Nominated for 8 Oscars in 1964 and winner of 3:
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen: James R. Webb
Best Sound: Franklin Milton (M-G-M SSD)
Best Film Editing: Harold F. Kress
Other Nominations:
Best Picture: Bernard Smith
Best Cinematography, Color: William H. Daniels, Milton R. Krasner, Charles Lang, Joseph LaShelle
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color: George W. Davis, William Ferrari, Addison Hehr, Henry Grace, Don Greenwood Jr., Jack Mills
Best Costume Design, Color: Walter Plunkett
Best Music, Score - Substantially Original: Alfred Newman, Ken Darby
The size of the movie and the cast are what make this film so good along with the story that's pretty much an endless adventure covering three eras of Westward expansion: the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the building of the railroads. The opening theme is also used in 'Romancing the Stone'. Another must-see when it comes to movie appreciation, and the 'smilebox' Panavision style is fantastic on a big screen!
