The Big Sky (1952)
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- Approved
- 2h 20min
- Adventure, Drama
- 24 Oct 1952 (Canada)
- Movie
The success of the journey focuses on keeping the Indian girl alive as well as themselves to complete trade with the Blackfeet.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Kirk Douglas | ... |
Jim Deakins
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| Dewey Martin | ... |
Boone Caudill
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| Elizabeth Threatt | ... |
Teal Eye
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| Arthur Hunnicutt | ... |
Zeb Calloway
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| Buddy Baer | ... |
Romaine
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| Steven Geray | ... |
'Frenchy' Jourdonnais
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| Henri Letondal | ... |
La Badie
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| Hank Worden | ... |
Poordevil
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| Jim Davis | ... |
Streak
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Beulah Archuletta | ... |
Blackfoot Dancer (uncredited)
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| Sam Ash | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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| Don Beddoe | ... |
Horse Trader (uncredited)
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Oscar Blank | ... |
Tavern Patron (uncredited)
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Eugene Borden | ... |
Tavern Proprietor (uncredited)
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| Chet Brandenburg | ... |
Tavern Patron (uncredited)
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Cliff Clark | ... |
Jailer (uncredited)
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| Iron Eyes Cody | ... |
Blackfoot Subchief (uncredited)
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| Booth Colman | ... |
Pascal (uncredited)
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Victor Cox | ... |
Streak Henchman Grabbing Poordevil (uncredited)
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Mae Old Coyote | ... |
Indian Woman (uncredited)
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| Frank DeKova | ... |
Moleface (uncredited)
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Abe Dinovitch | ... |
Singer (uncredited)
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| Paul Frees | ... |
Louis MacMasters (uncredited)
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| John George | ... |
Passerby (uncredited)
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| Fred Graham | ... |
Sam Eggelston (uncredited)
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Robert Haines | ... |
Tavern Patron (uncredited)
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Barbara Hawks | ... |
Indian Woman (uncredited)
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Jim Hayward | ... |
Trapper (uncredited)
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Robert Hunter | ... |
Chouquette (uncredited)
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Ray Hyke | ... |
Bartender (uncredited)
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| Michael Jeffers | ... |
Bartender (uncredited)
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| Anthony Jochim | ... |
Trapper (uncredited)
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| Jack Kenny | ... |
Trapper (uncredited)
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| Frank Lackteen | ... |
Indian (uncredited)
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| Nolan Leary | ... |
Storekeeper (uncredited)
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| Cactus Mack | ... |
Streak Henchman (uncredited)
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| Jay Novello | ... |
Trapper (uncredited)
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| Jack Perry | ... |
Riverman (uncredited)
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Larry Randall | ... |
Boatman (uncredited)
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Charles Regan | ... |
Friend (uncredited)
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| Suzanne Ridgway | ... |
Tavern Girl (uncredited)
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Sherman Sanders | ... |
Dance Caller (uncredited)
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William Self | ... |
Boatman (uncredited)
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Thol Simonson | ... |
Boatman (uncredited)
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Theodore Last Star | ... |
Chief Red Horse (uncredited)
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| Veola Vonn | ... |
Barmaid (uncredited)
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| Max Wagner | ... |
Eggelston Henchmen (uncredited)
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| George D. Wallace | ... |
Thug in General Store (uncredited)
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Crane Whitley | ... |
Henchman (uncredited)
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| Guy Wilkerson | ... |
Henchman Longface (uncredited)
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| William Wilkerson | ... |
Blackfoot Subchief (uncredited)
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Louise Worden | ... |
Indian Villager (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Howard Hawks | ||
Written by
| Dudley Nichols | ... | (screenplay) |
| A.B. Guthrie Jr. | ... | (novel "The Big Sky") |
| Ray Buffum | ... | (adaptation) (uncredited) |
| DeVallon Scott | ... | (adaptation) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Howard Hawks | ... | producer |
| Edward Lasker | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Dimitri Tiomkin | ||
Cinematography by
| Russell Harlan | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Christian Nyby | ||
Art Direction by
| Albert S. D'Agostino | ... | (as Albert S D'Agostino) |
| Perry Ferguson | ||
Set Decoration by
| Darrell Silvera | ... | (set decorations) |
| William Stevens | ... | (set decorations) |
Costume Design by
| Dorothy Jeakins | ||
Makeup Department
| Mel Berns | ... | makeup artist |
| Don L. Cash | ... | makeup artist (as Don Cash) |
| Larry Germain | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
| Arthur Siteman | ... | unit manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| William McGarry | ... | assistant director |
| Arthur Rosson | ... | unit director |
Sound Department
| Phil Brigandi | ... | sound |
| Walter Elliott | ... | sound effects (as Walter G. Elliott) |
| Clem Portman | ... | sound |
| John Speak | ... | sound (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Donald Steward | ... | special effects |
| Thol Simonson | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Fred Graham | ... | stunt double (uncredited) |
| Chuck Hayward | ... | stunt double (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Robert Pittack | ... | director of photography: second unit (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Harvey Clermont | ... | casting assistant |
Music Department
| C. Bakaleinikoff | ... | music co-ordination |
| Gordon Clark | ... | French lyrics by |
| Richard C. Harris | ... | music editor (as Richard Harris) |
| Dimitri Tiomkin | ... | music director |
| Lucien Cailliet | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Paul Marquardt | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Charles Maxwell | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| George Parrish | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Leonid Raab | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Herbert Taylor | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Thol Simonson | ... | Boat operator (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Winchester Pictures Corporation (presents)
Distributors
- RKO Radio Pictures (1952) (United States) (theatrical) (as RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.)
- RKO Distributing Corporation of Canada (1952) (Canada) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1952) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (as RKO Radio Pictures, Ltd.)
- RKO Pictures (Australasia) (1952) (Australia) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Films (1953) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Films A/S (1953) (Norway) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- C&C Television Corporation (1958) (United States) (tv)
- Elit-Film (1964) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Suomi-Filmi (1966) (Finland) (theatrical)
- TF1 (1975) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1975) (Finland) (tv)
- Rosenbergs Filmbyrå (1967) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1967) (Finland) (tv) (as MTV1)
- RKO Home Video (1985) (United States) (VHS)
- Compagnie Internationale de Communication (1987) (France) (VHS) (dubbed version)
- Turner Home Entertainment (1989) (United States) (VHS) (Colorized Version)
- CEL Home Video (1989) (Australia) (video)
- Éditions Montparnasse (1992) (France) (VHS) (colorized dubbed version)
- Ciné Cinéfil (1995) (France) (tv) (French subtitles)
- Ciné Cinéfil (1998) (France) (tv) (French subtitles)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (France) (DVD)
- Pan Vision Oy (2001) (Finland) (VHS)
- Pan Vision Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
- Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
- Éditions Montparnasse (2004) (France) (DVD)
- Arcadès (2007) (France) (DVD)
- ARTE (2010) (Germany) (tv)
- ARTE (2010) (France) (tv)
- Odeon Entertainment (2011) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Télérama (2012) (France) (DVD)
- Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (2015) (France) (DVD)
- ARTE (2019) (Germany) (tv)
- ARTE (2019) (France) (tv)
- TCM Cinema (2023) (France) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- American Film Technologies (colorization)
- National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior (grateful acknowledgment is made to, for their assistance in photographing the natural beauty of Grand Teton National Park)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Jim Deakins is a frontiersman and Indian trader who is making a perilous journey with a group of other men up the Missouri River to get a large haul of furs from friendly Blackfoot Indians. The problem is that they have to get through hostile Indian territory first and they find that they have seriously underestimated the difficulties they will undergo. The large body of men who started the journey are gradually whittled down until only a hardy few, like Deakins, are left. Written by Alfred Jingle |
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| Taglines | Mighty drama of the adventure that battered down the barriers to the great Northwest! (original poster) See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $2,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | While shooting Red River (1948), there was a scene that director Howard Hawks unsuccessfully urged John Wayne to do. It involved his getting a finger mangled between a saddle horn and a rope, resulting in Walter Brennan's amputating it. Hawks reportedly told Wayne, "If you're not good enough, we won't do it", but Wayne wouldn't do it. According to Hawks biographer Todd McCarthy, Hawks did get Kirk Douglas to do that scene in this film, and it came off so funny that Wayne later declared to Hawks, "If you tell me a funeral is funny, I'll do a funeral." See more » |
| Goofs | Jim expresses amazement at the size of St. Louis. However, he had just come from Louisville, which in 1832 was about twice the size of St. Louis, so it should not have been a source of such astonishment. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Referenced in To Kill a Cop (1981). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Brandy Leave Me Alone See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Instead of the traditional RKO morse code sound, the film's opening theme music is played over the RKO radio tower image. Later, a title card is displayed explaining the premise of the story. See more » |
| Quotes |
Zeb Calloway:
Blackfeet... proud injuns. They ain't gonna let no white man spile their country. The only thing they'a feared of is a white man's sickness. Boone Cardell: What's that? Zeb Calloway: Grabs. White men don't see nothing pretty unless they want to grab it. The more they grab, the more they want to grab. It's like a fever and they can't get cured. The only thing for them to do is to keep on grabbin' until everything belongs to white men and then start grabbin' from each other. I reckon injuns got no reason to love nothing white. See more » |