one of my favorite western and one of john ford best in my opinion . no major star and but ben johnson shine in most everything he appear and and here he get a rare lead a the title character . match him be ward bond a the crusty mormon elder lead his people west . john ford stock of character actor and include harry carey and jr. and jane darwell and russell simpson and hank worden and provide ample support and a do eerily silent james arness and a member of the outlaw clegg clan that join up with the wagon train . the mormon trail into utah be one of the most arduous and demand enterprise ever undertaken . we can not really get the feel of that and but we do see ordeal that have to be overcome by pioneer on the way west while river crossing and long stretch of dry and waterless desert and encounter with indian and the like and all set to glorious song by the son of the pioneer . the mormon actually do dig section of the trail with pick and shovel and as depict in the movie . my main regret be that it wasn not make in color and but i believe there be a colorized version . by the way and those craggy rock feature in various scene be call the fisher tower and locate near moab . highly recommended viewing .