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Show The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH CENTENNIAL 1896-1996 Sunday, January 28 1996 Ogdenite Rode ‘Covered Wagon’ to Fame and Fortune ByHarold Schindler In many respects, the movie, adapted from THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE In 1922, film mogul Jesse L, Hough’s novel, was a series of paradoxes Y was looking for someone to direct a Western ‘merson Hough's ‘The Covered Wagon Lasky picked James Cruze, an Ogdenite whose Danish parents had themselyes come across the plains with the Mormon pioneersto settle in Utah And Cruze(real name Jens Cruz Bose) rode covered wagon” to fameandfortune as directorthe of whatis nowconsideredthefirst Western motion picture epic. Motion-picture historian Kevin Brownlow said Lasky thought Cruze the Dane, with his powerful build and black eyes, was part Indian. It was a lucky break for the Utahn; he was perfectlysuited for the project. Covered wagons were something he knew fromhis childhood Andbecause of a promise made by Cruze, Ban- nock Indians on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho were amongthefirst in Americato see the two-hour silent-film blockbuster produced $782,000. at a cost of -office receipts fromjust two theaters in New York and Hollywoodultimately paid for the picture By 1932, the worldwide gross reached an astonishing $3.8 million andaslate as 1935 it was still listed as oneof the five top grossing films ofall time. To- day, despite somenegativeloss due to nitrate-base film deterioration, “The Covered Wagon” remains a silent film classic. Cruze, at 38, had directed several small Westerns before the “Wagon,” but was considered incapable of creating sustainedsuspense onthescreen. In fact many critics felt he was a plodding, uninspireddirector; yet after the explosive debut of ‘‘The Covered Wagon,” he foundhimself the highest-paid director in Hollywood, and twonational polls in 1926 and 1928 rated this former Utahn among the world’s 10 greatest directors. Cruzewas paid $250 a week before “The Covered Wagon” and $400 a week during the filming. After its premiere, he received offers of $1,500 a week, but Lasky wouldn't free him fromhis contract asked. Where wouldthe oxen andhorses find pas s and technicians. Cruze rom the district some coming a as 300 miles for $10 a day. He enlisted the help of Col. Tim Me¢ as technical adviser and liaison withthe tribes to sign 750 Indians ture? The largest number of wagons known to travel from Fort Hall together was 65 and they dividedin three columns language talkers of his time. and the five miles apart All ofthese arguments were used by the Army to deny the film’s inclusionin archivesof the U.S. War Department. Lasky hadpurchased screenrights to The Covered Wagon onthe basis of a synopsis, but in reading Hough’s novel while onatrain trip to the West Coast Lasky was mesmerized by the sweep of the story which depicted hardships of overlandtravel in can vas-coveredprairie schooners 80yearsearlier Hewas impressedand decidedit would not be just It was considered almost a documentary, describing in accurate detail the hardships of immigrant companies traveling overland in the mid-1800s. Yet onits release, “The Covered Wagon” was lambasted by cowboys andex-soldiers for its flawedhistory Among the complaints: Army veterans said ox- another Western potboiler on a $100,000 } wagon trains did not campfor the night in box can- yons (one of thefilm's most sensational action scenes is that of an Indianattack on wagons trapped in a box canyon); and that Jim Bridger, depicted as the wagon-train scout, would not have permitted such a camp. Ernest Torrenceplayed Jackson, a tough old trader, and Tully Marshall was cast as Jim Bridger Cruze negotiated with Otto Meek, owner of the Baker Ranch, a 200,000-acre spread in the Snake River Valley of Nevada 85 miles from the nearest railroad at Milford, Utah There was also a hullabaloo about 400 wagons traveling across theplains in a single caravan. “That outlet formedto shoot the wagon-crossing sequences could not have beenpossible,” said old-timers, who over the trains never swam rivers with neck yokes on; that P21 ‘No sir, this is going to be the greatest movie we ve made. Toplaythe role of heroine Molly Wingate. Cruze signed Lois Wilson; for his leading man he chose J WarrenKerrigan to play Will Banion; and Alan Hale Sr. was cast as thevillain, Sam Woodhull A hugeiake on the property was banked and an “Platte River.” McCoy was perhaps one of the most expert sigr Indians trusted him implicitly. Cruze also promised the Indians would see the film when it was finished While others collected, rented, borrowed or built some 500 wagons to be used, Cruze took a second camera unit to Antelope the Great Salt Lake to film buffalo sequences. (It took three days of tough wrangling just to get the always-contrary beasts to run past the ea Ta First serialized in The S lay E story was a popular success, and moviegoers € forthe film version with as much anticipation as they. later would for Gone With The Wind Winds. blizzards, floods. heat, alkali dust, we had to work through it all.” Lasky recalled. When the dam burst and the camp flooded. a terrific snows and Cruze had it written into the script The wagon train formed a caravan three miles long ight trucks a day carried supplies to the two or thousandpeople in camp. Indians wer trans- d with bag and baggage Hundreds of headof stock, all kinds of foodstuffs. lumber and fifth car loads of equipment were hauled from the Lasky stu dio. Leading lady Lois Wilson suffered frostbite in the With a company of 127 and B See NEXT PAGE Keeping Utah nepitit =UPPER ==LIMIT stah FITNESS WAREHOUSE @ @ © © Steppers Treadmills Bikes Strength Machines 224-8306 ee @ @ © @ Aerobic Riders Free Weights Multi-unit machines Home & commercial A 2=UPPER 973-7303 ==Uumit 1345 So. State (Next to Ultimate Electronics) lletese 6 Months Samo as Cash Just like the Jazz, we're your coaches, too! CONGRATULAT IONS UY 100 YEARS STRONG REALTORS Integrity, Honesty, Maturity * x CONDO QUEEN x x IRENE HULSE MITCHELL Broker Congratulations, Utah, ona history of whichto be proud. Here's looking forward to the next 100 years... Millon Dollar Club Member superior Achievement Award (801) 281-3288 269-8051 Condo Specialist FredMeyer Free market analysis Wealso sell homes Wealso list homes and condos “We Work Harder” Serving the Wasatch Front : |
