How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won is a 1962 American epic Western film. The picture was one of the last "old-fashioned" epic films made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to enjoy great success. Set between 1839 and 1889, it follows four generations of a family as they move ever westward, from western New York state to the Pacific Ocean. It was filmed in the Cinerama process. The fundamental idea behind the film was to provide an episodic retelling of the progress of westward migration and development of America. It was inspired by a much longer and more complex series of historical narratives that appeared as a...
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quick facts

Release date:	November 1, 1962
Directed by:	John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall, Richard Thorpe
Rated:
Runtime:	162 Minutes
Producer:	Bernard Smith
Editor:	Harold F. Kress
Music by:	Alfred Newman
Cinematography:	Charles Lang, Milton R. Krasner, Joseph LaShelle, William H. Daniels
Screenplay by:	John Gay, James R. Webb
Estimated budget:	$15,000,000
Genre:	Western, Action, Adventure

Cast of How the West Was Won

John Wayne

William Tecumseh Sherman

Born:May 26, 1907

Died:June 11, 1979

Henry Fonda

Jethro Stuart

Born:May 16, 1905

Died:Aug. 12, 1982

Eli Wallach

Charlie Gant

Born:December 7, 1915

Age:96

James Stewart

Linus Rawlings

Born:May 20, 1908

Died:July 2, 1997

Walter Brennan

Col. Jeb Hawkins

Born:July 25, 1894

Died:Sept. 21, 1974

Spencer Tracy

Narrator

Born:Apr. 5, 1900

Died:June 10, 1967

Honors and Awards

Year	Award Won
1963	Academy Award for Film Editing, Harold F. Kress
1963	Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, James R. Webb

Year	Award Nomination
1963	Academy Award for Best Picture, Bernard Smith
1963	Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, James R. Webb
1963	Academy Award for Costume Design, Walter Plunkett
1963	Academy Award for Best Art Direction, George Davis

Filming locations for How the West Was Won

Tucson

Tucson is the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, and is the home of the state's first university, The University of Arizona. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116, while the entire Tucson metropolitan area's population is 1,020,200. Tucson is the...
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Corriganville Movie Ranch

Corriganville Movie Ranch was a working film studio and movie ranch for outdoor location shooting, as well as a Western-themed tourist attraction. The ranch, owned by actor and stuntman Ray "Crash" Corrigan, was located in the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains in the Santa Susana Pass area of...
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Frequently Asked Questions

Q:
Which celebrities were the stars of movie, "How the West Was Won"?
A:
Carroll Baker, Lee J. Cobb, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden and Gregory Peck starred in the movie.
Q:
What tagline was included in promotional materials for the motion picture, "How the West Was Won"?
A:
The movie's tagline was, "It's here! The mightiest adventure ever filmed!"
Q:
Who distributed the movie, "How the West Was Won"?
A:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer distributed the movie.
Q:
How long is the runtime of the film "How the West Was Won"?
A:
The total runtime is 162 minutes.
Q:
Who wrote the music for the movie How the West Was Won?
A:
Alfred Newman composed the music score for the movie's soundtrack.
Q:
Who played the production role for "How the West Was Won"?
A:
Bernard Smith produced the film.
Q:
Which locations were featured in the movie How the West Was Won?
A:
Locations used to film the movie include Tucson.
Q:
What is the movie, "How the West Was Won" rated?
A:
The motion picture is rated G (USA).
Q:
Which screenwriter wrote the film How the West Was Won?
A:
James R. Webb and James R. Webb wrote the film's script.
Q:
When did the motion picture "How the West Was Won" debut?
A:
The film was released in November, 1962.

Awards & Accolades

1964
1964

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