Seven Alone

This was not a Hollywood blockbuster but that's o.k. It was a film based on the lives of a group of people who travel from the Midwest to the west coast and endure the hardships that went along with that time in 1842/43. The focus is on the Sager family and their children who are forced to survive on their own after their parents perish on the journey. I would not have watched this without my 7-year-old daughter but because it is based on a true story it held my interest. There weren't any Oscar-winning performances, or even anything that would be that captivating as far as acting skill goes, but if you can overlook that then you'll enjoy the film for what it is. There are no special effects like there are today, but it is a simple movie and doesn't require any. The simplicity is probably a blessing - one of the good things about this is that it is free of any grandiose love scenes. Instead, it is a look at what it might have been like to travel across the country at a pace that is slightly faster than a walk through rain or shine with little shelter, and dealing with things like dysentery and attacks by Indians. This doesn't give a very politically correct view of the native American Indian. But then again, Indians and white men had not even begun to learn to live together in 1843. This movie depicts violent behavior and dialogue that is very condescending toward Indians but I'm sure back in those days the actual dialogue and behavior was just as bad, and probably much worse. Parents should watch this movie with their children so they can teach their children that what they see is inappropriate in our society today.

One thing my daughter noticed was that these people didn't have the kind of recreational outlets that we have today and she asked a lot of questions. So while this is not a mega-movie chock full of stars and oozing with complicated effects, it is a simple and entertaining story of a real family's struggle to stay together. It can also be viewed as a teaching tool.

Based on a true story that eldest Sager daughter played in the film by Debbie Van Orden and narrated in flashback by Anne Seymour, the film is the true account of a family of seven orphans who keep going for Oregon after their parents, Dewey Martin and Anne Collings, both die on the trail, he from blood poisoning and she in childbirth. The baby made seven Sager children and oldest boy Stewart Petersen leads the rest to the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

The Sager's own personal journey is set against the background of the adventures of some other real pioneers and frontier characters such as Kit Carson and missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa Whitman. After the action of Seven Alone is finished, Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were later murdered and their mission destroyed in the Oregon territory. As for Kit Carson his very real exploits needed no embellishing from dime novel writers. Dean Smith plays him in this film and both the Whitman and Carson stories have never really been adequately told on screen.

Young Petersen had a minor career of sorts playing in films that never got any theatrical release in New York where I grew up, but certainly played in drive-ins in red state America. He was a likable young man and gave a sincere performance as the kid determined to realize the dream of his parents.

Seven Alone could have used some better direction, but the Wyoming location scenery is nice and the cast does well in the parts.

Enjoyed this great 1974 family film, which was so down to earth about everything that happened to people living in the 1840's and their love of the Mid-West and the trip they were willing to take all the way to the Northwestern part of the country. This film starts out with a husband and wife who have six children and are struggling to scratch the surface of the land in Missouri and the husband grows weary of trying to settle in this part of the country. His main concern is going West like most of his neighbors. However, his wife simply does not like the idea at all. Once a decision is made, the story becomes very interesting and at times tragic; another baby is born, increasing the family to seven. This is a very down to earth depiction of how settlers traveled with their families and had great determination and faith in God to lead them to a better way of living in this great land of the United States.

Based on a true story (but with certain elements altered to enhance the tribulations and drama), this family-geared film details the ordeal of seven children who must fend for themselves on the way to Oregon when their parents die. Martin and Collings are a farming couple with six children (and another one soon on the way) who decide to head west to the Oregon territory where rich, spacious land awaits anyone who's willing to make the tumultuous trek there. Their oldest son (Petersen) is continuously in one sort of trouble or another from mischievousness to laziness to stupidity. Naturally, it falls to him to care for his siblings when his parents pass away in quick succession. He is determined to reach Oregon and build the home his father always wanted (containing the stained glass windows his mother treasured.) The kids face all varieties of danger from raging rivers to untrustworthy Indians to exposure from wind and snow. A story like this certainly has potential and it gets off to a decent enough start (mostly thanks to the more seasoned acting of Martin and Collings.) Eventually, though, the film turns trite, dull and ridiculous as these tiny kids conquer the old west while adults drop like flies around them (this is NOT how it happened in real life.) Some of the good things about the film include a relatively tense Indian skirmish, an okay musical score and authentic locations. Bad qualities include horribly amateurish acting from the children (most of whom are related in real life), a low budget, awkward direction and an occasionally absurd script. Martin, a bit more weathered than in his heyday, but still attractive, does a decent job as the dad. Oddly, he looks healthiest and most robust when he's about to konk out and die! (His death scene is really bad. It's a shame he didn't check out Shelley Winters in "The Poseidon Adventure" for pointers.) Collings gives a far more solid and assured performance than her scant resume would suggest. She gives the film its small amount of warmth and class. Ray, in a very blustery performance, runs hot and cold as the wagon train's resident doctor. Actor/Stuntman Smith pops up (preposterously) through the film as Kit Carson. The only other performer of note is the reliable character actor Griffith as the children's uncle. There's just enough of a seed of a good idea to demonstrate that this could have been a great movie, but it isn't. It's just OK. Pat Boone sings a treacly song over the credits and has discernible trouble getting to the various notes of the melody.

As one who grew up in Oregon and remembers reading in history about the Sager children on the Oregon Trail, this film has personal sentimental value.

I agree completely with the other reviewer's comments regarding the flaws in this film. Yes, it does seem very low budget and amateurish, especially by today's standards. There are some fairly believable scenes here and there, but the true greatness of this film is in its historical value. The fact that this adventure profiles a family during the great migration on the Oregon trail, using real characters, not made-up ones, to do so is unique. It seems today's great epics, Titanic, Pearl Harbor, etc. tend to rely on fictional characters that pollute the authenticity of the real story. The irony is that real people are far more interesting and compelling as well as being more believable.

The real Sager story is a great one and deserves a good telling using the best available. I'd like to see it attempted again with better writing, acting, and production. Unfortunately, Hollywood's recent track record for remakes is mixed at best and I wouldn't hold my breath expecting such a remake to be even as true to the facts as this one was.

In spite of its flaws, this film is a must see for anyone wanting to know about the history of the Oregon Trail though films. Any collection of Oregon Trail related films will include it.

Roger