Just watched the DVD

Hi everyone, got a copy from wal-mart.com and just watched it tonight. Curious to see what the next cinerama production after "Battle of the Bulge", with some of same stars, looked like. I had read years ago that it did not do very well at the box office, and was shortened considerably later. Not too bad overall, has that same strange "foreign film look" that many epic films of that era had. Production costs were getting out of hand, and many film companies had to go overseas to keep prices down.
Noticeable different overall production values compared to BOTB, budget was obviously tighter. The virtual all foreign major crew members (director, music composer, director of photography, etc.), seems to be why it lacks that "down to earth American feel". We are seeing and hearing a foreigner's interpretation of the wild west. Quite a difference in ambience compared to "How the West was Won" 8 years before, too bad they could not get Alfred Newman and one of those directors.
Acting seemed to be somewhat stiff among all the pinciple actors, not as comfortable in their parts as we would like. Nice to see Robert Shaw and his wife together, she would die tragically a few years later.
I thought the final battle was staged fairly well, and I see cinerama as always, trying to have a balance between action and historical relevance in all their 60's films. Might have more...

RSGRE