The Big Trees (1952)

A Quaker colony tries to save the giant sequoias from a timber baron.

Director:

Felix E. Feist

Writers:

John Twist (screenplay), James R. Webb (screenplay),

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Eve Miller, Patrice Wymore

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Kirk Douglas	...	Jim Fallon
Eve Miller	...	Alicia Chadwick
Patrice Wymore	...	Daisy Fisher / Dora Figg
Edgar Buchanan	...	Walter 'Yukon' Burns
John Archer	...	Frenchy LeCroix
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Tiny
Roy Roberts	...	Judge Crenshaw
Charles Meredith	...	Elder Bixby
Harry Cording	...	Cleve Gregg
Ellen Corby	...	Sister Blackburn

Storyline

In 1900, unscrupulous timber baron Jim Fallon plans to take advantage of a new law and make millions off California redwood. Much of the land he hopes to grab has been homesteaded by a Quaker colony, who try to persuade him to spare the giant sequoias...but these are the very trees he wants most. Expert at manipulating others, Fallon finds that other sharks are at his own heels, and forms an unlikely alliance.

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Plot Keywords:

quaker | california | timber | sequoia | lumber | 

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Genres:

Action | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1952 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Für eine Handvoll Geld

Filming Locations:

Eureka, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Kirk Douglas in his autobiography called Ragman's Son, he accepted to play in this film for free, only in order to cut the matter short with Warner Bros, to break up his contract. So that he could be free again.

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Goofs

In the saloon, Daisy dances around and returns to the stage with the help of two men who suspend her. Then we see a fat man standing on the stage corner, in front of a drink glass, clapping her. In the next shot he is drinking.

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Quotes

Daisy Fisher: You stye on the eye of a flea on a thigh of a nit on the neck of a gnat!

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Connections

Remake of The Valley of the Giants (1919)

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Soundtracks

"The Soubrette on the Police Gazette"
(uncredited)
Music by M.K. Jerome
Lyrics by Jack Scholl
Sung and Danced by Patrice Wymore

User Reviews

A 1950's movie with great action set on a historic event.

I bought a copy of this film for a very small price at a job lot store. The company, Global Multimedia Corporation, said this was a digitally remastered copy, called Value DVD. It was amusing that the cover presented Kirk Douglas and Alicia Chadwick. Alicia Chadwick is actually a major character in the story who was played by Eve Miller.

The color of this restored master was indeed very good on my plasma TV. The story was set on a historical event which took place during the McKinley administration in 1900. Apparently, land with the giant redwoods was opened up for grabs by allowing lumber companies to pay for new claims, even for land which had been settled by homesteaders under an 1868 act of Congress. Our hero Jim Fallon heads west with cronies from Wisconsin to make his fortune. As the story unfolds with some tragedy, he is forsaken by former associates, and warms to his new friends, the Quakers who had settled the land before. Indeed, he turns the tide in their favor, thus redeeming himself, and winning the girl.

The movie was excellent with great stunts, seemingly performed by Douglas himself. It is really instructive to see how much good film action was done long before digital effects. Indeed, this movie could give you a real taste for quality movies of mid-20th century.