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:

The film is credited with starting the trend for pacifist westerns.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rufus crashes the party and dares the Major to shoot him, he takes three steps down the stairs and is directly in front on the Major. When he turns to leave he takes ten steps just to get back to the stairs. However, since he walks past the major to leave through another door, he actually never returns to the same path on which he entered.

Quotes:

Major Henry Terrill:If there's anything I admire more than a dedicated friend, it is a dedicated enemy.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Interactive Film Quiz (2006) (VG)

Perfect movie, Perfect music.

There's just not one thing wrong with this movie. The casting is perfect, as is the direction, cinematography, script, and music. The score by Jerome Moross is perfection, and my personal favorite of all the great western movie scores. All the actors/actresses are a perfect fit for their roles, and the male cast of Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Charles Bickford, Burl Ives, and Chuck Connors (who shines as the thoroughly bad Buck Hannassey) is ensemble acting at it's best. Carol Baker and Jean Simmons are luminous, compelling, and strangely powerful.