How the West Was Won (1962)

In the sweeping panorama of the 1830s, the Prescotts, a resilient family of emigrants, embark on a daring venture from the Erie Canal towards the uncharted territories of the West. Their journey, which unfolds over four gripping generations, is marked by unexpected encounters and perilous challenges. From River pirates to the tumultuous waves of frontier life, their survival is often on a knife-edge. Their savior comes in the form of Linus Rawlings, a rugged fur trapper whose destiny becomes intertwined with theirs when he marries Eve, one of the Prescott daughters. Tragedy strikes as the parents succumb to the unforgiving waters in a rafting accident, leaving their other daughter, Lilith, to chart her own course. Embracing the allure of the river, Lilith transforms into a captivating riverboat singer, catching the attention of the charismatic adventurer, Cleve Van Valen. Their shared journey spans the breadth of the plains, the glittering gamble of California's fortune, and the passage of time into the 1880s. Meanwhile, Linus trades his trapper lifestyle for the steadiness of farming, only to be called to arms in the bloody tumult of the Civil War. His valiant end at the Battle of Shiloh inspires his son Zeb to continue his legacy, serving in the Union Army and later guarding the pioneering railroad against the simmering tension of the encroached Indians in Colorado. As the tapestry of the West unfolds, Lilith, now the weathered matriarch, lives to see the family's dream of settlement come alive. However, the vision of the West she knew is contrasted starkly by the aerial view of the bustling Los Angeles freeways that the film poignantly concludes with. "How the West Was Won" is a sprawling epic, a tale of courage, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of pioneering hearts, navigating the unforgiving landscape of fortune and fate in their quest for a new home.

How the West Was Won is a western movie featuring Carroll Baker.

It is possible to buy How the West Was Won on Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube or rent it on Spectrum On Demand.