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The Big Country (1958)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
1 October 1958 (USA)
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Tagline:
Big they fought! Big they loved! Big their story!
Plot:
A New Englander arrives in the Old West, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between two families over a valuable patch of land. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Sea Captain
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Cattle
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Ranch
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Horse
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Attempted Rape
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Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 3 wins
&
4 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Survival Of The Dead (Film Review)
(From Fangoria. 14 September 2009, 7:17 AM, PDT)
And The Title Of George A. Romero's New Zombie Film Is...
(From Icons of Fright. 22 July 2009, 4:05 AM, PDT)
(From Fangoria. 14 September 2009, 7:17 AM, PDT)
And The Title Of George A. Romero's New Zombie Film Is...
(From Icons of Fright. 22 July 2009, 4:05 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Big entertainment, bigger music.
more (106 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Gregory Peck | ... | James McKay |
 | Jean Simmons | ... | Julie Maragon |
 | Carroll Baker | ... | Patricia Terrill |
 | Charlton Heston | ... | Steve Leech |
 | Burl Ives | ... | Rufus Hannassey |
 | Charles Bickford | ... | Maj. Henry Terrill |
| Alfonso Bedoya | ... | Ramón Guiteras |
| Chuck Connors | ... | Buck Hannassey |
| Chuck Hayward | ... | Rafe Hannassey |
| Buff Brady | ... | Dude Hannassey |
| Jim Burk | ... | Blackie / Cracker Hannassey |
| Dorothy Adams | ... | Hannassey woman |
| Chuck Roberson | ... | Terrill cowboy |
| Bob Morgan | ... | Terrill cowboy |
| John McKee | ... | Terrill cowboy |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
165 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #18972) |
Canada:PG (Ontario) |
Australia:PG |
USA:Not Rated (DVD) |
Finland:K-16 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:PG |
West Germany:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Gregory Peck and co-star Charlton Heston both played the infamous Nazi war criminal Dr. Josef Mengele: Peck in The Boys from Brazil (1978), Heston in My Father, Rua Alguem 5555 (2003).
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Goofs:
Continuity: There are two kinds of mouth pieces cowboys use to handle a horse. In the scene where James McKay keeps on mounting and falling from that horse Thunder, sometimes the horse is using a "bridlle" and sometimes he's using a "brake".
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Quotes:
Steve Leech:
You know, McKay, you're a bigger fool than I thought you were. And to tell you the truth, that just didn't seem possible.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in A Conversation with Gregory Peck (1999)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (106 total)
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As several characters state in the film, "This is a big country" and THIS is a BIG MOVIE. It screams out for widescreen viewing. Many of the characters are largely and broadly drawn with big strokes (stubborn Peck, fiery Baker, resentful Heston, righteous Simmons, imperious Bickford, cantankerous Ives and slithering Connors) yet they all are dwarfed by the huge landscape. Tall men, horses, trees and houses are all presented as so many ants on an ant hill in many of the images. The film has a compelling story and intriguing interpersonal relationships and rivalries which are all enhanced by this larger than life approach. The landscape is sometimes awe-inspiring, notably in the Blanco Canyon scenes near the end of the film. Peck is appropriately straight-laced and uncomfortable in this rough & tumble setting, lovely Simmons is a likable heroine and Baker is an effective daddy's girl with misplaced affections. Connors acquits himself very nicely as a thoroughly detestable punk. Heston comes off extremely strong in this film. He's completely at home and was probably never more handsome (check out the scene in which he's roused from his bed by Peck!) He makes the most out of this secondary role. Bickford and Oscar-winning Ives make a great pair of adversaries...almost makes one wish for a prequel to see what got these two so riled up (but today's filmmakers couldn't be counted upon to do it in a tasteful, classy way.) Memorable scenes include the taunting of Peck by Connors and his brothers, Ives grand entrance into Bickford's house and an almost legendary fight scene between Heston and Peck. All of the above are raised to an even higher plane of excellence by what must be one of the greatest musical scores in film history (western or otherwise.) Jerome Moross composed several themes (the opening title is the best known) which put this film into a whole new category of enjoyment. The score stands alone as a beautiful listening experience and paired with the images in this film, it is amazing. It occasionally seems intrusive, yet knows when to keep quiet as well. The Oscar that year went to Tiompkin's "Old Man and the Sea", but it seems astonishing that anything could have bested this score. The film's only real flaw is slight overlength, but nothing really stands out as aching to be cut! Maybe just bits and pieces....but, really, the story just takes it's time and builds to some stirring moments.