Seven Alone (1974)

A frontier family crosses the U.S. by wagon train, hoping for a better life in the Oregon Territory.

Director:

Earl Bellamy

Writers:

Honore Morrow (book), Douglas C. Stewart (as Douglas Stewart)

Stars:

Dewey Martin, Aldo Ray, Anne Collings

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dewey Martin	...	Henry Sager
Aldo Ray	...	Dr. Dutch
Anne Collings	...	Naome Sager
Dean Smith	...	Kit Carson
James Griffith	...	Billy Shaw
Stewart Petersen	...	John Sager
Dehl Berti	...	White Elk
Bea Morris	...	Sally Shaw
Scott Petersen	...	Francis Sager
Debbie van Orden	...	Catherine Sager
Diane Petersen	...	Matilda Sager
Suzanne Petersen	...	Lousia Sager
Julie Petersen	...	Elizabeth Sager
Christy Clark	...	Anna Sager
Kliss Sparks	...	Mrs. Whitman

Storyline

A fictionalized account of the real-life adventure of the Sager family. Travelling with a wagon train from Missouri to Oregon, things are going well for them, until Henry Sager dies from blood poisoning following an Indian attack, and Naomi Sager dies soon afterward from pneumonia. The leaders of the wagon train decide to send the children back, but the oldest, John (who had been described by all the adults as lazy and worthless), decides to lead his siblings through the wilderness to complete the journey their parents started.

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Plot Keywords:

wagon train | oregon | missouri | indian attack | snow | 

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Taglines:

In the year 1843, John Sager, a boy of 13 with his brothers and sisters including an infant set off on one of the most incredible journeys in American history. This is a true account of their hazardous 2000 mile trek along the legendary Oregon trail in pursuit of a dream.

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Genres:

Adventure | Family | Western

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

House Without Windows

Filming Locations:

Cokeville, Wyoming, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Doty-Dayton Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John and Francis Sager were killed in the Whitman Massacre near Walla Walla, Washington on 29 November 1847 by Cayuse Indians. The surviving Sager children were kidnapped and held for ransom, with Louisa Sager dying in captivity.

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Goofs

A paved road appears to run horizontally along the middle of the frame (at around 1 min) as the wagon train enters Fort Hall.

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Soundtracks

Only a Dream Away
Music by Robert O. Ragland
Lyric by Arthur Hamilton
Performed by Pat Boone

User Reviews

The Sager Saga

Based on a true story that eldest Sager daughter played in the film by Debbie Van Orden and narrated in flashback by Anne Seymour, the film is the true account of a family of seven orphans who keep going for Oregon after their parents, Dewey Martin and Anne Collings, both die on the trail, he from blood poisoning and she in childbirth. The baby made seven Sager children and oldest boy Stewart Petersen leads the rest to the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

The Sager's own personal journey is set against the background of the adventures of some other real pioneers and frontier characters such as Kit Carson and missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa Whitman. After the action of Seven Alone is finished, Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were later murdered and their mission destroyed in the Oregon territory. As for Kit Carson his very real exploits needed no embellishing from dime novel writers. Dean Smith plays him in this film and both the Whitman and Carson stories have never really been adequately told on screen.

Young Petersen had a minor career of sorts playing in films that never got any theatrical release in New York where I grew up, but certainly played in drive-ins in red state America. He was a likable young man and gave a sincere performance as the kid determined to realize the dream of his parents.

Seven Alone could have used some better direction, but the Wyoming location scenery is nice and the cast does well in the parts.