This is epic Hollywood filmmaking at its most grandiose. Filmed using the three-camera “Cinerama” technique by directors Henry Hathaway, George Marshall and John Ford, this film tells several intertwining stories about the settlement of the frontier.

A who’s who cast of stars, including Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Debbie Reynolds, John Wayne, Walter Brennan and Spencer Tracy, bring to life the homesteaders, mountain men and Civil War soldiers. From the Gold Rush to the building of the railroads, this is American history writ large.

This three-disc collection offers a brilliant new transfer and hours of supplemental features.

Grade: B+

How the West Was Won (Ultimate Collector’s Edition) is currently available.