Simply A Masterpiece

good back-story, and good acting

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

A brilliant slice of pioneer-era Americana. In no other movie that comes to mind was there such a realistic portrayal of the Old West and its numerous perils than in this faithfully told story of pioneer women crossing the harsh western U.S. wilderness of 1850 from Missouri to California.The ladies are responding to an ad placed by a leader (on behalf of several other men) in a pioneer settlement out in California for wives. These tenderfoot ladies may be looking for husbands, but there's nothing "weak" about them at all. They not only bravely face the hardships, dangers, and tragedies of the journey, but they soon learn how to handle their own with toughness and grit.The story unfolds clearly due to a finely structured and developed script. The intertwining stories are well told and well acted. The mostly female cast are all strong, and Robert Taylor as "Buck," the guide and leader of the wagon train seems to enjoy the task of having dozens of female leads surrounding him. John McIntyre as the patriarchal Mr. Whitman (who hires Buck) is good, while Buck's friend, confidant, and comic-relief guy Ito is also a well-rounded character.The ending is one of the most heartwarming ever in a western; this is the kind of movie that can be watched over and over again.

Growing up in the age of having to wait perhaps a year or more before a movie would be shown again on television, my sister and I were always very happy and excited to see "Westward the Women" on the TV schedule. This movie has it all: lots of stock characters, but those characters feel like real people and not one-dimensional figures. Robert Taylor's character does NOT want to lead a women-only wagon train across the west (after all, who will dig the wagon out of the mud?) and does so very grudgingly. Comedy and tragedy ensue, of course, with the women facing all sorts of obstacles. As little girls, we loved and were amazed by this film: as another reviewer rightly points out, it's a great movie about strong capable women.

This is one of the few feature narratives in U.S. cinema about females primarily, that takes place in a wilderness setting. Yet its ethical central character is a veteran scout, one who takes on the job of leading a wagon train predominantly manned by females emigrants across the length of the wagon road West. it is relatively well-acted, shot very much in suitable outdoor locations. It is a gritty B/W drama with some of the densest B/W contrast in daylight ever achieved on film. Adventurer, flier and veteran director William A. Wellman has achieved virtues like this in other films; some, myself included, regard this as one of his best directorial achievements. The story begins with John Mcintire asking Robert Taylor as the scout to lead the women who have signed up as wives, to those men working on his holdings, across the country. Taylor does not believe the feat can be performed; he knows the route better than anyone. But he accepts the job and being the sort of man he is--honest and fearless--he does not promise results, only to do what he can... The man who hires him knows him well enough to figure that will be the best effort he can mount. When he arrives among his new charges in the East, he finds them naive, a bit apprehensive in some cases but determined. Some can shoot; and all are resolute. What later US victims of public-corporate bureaucratic imperialism forget is that those who went West in the 19th century were seeking something and running away from something at the same time. What united those who trekked West was "greed'--"an inordinate desire for something"; something they wanted that the ordinary run of folks either did not want or would not risk enough to set at the forefront of their life's interests. They wanted to make a new life in a new zone, yes; but they also wanted to escape the pseudo-Christian and statist restrictions, bad government and controls of a denigrating society first under the Whigs and then under the racist so-called Progressives and republicans. Taylor does lead the train forward. The female pioneers encounter bad terrain, drought, dust, physical hardships, disease, Indians, accidents, weather and doubt. One Italian woman's son dies; a baby is born. The women disobey, have to be disciplined, one is raped, by one of the few men accompanying the train; others battle, grow weary or get frustrated or have their very sanity threatened. One of the high moments of artistry in the film occurs after the women have fought off an Indian attack, as the women call out the names of their dead to their wagon-boss, as we see one by one the victims of this cruel fortune, who had come so far only to die in the middle of nowhere. But the crisis is worth the journey and its hardships, we are shown. At the last, the women refuse to go forward until they can wash, dress, and prepare to meet the husbands they have never seen before. By this time, Taylor himself has fallen in love with rebellious Denise Darcel, and they join the line of those going up to the preacher to be married. In the large cast besides the three stars, Hope Emerson is an award-worthy standout. Fine actress Julie Bishop, Henry Nakamure as Taylor's aide, Renata Vanni, Lenore Lonergan, Marilyn Erskine and Beverly Dennis have the largest roles. The others are mostly unknown, except for Claire Carleton, George Chandler and Mikel Conrad. There is hardly any music except at the end and the beginning. William C. Mellor provided the excellent stark cinematography. the art direction was by Daniel B. Cathcart and the great Cedric Gibbons, set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Ralph S. Hurst, the costumes, which were most suitable, by Walter Plunkett. This is an unusual and moving production in my view; a classic and an often--imitated film, ever since it was first presented on-screen. The script developed from a Frank Capra story idea by Charles Schneer is all-the-more-amazing since it was produced in a country bigoted against female equality, heroic qualities and rights from its supposedly-individualist beginnings due to pseudo-Christian misgivings about the wisdom of admitting half of humanity to human status.

I first saw this movie when I was in my early 40's. I am now in my early 60's. There must have been a big showing when it came time for tryouts. Seems like there is a role for every type of personality.This movie also shows women at their worst (being catty, spiteful, and argumentative). But most sincerely, this movie shows women at their finest and best. They are helpful, caring, compassionate, brave, smart and loving. Patience (Hope Emerson) seems to be the glue that holds the women together. Not a self-proclaimed leader, but many of the women turn to her for advice and consolation.Robert Taylor plays the masculine role which he does quite well. John McIntye supports Taylor and his role is somewhat like Patience. The men go to him for advice. I really like this movie because it shows that women have guts, stand up to hardship and can make a life worth living.