Distinctly Montana Magazine

57 w w w. d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m town's only hotel as well as a handful of cabins. They were to spend about four days there, during which time they interacted with some of the rangers of the National Bison Range. In 1965, a cowboy who had worked on the Range named Clar- ence "Cy" Youngman gave an interview in which he recalled that, "Marguerite Churchill, hell, she'd come riding out there to the corrals one day, and said, 'Hey cowboy.' She says, 'Could you find me a horse? I'd like to go out with you.' I said, 'Just take mine. You can ride this one, and I'll get another one...' She crawled on him, and hell, she went right along with us out there, rode all afternoon, just right along with us." The starlet, he remembered all those years later, "[t]alked common as anybody else." To fully realize the scene, Native American horsemen would be needed to give chase to the bison. Forty Blackfoot and Crow men rode to the on-location shoot, kicking their ponies and whooping to demonstrate how they would look on film. Walsh hired them then and there. But Walsh and his production may have differed from the fed- eral government in their notion of what constituted a "hardship" on the animals: "I did not think that some mild hazing by a few hired Indians would hurt the buffalo... I rather thought the herd would enjoy it." Finally, the day came. Wayne climbed atop his horse. The In- dians prepared to perform a pantomime hunt. "I had set up on both sides of the route, with the cameras a safe distance away," Walsh wrote. "I yelled 'Cut' when Wayne led the wagons out of camera range, and counted buffalo as the Indians hazed them back to their pasture." He impresses this point upon the reader: "None were missing and there were no injuries." An eager Wayne approached him after the scene was in the can. He asked the older man, who had himself lived the life of a cowboy, "How did I do?" The young man "looked as if he knew the answer" already. Walsh assured him that he had done just fine. * * * The film was released and was something of a flop. Walsh's auto- biography was published in 1974, nearly half a century after The Big Trail was shot. And at any rate he can be forgiven for fiction- alizing parts of his own story. "The Big Trail, after all the worries and doubts," he wrote, "ended fortunately and made money." Perhaps that's true, and the scholars and film theorists who maintain that The Big Trail was a major flop are wrong. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle. Yet there are some facts. John Wayne, despite his early star- ring role and some positive reviews at the time, did not become the marquee star he would be for the rest of his life until ten years later, with John Ford's Stagecoach. The Motion Picture News re- ported that the film would be shot on a $1.25 million budget. By 1930, the production cost was reported to be $2.5 million. When Montana's Best Hotel in 1917 and Again Today 33 S. Idaho St., Dillon MT 406-925-5024 A n d r u s H o t e l . c o m 24/7 Guest Only Gym Event Space up to 70 ppl Meeting Space 10 to 12 ppl Rooftop Terrace Pet Friendly Fully Equipped Kitchens Escape to The Andrus Hotel, your perfect Winter retreat nestled in the heart of historic downtown Dillon, Montana. Bundle up and soak in the stunning beauty of Southwest Montana from our rooftop terrace as you enjoy a warm cup of tea, hot cocoa or coffee, and let the sunset captivate you or start your mornings with a breathtaking sunrise. Our prime location offers effortless access to seasonal adventures, whether you're keen on scenic hikes, skiing, or uncovering charming local treasures. Partnering with local outfitters, we ensure your stay is brimming with unforgettable experiences and relaxation. Celebrate the essence of Winter at The Andrus Hotel, where every moment is a tribute to the season's beauty. Newly Remodeled Event Space

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