THE COVERED WAGON
Starring J. Warren Kerrigan, Alan Hale, Ernest Torrrence and Lois
Wilson
MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE
July, 1923
This is an elemental story of a praire train in which the covered wagons move slowly westward; across the plains . . . over the mountains. . . thru the snows. . . into the desert . . . ever westward. This is a story in itself. The most chronic phlegm will disappear when the wagons and the cattle ford the deep stream; when the Indians strike from ambush; and when there is a buffalo hunt to supplant the scraped flour barrels.
And there is another story, too. Those comprising the train are human people. They know desire, greed and jealousy. But they also know in a balancing measure courage, love and dreams. Out of their despair and alternate hope, complications are born. And the old captain finds these complications threatening their pioneer purpose in as great a degree as any physical dangers.
James Cruze, the director, has blended these two stories nicely. And because he knew his story was a fundamental one, he dispensed with delicacies, camoulflage and superficialities with the result that he has given us a flash of the quick of life. Only one isssue in criticism of James Cruze and that is the spotless wagon covers at the end of the journey. They should have been torn and soiled. Instead the screen often resembled a transient Spotless Town. If the picture had been less worth while, less realistic, they might have spoiled the illusion.
With admiration for practically the entire cast, we wish to mention Ernest Torrenc first. His work, in the role of an old tobacco "chawing" bronzed, seamed pioneer; a fascinating mixture of the villain and the hero is something we will not soon forget. We liked Charles Ogle, too, as the captain of the train. But then we always like Charles Ogle, and we always wonder why he isn't more often entrusted with important portrayals. For he may be depended upon for natural, sincere work. Lois Wilson is an appealing heroine and J. Warren Kerrigan a sympathetic hero.
There has been talk of "The Covered Wagon" being
as great as "The Birth of a Nation." We give it less
praise than that, but we do recommend it heartily.
Video source: Critic's Choice, Facets, Movies Unlimited, Amazon.com
Click here to see more on "The Covered Wagon" as the Feature of the Month