The Covered Wagon (1923)

Directed by James Cruze. With J. Warren Kerrigan, Lois Wilson, Alan Hale, Ernest Torrence. Two wagon caravans converge at what is now Kansas City, and combine for the westward push to Oregon. On their quest the pilgrims will experience desert heat, mountain snow, hunger, and indian attack. To complicate matters further, a love triangle develops, as pretty Molly must chose between Sam, a brute, and Will, the dashing captain of the other caravan. Can Will overcome the skeleton in his ...

The Covered Wagon is a 1923 American silent Western film released by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by James Cruze based on a novel by Emerson Hough about a group of pioneers traveling through the old West from Kansas to Oregon. J. Warren Kerrigan starred as Will Banio

Silent Hall of Fame has created a Silent Gems Collection of rare and for the first time available films with our stars, as well as other silent masterpieces....

The Covered Wagon is credited with being the first big-budget epic western. Producer Jesse Lasky replaced director George Melford with James Cruze, a Utah native familiar with the life and often brutal realities of the West. Mary Miles Minter was slated to appear in the film, but her mother turned down the offer. The role of Molly Wingate went to Lois Wilson, who promptly became a star. People in the East travel to California in the 1840s prior to the gold rush, with some of the settlers heading for Oregon after crossing the dangerous Platte River. Stampedes, Indian attacks, and the hardships of life on the plains are depicted with a documentary flair. Over 3,000 extras included 1,000 Native Americans and 300 authentic covered wagons. Guy Oliver plays explorer Kit Carson, with Alan Hale as the villain Sam Woodhull. J. Warren Kerrigan, Charles Ogle, Ethel Wales, Ernest Torrence, John Fox and Tully Marshall complete the all-star cast. The decision to turn down the role offered by Cruze adversely affected the career of Minter. She never recovered from the negative publicity surrounding her alleged involvement in the unsolved murder of director William Desmond Taylor.

Two wagon caravans converge at what is now Kansas City, and combine for the westward push to Oregon. On their quest the pilgrims will experience desert heat, mountain snow, hunger, and indian attack. To complicate matters further, a love triangle develops, as pretty Molly must chose between Sam, a brute, and Will, the dashing captain of the other caravan. Can Will overcome the skeleton in his closet and win Molly's heart?

Overview of The Covered Wagon, 1924, directed by James Cruze, with Lois Wilson, J. Warren Kerrigan, Ernest Torrence, at Turner Classic Movies

'The Covered Wagon' was months in the making, the biggest thing since 'The Birth of a Nation.'

The Covered Wagon on mubi.com. Find trailers, reviews, and all info for The Covered Wagon by James Cruze.

Cast: J. Warren Kerrigan [Will Banion], Lois Wilson [Molly Wingate], Alan Hale [Sam Woodhull], Ernest Torrence [William Jackson], Tully Marshall [Jim Bridger], Charles Ogle [Jesse Wingate], Ethel Wales [Mrs. Wingate], Guy Oliver [Kit Carson], Johnny Fox [Jed Wingate], Constance W