The Big Trail

The Big Trail
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Raoul Walsh
Screenplay by	Jack Peabody Marie Boyle Florence Postal Fred Serser
Story by	Hal G. Evarts
Based on	The California and Oregon Trail 1849 book by Francis Parkman, Jr.
Produced by	Raoul Walsh
Starring	John Wayne Marguerite Churchill El Brendel
Cinematography	Lucien Andriot Arthur Edeson
Edited by	Jack Dennis
Music by	(all uncredited) R. H. Bassett Peter Brunelli Alfred Dalby Arthur Kay Jack Virgil
Production company	Fox Film Corporation
Distributed by	Fox Film Corporation
Release date	November 1, 1930 (1930-11-01)
Running time	122 min. 70mm version 108 min. 35mm version
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1,250,000[1]

The Big Trail is a 1930 American pre-Code Western early widescreen film shot on location across the American West starring 23-year-old John Wayne in his first leading role and directed by Raoul Walsh. It is the final completed film to feature Tyrone Power Sr. before his death in 1931, as well as his only sound role.

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 70mm Grandeur wide-screen process used in filming".^[2][3][4]