Seven Alone

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.

I never read the book that this movie's based on. It's about the Sager Party. The father, Henry, the mother Naome, and six children, starting with the oldest son, John, who leave Missouri for Oregon along the Oregon Trail in 1844. At the time they leave, Naome, John's mother, is pregnant with a seventh child. Catherine, born along the way, comes into a world of hardship. Henry dies of blood poisoning in an Indian raid. Naome, the mother, dies of pneumonia. The other members of the wagon train don't want John and his six brothers and sisters in the wagon train and order them to go back to Missouri. All the men in the wagon train regard John as shiftless and lazy. However, John refuses to turn back and is determined to get his family to Oregon. Along the way, they meet Kit Carson, and other historical characters. A couple of reviewers didn't like it. I liked it when it was on TV back in '70s. It should be remembered that back in the '70s, it didn't take very long for movies to make it to television from the movie screen.

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.

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

This film was actually based on a true story of a families adventure on the Oregon trail. It was told to the writer by one of the actual daughters in the turn of the century. It is clearly not politically correct. (Nor was the frontier in 1843.) The family was actually following a structure based on the Bible. The Natives were called Indians and were not happy to see their land being taken, or their game shot. So they fought back, killed and stole what they could. The white settlers were clearly ignorant and it shows. (wow, what a surprise!) That said, my children were clearly entertained (as they were with "Against a crooked sky") A capable cast, most of the children were relatives in real life. No real standouts but fun. The ending was a bit abrupt, I was left wondering, is that it? Filmed on location so it has some nice cinematography.