This is an fashion western of a multi-generational Prescott family encompassing every stereotype as America settles the west. The Prescott family is heading west starting from the Eerie canal. They encounter pirates and a fur trader Linus Rawlings (James Stewart). It's a good start, but the leads keep changing.
Instead of following Jimmy Stewart and Carroll Baker all the way through, it switches to Debbie Reynolds and Gregory Peck as they go to California. On the way, they have an old fashion settlers and Indians shoot out. Then we switch back to Carroll Baker and George Peppard as the Civil War gets started. And it keeps going with different lead actors until the closing flyover of a Californian freeway.
There is something very superficial about all of this. It's like a high school history textbook being fitted into a western movie. There are big action scenes. There are big named actors. Maybe there are too many big names. The time span is too long, and the endeavor too grand. It tries to say so much that it ends up saying very little of value.
Instead of following Jimmy Stewart and Carroll Baker all the way through, it switches to Debbie Reynolds and Gregory Peck as they go to California. On the way, they have an old fashion settlers and Indians shoot out. Then we switch back to Carroll Baker and George Peppard as the Civil War gets started. And it keeps going with different lead actors until the closing flyover of a Californian freeway.
There is something very superficial about all of this. It's like a high school history textbook being fitted into a western movie. There are big action scenes. There are big named actors. Maybe there are too many big names. The time span is too long, and the endeavor too grand. It tries to say so much that it ends up saying very little of value.