The Way West (United Artists) (1967)

Production Values on Epic Scale Put Into Creation of ‘The Way West’ (Production Story) In 1843, the year the Oregon Trail began to carry the traffic which in 20 years was to become a torrent as the way west, it cost about $200 to make the trip along its length from Independence, Mo., to the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in the Oregon Territory. Today it cost Film Producer Harold Hecht between $20,000 and $40,000 a day to retrace that route in the making of his epic “The Way West,”’ United Artists release in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe which opens ...... at the That’s exclusive of salaries for his stars. “The Way West” is from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by A. B. Guthrie, Jr., and stars Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark in the top roles. Andrew V. McLaglen directed and the musical score is by Bronislaw Kaper. Not all the production for the epic was done along the old Oregon Trail, however. Location sites were pinpointed within a 250-mile radius of Eugene, Oregon. Months ahead of the company’s arrival there Hecht, McLaglen and department heads including the production manager, art director and construction coordinator scouted the Pacific northwest by land and air, searching for locations that matched historical pictures of places along the old Oregon trail. The intention was to shoot “The Way West” in continuity, so filming began on the grasslands along the McKenzie and Willamette rivers fanned out to Fort Rock, Shifting Sands, Mt. Bachelor and Crooked River Gorge, and ended at Oregon Trail Long Favored Romance Of Empire-Building That blood-stream of America known as the Oregon Trail has had many biographers and it has inspired many great novels. The first of these perhaps, was Francis Parkman’s “The Oregon Trail” of 1848 which has since become not only a recognized literary classic but which is required historical reading in thousands of high schools. One of the latest is the A. B. Guthrie, Jr.’s novel '“The Way West” which is a Pulitzer-PrizeWinner. Film Producer Harold Hecht is now transferring it to the screen. Called “The Way West,” it is of epic proportions, in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe and GOENS eaten atether.G.e% Theatre under United Artists release. Its top roles are played by Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark with support by Lola Albright, Michael Witney and Stubby Kaye. There are the usual hundreds of soldiers, frontiersfolk and Indians. Andrew V. McLaglen directed and the musical score is by Bronislaw Kaper. Stull TWW-31 Mat 1B Robert Mitchum is a frontier scout in Harold Hecht’s “The Way West,” United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe openhit eae eetn atthe cpcisye' de Theatre. Kirk Douglas and Richard Widmark are also starred. Cote cae Peatre: Burns, Ore., 250 miles away. As distances increased, the company set up new headquarters at Bend, Ore., 116 miles from Eugene. “We wanted the cast to experience as much as possible the reality of an actual pioneer journey, and it worked out that way,” Hecht explained. “When our actors came to rivers, plains, the desert and mountains, they had to cross them exactly as emigrants did 123 years ago. They went through all of the physical trials and tribulations exactly as shown in the picture. They finished about as tired, tough, and weatherbeaten as any veterans of the Oregon trail,” Hecht said. Hecht also enlisted the services of a competent supporting cast. This includes Lola Albright, Michael Witney, Stubby Kaye, two Horses Played Big Role in the Life of Harry Carey, Jr. Horses have played a large part in the life of Harry Carey, Jr., who portrays a strong character role in support of Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark in Harold Hecht’s spectacular “The Way West,” United Artists release in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe opening at the Theatre. First, there are the westerns in which he has appeared during his 20 years in pictures. Then there are the westerns in which his famous father had played many years before him. And thirdly, there are the horses who pulled the horse cars of the line owned by his grandfather, the late Judge Carey, which connected City Island, New York, with the mainland at the beginning of the century. Carey’s Point on the island, incidentally, known to thousands of yachtsmen on Long Island Sound for many years, was named for Harry’s grandfather the judge, who occupied the mansion there which was a prominent landfall for mariners of the Sound in the early part of the present century. Sally Field, TV’s Famous ‘Gidget,’ Debuts in Film TV’s famous “Gidget” — Sally Field, that is—makes her screen debut in Harold Hecht’s sweeping “The Way West,” United Artists release in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe and from the A. B. Guthrie Pulitzer Prize Winning novel, opening ..... itcthe eee ws Theatre. She plays the role of Mercy McBee, sexy daughter of poor Missouri parents hoping to find a better life in Oregon. “This is more of an acting job than Gidget was,” says Sally, “and naturally I’m putting some of myself into the part of Mercy, otherwise it wouldn’t be real. But I’m not the sexy type so I have to do a lot of acting.” Sally plays in support of a big cast headed by Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark and co-starring Lola Albright, Michael Witney and Stubby Kaye. It was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and its music is by Bronislaw Kaper. eoeeee AL LIT sever vecve promising newcomers — Katherine Justice and Sally Fields—and 200 Indians from the Warm Springs Reservation. Almost a hundred horses and 50 Conestoga wagons— or Prairie Schooners as they are generally called, were also recruited. It took three months to shoot “The Way West’—slightly less, as Hecht pointed out,—than it actually took a wagon train to make it over the Oregon Trail from Independence to the Willamette in 1843. ‘McPheeters’ in Film Michael Witney, the handsome young romantic lead of TV’s “Jamie McPheeters,” makes his debut as a handsome young screen romantic in Harold Hecht’s sweeping “The Way West,” from the A. B. Guthrie, Jr., Pulitzer-Prize-Winner which opens Eat 0 oa Theatre under United Artists release and in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe. Still TWW-58 Mat 1A Kirk Douglas who stars with Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark in Harold Hecht’s “The Way West,” United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe which opens ..... atthe... ; Theatre, ‘Way West’ Music Is By Versatile Bronislaw Kaper Polish-born Bronislaw Kaper wrote the musical scores for some pretty big pictures. “Mutiny on the Bounty,” “Red Badge of Courage” and “The Brothers Karamazov” are among them. He also wrote some excellent comedy music—the scores of the Marx Brothers triumphs “A Night at the Opera” and “A Day at the Races” are examples. He has never, however, essayed broad, sweeping drama of the kind described as empire builders. He remedies that however, with Harold Hecht’s epic “The Way West,” United Artists release in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe which opens atythezee os Theatre. The film stars Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark and was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. A graduate of the Conservatory of Music at Warsaw, Kaper wrote widely for the concert stage before being attracted by the possibilities in motion picture music. Before attaining fame in Hollywood he had a wide reputation in the European film centers, notably in London and Paris. Andrew McLaglen Directed Hecht’s ‘The Way West’ It’s not always a case of like father like son. Take the case of Andrew V. McLaglen for example. Andrew’s father was the famous Victor, the actor. But acting simply wasn’t Andy’s metier. Directing is what he liked—even when he was a kid —and a director is what he has become. One of the screen’s well-knowns, his latest is Harold Hecht’s epic “The Way West,” from the A. B. Guthrie, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-Winner, starring Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Witmark. It opens at the Theatre in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe, and under United Artists release. It’s a big picture in every respect. But Andy likes ’em big. Since he began making pictures in 1955 he has directed 10 motion pictures including such biggies as “The Rare Breed,” “Shenandoah” and “McLintock!” and some 257 television shows. eeere's “GL, LEO ere we © Ten-Year-Old Makes Film Debut With an impressive career as a TV personality behind him,. tenyear-old Stefan Arngrim makes his debut as a motion picture actor in Harold Hecht’s epic “The Way West,”’ in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe which opens ...... at the ome ai days Theatre under United Artists release. An actor since he was _ seven, Stefan has been seen widely in segments of the popular “Gunsmoke” and “The Defenders” TV shows as well as filling in from time to time in the Kraft Suspense Theatre. In “The Way West,” which is from the A. B. Guthrie, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-Winner and stars Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark, Stefan plays the role of a frail child who undertakes the ardors of the rugged way west over the Oregon Trail with his pioneering parents. And plays it like the veteran he is. Beauty Contender Makes Film Debut In ‘The Way West’ Even though it’s her first film assignment, Katherine Justice plays Amanda Mack in this film treatment of the A. B. Guthrie, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-Winning novel, a demanding and sensitive role which she is said to acquit with honors. A former Ohio farm girl, Kathy caused considerable publicity when, just shy of 18 a few years ago, she entered a statewide beauty contest. She won the Miss Ohio crown and went to Miami to participate in the Miss Universe contest where she was disqualified because of her age when she entered. So she entered the drama and theatre department of the Carnegie Institute of Technology where she remained for four years until she thoroughly mastered the intricacies of her chosen field. Upon graduation, she did some road and summer stock work. Her arrival in Hollywood was not greeted with any particular enthusiasm and she finally got a role in a segment of “The Big Valley” TV show. That was all she needed. Because Hecht, who was no mean professional talent scout in_ his day, saw that segment and _ that was all he needed. The necessary arrangements were made over the telephone that night and into the big cast of “The Way West” went Katherine Justice. And it’s a mighty impressive cast, too. Its top stars are Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark. Lola Albright, Michael Witney and Stubby Kaye co-star. Stull TWW-62 Mat 2C Richard Widmark plays one of the most powerful dramatic roles in his career in Harold Hecht’s “The Way West,”’ United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe opening ...... at thee sc so... Theatre. He’s starred with Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum in the spectacle which is from A. B. Guthrie’s Pulitzer Prize-winner. Sweeping Epic Way West’ Affords Widmark Strong Role Most male movie stars reached the top via “good guy” roles. Not so Richard Widmark. He made it because he played a psychopathic killer so convincingly. It happened in the nowfamous “Kiss of Death.” It made him great over night. Since then, he has appeared in some 40 top films and has become established as one of the screen’s most competent and sought-after performers. His latest appearance is in Harold Hecht’s spectacular “The Way West,” United Artists release in Panavision and Color by DeLuxe which opens at the Theatre. He’s a Missouri farmer in the epic, who succumbs to the “Oregon Fever” of the 1840’s and takes off for the promised land via wagon train. The film is from the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novel by A. B. Guthrie, Jr., prepared for the screen by Ben Maddow and Mitch Lindemann and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. In addition to Widmark, the new film stars Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum with Lola Albright, Michael Witney and Stubby Kaye in strong co-starring roles. It wasn’t easy for Widmark to get that role of the killer psychopath which led him to stardom. There was a long apprenticeship in what Widmark now calls “prestige Stull TWW-53 flops” to undergo first. This was while he was trying to crack the legitimate theatre. But his break on the boards came in “Kiss Them For Me.” This won him roles in an Elia Kazan production and in a co-starrer with June Havoc, and then the killer psychopath role beckoned. A native of Sunrise, Minn., and a graduate of Lake Forest College where he won the sobriquet “the lightest man in college football,” Widmark produced and starred in two of his own films. These were “Time Limit” and “The Secret Ways,” both of which were well received by the critics. Widmark is married to Jean Hazelwood, a talented script writer, and they have one daughter, Ann, in her early twenties. All three avoid the Hollywood hot spots, preferring the quiet of their ranch at Hidden Valley, Calif., or their farm in Connecticut. Mat 2F Georgeous Katherine Justice makes her film debut in Harold Hecht’s epic “The Way West,” United Artists release in Color by DeLuxe and from A. B. Guthrie’s Pulitzer Prize-winner opening atone atthe ...... Theatre with Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Richard Widmark in the top roles. PAGE 9