The Big Country (1958)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Donald Hamilton (novel)
Jessamyn West (adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 October 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

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.

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Ranch | Sea Captain | Rancher | Ambush

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Slim Talbot	...	Terrill Cowboy (as Jay Slim Talbot)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Party Guest - Oceans (uncredited)
Harry Cheshire	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jay W. Jensen	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Liveryman (uncredited)
Roddy McDowall	...	Hannassey Watchman (uncredited)
Carey Paul Peck	...	Boy (uncredited)
Jonathan Peck	...	Boy (uncredited)
Stephen Peck	...	Boy (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
William Wyler

Writing credits
Donald Hamilton		(novel)
Jessamyn West		(adaptation) &
Robert Wyler		(adaptation)
James R. Webb		(screenplay) &
Sy Bartlett		(screenplay) and
Robert Wilder		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gregory Peck	....	producer
Robert Wyler	....	associate producer
William Wyler	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerome Moross

Cinematography by
Franz Planer		(as Franz F. Planer)

Film Editing by
Robert Belcher
John Faure

Casting by
Dorothy Whitney

Art Direction by
Frank Hotaling

Set Decoration by
Edward G. Boyle

Costume Design by
Emile Santiago
Yvonne Wood

Makeup Department
Dan Greenway	....	makeup artist
Harry Maret	....	makeup artist (as Harry Maret Jr.)
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Gale McGarry	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Nick Volpe	....	makeup sketches (uncredited)

Production Management
Tom Andre	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Gosnell Jr.	....	second assistant director (as Ray Gosnell)
Henry Hartman	....	assistant director: second unit
Robert Swink	....	second unit director
Ivan Volkman	....	assistant director
John Waters	....	second unit director
Robert Templeton	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
C. Randall Berkeley	....	greensman (uncredited)
Patrick Delany	....	second prop man (uncredited)
Charles Gay	....	leadman (uncredited)
Arnold Pine	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Tom Plews	....	prop master (uncredited)
Steven Pridgeon	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Harry Spurgan	....	art checker (uncredited)
Hal Waller	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Del Harris	....	sound effects editor
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound recordist (as Roger Heman)
John K. Kean	....	sound recordist (as John Kean)
Harry Alphin	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Harry Alphin	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Al Gonzales	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Babcock	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buff Brady	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Burk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Martha Crawford	....	stunt double: Carroll Baker (uncredited)
Martha Crawford	....	stunt double: Jean Simmons (uncredited)
Donna Hall	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
John McKee	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Slim Talbot	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Wallace Chewning	....	director of photography: second unit
Don Christie	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Eddie Garvin	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Dick Johnson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
John Livesley	....	key grip (uncredited)
Fred Mandl	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Harry Sundby	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Sidney Zipser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eddie Armand	....	costumer
Neva Rames	....	costumer
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Agnes Koschin	....	fitter (uncredited)
Agnes Koschin	....	wardrobe cutter (uncredited)
John Lucas	....	second wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Robert Swink	....	supervising editor
Hal Ashby	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Tony Friedman	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
William Sands	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Lloyd Young	....	music editor
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Gil Grau	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Bernard Mayers	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chuck Hammond	....	transportation gaffer (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Carl P. Benoit	....	location manager
Sam Freedle	....	script supervisor
Clarence Marks	....	assistant: William Wyler
Robert Gary	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Kenneth Gilmore	....	first aid (uncredited)
Harold Hourihan	....	office accountant (uncredited)
Al Jank	....	ramrod (uncredited)
Monty W. 'Red' Kennedy	....	location auditor (uncredited)
Carey Leverette	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Harry Mines	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Anthony Productions
• Worldwide Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1959) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1962) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Tocantins (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

165 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #18972) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | USA:Not Rated (DVD) | Norway:16 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Ione, California, USA

Company:

Anthony Productions

Trivia:

Charlton Heston initially turned down the role of ranch foreman Steve Leech because he didn't think the part was big enough. His agent convinced him that it would be worth it just for the opportunity to work with Gregory Peck and William Wyler.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where Gregory Peck first visits Jean Simmons on the "Big Muddy" property and they gaze across the river, a long string of tall high voltage electrical towers can be seen arrayed against the most distant (California) hilltops. They are seen again in a later scene shot from a similar angle. The plot of "The Big Country" takes place in the 1800's.

Quotes:

[Leetch tries to impress Patricia by picking a fight with McKay]
James McKay:If it's a fight you want, you've picked the right time for it, haven't you?
Steve Leech:Yeah, I'm offering you a fight. Or ain't that a nice word back east?
James McKay:You're gambling, Leech. You're gambling that if we fight, you can beat me. And you're gambling that if you beat me, Ms. Terrill will admire you for it.
Steve Leech:Out here, we leave a lady's name out of an argument.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Bass on Titles (1977)

Big Fued, Big Romance, Big musical Score

The Big Country was passed over by the professional critics as being empty, ernest, and not enough sweep to be called a true epic. Well, I remember seeing The Big Country and was properly swept off my feet by the grand scale of the Big Country, the death feud between Burl Ives and Charles Bickford, the shaky and doomed romance between Gregory Peck and the spoiled Carroll Baker and the quiet understanding between Peck and the lovely Jean Simmons, but most of all, the thing that propelled me to see The Big Country over and over was the magnificant score by Jerome Moross. Sure, I could site many scores that have aided films to glory, Max Steiner for The Letter, Maurice Jarre for Lawrence of Arabia, Miklos Roza for an excellent score for a weak epic Land of the Pharaohs, and Hans Zimmer for an excellent score for a great epic Gladiator but I still say that for a western you can't get any better than the magnificant score for The Big Country. The sweep and majesty and the quiet moments of Jerome Moross's music sets the tone for this truly underated movie. United Artist released the music on LP and I wore mine out along with my neighbors complaints, I now own an excellent CD produced by SILVA SCREEN which I can't wear out. All in all see The Big Country on your big screen in Widescreen and give yourself a real treat. Who needs Giant?