The Big Trees (1952)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Felix E. Feist

Writers:

Kenneth Earl (story)
John Twist (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 August 1952 (Finland)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Quaker | Judge | Dam | Arson | Accidental Death

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mel Archer	...	Ole (uncredited)
Lilian Bond	...	Daisy's girl (uncredited)
Sue Casey	...	Young lady (uncredited)
William Challee	...	Brother Williams (uncredited)
Lane Chandler	...	Brother Dorn (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Glen (lumberman with rifle) (uncredited)
Kathy Marlowe	...	Daisy's girl (uncredited)
Michael McHale	...	Accountant (uncredited)
Bill McLean	...	Ivan (uncredited)
Art Millan	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Vicki Raaf	...	Daisy's Girl (uncredited)
Lester Sharpe	...	Gray (uncredited)
Elizabeth Slifer	...	Sister Wallace (uncredited)
Ann Stuart	...	Young lady (uncredited)
Duke Watson	...	Murdock (uncredited)

Directed by
Felix E. Feist		(as Felix Feist)

Writing credits
Kenneth Earl		(story)
John Twist		(writer) and
James R. Webb		(writer)

Produced by
Louis F. Edelman	....	producer

Original Music by
Heinz Roemheld
Ray Heindorf		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Bert Glennon

Film Editing by
Clarence Kolster

Art Direction by
Edward Carrere

Set Decoration by
G.W. Berntsen

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist

Sound Department
Leslie G. Hewitt	....	sound

Special Effects by
Hans F. Koenekamp	....	special effects (as H.F. Koenekamp)

Editorial Department
Mitchell Kovaleski	....	color consultant: Technicolor

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director
Sidney Cutner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1952) (USA) (theatrical)
• Madacy Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Take 2 Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Delta Expedition (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Roan Group, The (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Allumination Filmworks (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Navarre Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Platinum Disc (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Brentwood Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• St. Clair Vision (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Classics (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Greece:K | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2001)

Filming Locations:

Orick, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

As of 2002, the rights to this film became public domain, and DVD copies that were "digitally remastered" began appearing in 99 Cent stores in LA area in 2004.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning of the film, Jim Fallon appears in the window opening the divided curtain with both hands. Then the curtain on his right-hand side remains open while he holds the other part with his left hand. In the following shot from inside, the part on his right-hand side is closed.

Quotes:

Daisy Fisher: What is this, a hotel or a nursery?
Alicia Chadwick: A baby was just born here, thanks to Jim.
Daisy Fisher: Congratulations...
Jim Fallon: What do you mean "thanks to Jim"?
Daisy Fisher: I'd better get out of here. It might be catching.

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Valley of the Giants (1927)

Soundtrack:

THE CHARMING SOUBRETTE ON THE POLICE GAZETTE

Western tycoon tall tale

Okay western tells the tale of Kirk Douglas as a would-be lumber baron with more charm than business savvy. Not as good as it could have been with a little sharper direction, but the dialog has some spark and Douglas shines like a new penny when he smiles.

He gets adequate support from the usual suspects, with Patrice Wymore particularly good as his dance hall prostitute girlfriend. Eve Miller as the real love interest is a bit flat by comparison, even granted that she's stuck in the role of a holy roller trying to protect California's giant redwoods.

The plot manages to get genuinely clever at times, with the local judge conspiring to help the Quakers foil Douglas's lumber scheme, Douglas scheming right back, and then the whole thing going topsy-turvy. Still, something is missing (and the faded print I saw didn't help) but the ending goes big to try to save it and nearly succeeds. Worth the time for fans of Douglas, but not a must-see title.