013 12:20 PM

zeromant80

Why the 2 line strips? - @Tuesday, June 11, 2013 4:36 AM

guiseppe costigan jnr

the word epic was invented for this film - @Sunday, June 9, 2013 7:59 PM

Gary Coleman

Simply the truth. Andrew Jackson was a genocidal maniac. - @Tuesday, May 14, 2013 11:40 PM

luis salazar

I love how all old movies used to say in their trailers "THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE YOU WILL EVER SEE IN YOUR LIFE" - @Monday, April 22, 2013 9:52 PM

EditMania3DStar

Oh. so this is the film George Lucas had the idea to make the opening letters scrolling go up. This looks REALLY GOOD. But i see the 3 film strips lines, lol. The train scene in the trailer looks a bit odd, like they tried to condense a huge panorama into one shot, lol. The left side looks shrinked, lol. - @Saturday, March 23, 2013 6:02 PM

Cool2BCeltic

A great and unsurpassable and unique film. - @Saturday, December 22, 2012 11:07 PM

Barry I. Grauman

Art Gilmore is the announcer. This film is best viewed on a "curved" screen, as presented in "Cinerama"-equipped theaters. - @Saturday, October 20, 2012 4:47 AM

joseph machol

great film,and an hall of fame cast.this is a masterpiece and a must see for all western fans. - @Thursday, September 20, 2012 7:01 PM

Bob .Grant

Beautiful photography. - @Tuesday, July 31, 2012 10:42 PM

Omniscient

A better title for the film would be: How The West Was Not Won. But it's the most beautifully photographed film I've ever seen and is always worth viewing just for that. I find the story rambling; very little of it engages. Great music too! - @Tuesday, July 3, 2012 6:45 AM

TheCowboyRaider

The best western ever,joint first with The Searchers - @Thursday, June 14, 2012 7:58 PM

reekskete

I want to see this move cinerama. - @Thursday, May 31, 2012 2:50 PM

David Lucas

Let me submit an impartial review of this film--yes, the spectacle scenes are impressive, but MY GOD, how this movie's script won an Oscar is beyond me. Karl Malden overacts shamelessly. And this film not winning Best Picture? Simple--"Lawrence of Arabia" was way better. With every western cliche thrown in I tend to agree with the critic that wrote "It should be called 'How The West Was Done--To Death.'" But I heard this was the first movie Kevin Costner saw, inspiring his love of westerns. - @Friday, May 18, 2012 7:43 AM

SCHRUBBE1966

I would stay up all night as a little kid to watch this movie played around christmas time. - @Monday, May 7, 2012 2:20 AM