'THE BIG TRAIL'

Evening Star, Issue 20780, 30 April 1931, Page 9

'THE BIG TRAIL'

PRINCESS SCORES EPIC FILM No more ambitious picture has over been put on tho screen than ‘ The Big Trail,’ the Fox Movietone production which will open to-morrow at tho Princess Theatre. No picture has succeeded more completely in doing what it set out to, do. ‘ ifho Big Trail’ is a tribute to the men and women who built tho American West, and no ono seeing the film can remain unimpressed, or can subdue a feeling of admiration for the pioneers of that rich land. Raoul Walsh, who directed the picture, must be set down as a genius. His painstaking work has produced a record which will endure in tho minds of those who see tho film. A striking feature of characters with which the audience comes in contact. Not ono of tho characters fails to come up to tho highest expectations. In this department ‘ Tho Big Trail ’ is remarkably well balanced. Tho two principals give an extremely good performance, but by no means do they overshadow tho lesser parts. Tho story is a simple one, in keeping with tho sincerity of tho whole picture. Brock Coleman, played admirably by John Wayne, has been all his life a trapper and wanderer in tho unknown lands of the West. He is tho respected friend of tho Indians. Ho attaches himself to a colony of pilgrims, to guido them to the new lands, partly because of his interest in Ruth Cameron and partly because ho knows that tho murderers of his friend aro with tho train. Ruth Cameron’s part is taken with great artistry by Marguerite Churchill.