my give this film a score of 8 be relative to other feature length film from 1930. by the standard of film make just a few year later and this film might receive a score of only 6 or 7 mostly because the sound quality be so poor . now it be possible that the film sound well and the fox movie channel do show a degraded print ( it do have a lot of line and scratch ) and but i assume the sound problem be always an issue . that because sound in movie be still a novelty in 1930 and many of the hollywood talk picture of 1930 sound terrible with background character often drown out the lead and character huddle together to make sure they be pick up by the microphone or inconsistent quality ( such a what be see in the bishop murder case and hell angel and other film of the day ) . this be all make much worse in the big trail because most of the film be shoot outside something unheard of at the time . quite an innovation but also something that really stretch the talent of the sound technician . so and while the film be very hard to listen to and i realize that they have to start somewhere and so i can forgive this especially since the outdoor scene be breathtaking a major innovation for 1930. the plot be rather similar to cimarron a western that come out the following year and which capture the oscar for best picture . unfortunately and cimarron isn not all that great a film and i actually like the big trail more due to the scope of the film . while some might balk at the big trail slow move pace and i saw it a a great history lesson about the hardship endure by those travel west on wagon train . plus and the whole thing just look so beautiful and a director raoul walsh go to significant trouble to film on location and the big trail look almost like a film version of some ansel adams print . a for the acting and it be pretty good . this be a major break for young john wayne a his previous screen appearance be and at best and minor and unremarkable . here and he be give the lead and do a dandy job though he be obviously young and a little less john wayne ish than he be in late film and a his screen persona be not yet firmly establish . another interesting part be play by tyrone power ii ( tyrone power father ) . he look nothing like his extremely handsome son and look and sound almost exactly like bluto from the popeye cartoon . he make very few sound film die just a year after make this film so it a rare opportunity to see and hear this once famous actor . overall and the film be well worth see despite some sound problem and a few overly long scene here and there . for 1930 and it be a remarkable achievement more so than the much more famous and award winning cimarron make the following year . much of the reason the big trail do not win an oscar most likely be because all quiet on the western front come out the same year and it be truly one of the great film .