CRYSTAL PALACE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20168, 21 February 1931, Page 11

CRYSTAL PALACE.

"|THE BIG TRAIL." When Bdoul "Walsh'i "Tlie Big Trail" opens. its engagement to-day at Crystal Palace it -will' Bhow an, accurate,' I .'tni'tliful, .and authentic .portrayal o£ • might? surging :varfr-,o£' haajahlty ftpm ',the Bast Weaf a century,ago, „»13v«ry occur/»en^d'in-' ■"The Big Trail;' 5 import?a&V*'pleture ever produced, is baaed on authentic fact. For example, ,"Breek Coleman,'.', .the. leading 'male character,- John' w&yh'e, 'lr S boy the tTail, who has lost his parents. an& ' who wenda . much of his time with the Indian tribes, by whom he u Realty 1 i heh aa been a wanderer, a fur trapper, scout, and hunter. .; Sis 'main reason for joining the waggon train, as a scout, ia his admiration of -"Bath Cameron,", a :member^;of the pioneer < band, played by Marguerite Churchill,: and blbo because /he feels that the murderers of ' his ? benefactor and friend are either with', the . waggon train or will' catch. up with it. When the' trail reaches' the point l whore the pioners are in danger' from Indians,. "Breok's" counsel is always to palaver withthe redskins 'rather than fight with them. Several times he 1 is seen leaving the /waggoi» train and advancing to where the smoke from Indian tepees indicates danger. And oil eqch of these occasions an 'lndian, brave , is /'seen advancing to meet him. In ( these sequences the careful observer -will note that: ■"Breck" 'staggers forward . in a zig-zag course, giving the impression that he has poor control of the animal. But this is not so. Historical record shows that the zig-sitg course is a peace sign similar to ft I, gT'evbub, who WTOte the story for "The Big Trail," is an authority on the old and' new West, and his complete knowledge :of incidents and customs such as the one mentioned' above wsb of great value t to Director Walsh in making the Picture. In Addition to John Wayne and Marguerite ' Churchill, the ' cast,. which is r made up of 98 aetual speaking, roles, features El Brendel, Tully Marshall. Tyrone Power, and Ettvid Eolllns. Over 20,000 extra players, ' in add-on to 725 Indians, were employed J# making this epochal Fox Movibtone film.