contrary to the comment post directly below and the big trail ( 1930 ) be not film in a three camera process much like the late cinerama . that be the finale to napoleon ( 1927 ) and a different film entirely . the big trail be simultaneously shoot in both 35mm and 70mm ( grandeur ) version and and both version be show on fox movie channel from time to time and so it easy to compare one with the other . the grandeur version ( broadcast in letterbox @ approximately it original 2 1 ratio ) be more impressive cinematically with it wide angle panorama and but suffers from the same problem that beset early cinemascopes and a lack of close ups force upon director raoul walsh because of focus problem . scene involve individual rather than crowd or long shot be much more effective in the standard version because the camera can move closer to the player thereby achieve a great sense of involvement for the viewer . watch the two version simultaneously and one get an accurate idea of which shot walsh choose to shoot close up and in the standard version and but could not and in the grandeur version . there be also a couple sequence involve el brendel represent a shell game with ian keith and and some business with his wife and a jackass and which be in the grandeur version and but miss from the standard version . for the record and the big trail be the only one of three fox grandeur film which have survive in it original wide screen format . ( the other two be fox movietone folly of 1929 and completely lose and and happy day and which survive only in standard format . ) other studio also experiment with wide film at this time and but the only other one still know to exist in both format be the bat whisper and film in both 65mm and 35mm and and release by united artist . other wide film be mgm billy the kid ( 1930 ) and the great meadow ( 1931 ) and rko danger light ( 1930 ) and and wb the lash ( 1930 ) and all of which can be see in their standard format version on turner classic movie . wb kismet ( 1930 ) be also film both wide and standard and but seem to have completely disappear while it be rumor to be lose . why do wide film fail in 1930. theater be reel ( pun intend ) under the impact of the stock market crash of october 1929 and and the spiraling cost of instal sound equipment and and so be adverse to take on the added expense of instal additional new projection equipment and new wider screen to accommodate just a handful of film and photograph in a variety of different system that be not even always compatible with each other . it would not be until 1953 when fox and now twentieth century fox and would try again and and this time succeed and with the introduction of wide screen cinemascope .