Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Big Country

  • 19581958
  • PassedPassed
  • 2h 46m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
18K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,321
1,090
Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, and Burl Ives in The Big Country (1958)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:54
1 Video
99+ Photos
RomanceWestern
A New England sea captain in the 1880s arrives at his fiancée's sprawling Texas ranch, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between two families over a valuable patch of land.A New England sea captain in the 1880s arrives at his fiancée's sprawling Texas ranch, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between two families over a valuable patch of land.A New England sea captain in the 1880s arrives at his fiancée's sprawling Texas ranch, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between two families over a valuable patch of land.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
18K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,321
1,090
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • William Wyler
    • Writers
      • James R. Webb(screenplay)
      • Sy Bartlett(screenplay)
      • Robert Wilder(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Gregory Peck
      • Jean Simmons
      • Carroll Baker
    Top credits
    • Director
      • William Wyler
    • Writers
      • James R. Webb(screenplay)
      • Sy Bartlett(screenplay)
      • Robert Wilder(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Gregory Peck
      • Jean Simmons
      • Carroll Baker
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 202User reviews
    • 59Critic reviews
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:54
    Official Trailer

    Photos254

    Charles Bickford in The Big Country (1958)
    "Big Country" Premeire, Clark Gable and wife Kay Spreckles, 1958.
    Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, and Burl Ives in The Big Country (1958)
    Gregory Peck and Charles Bickford in The Big Country (1958)
    Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, and Carroll Baker in The Big Country (1958)
    Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Charles Bickford, Carroll Baker, and Burl Ives in The Big Country (1958)
    The Big Country (1958)
    Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, and Jean Simmons in The Big Country (1958)
    Gregory Peck in The Big Country (1958)
    Charlton Heston, Jean Simmons, and Carroll Baker in The Big Country (1958)
    Gregory Peck in The Big Country (1958)
    Gregory Peck in The Big Country (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gregory Peck
    Gregory Peck
    • James McKay
    Jean Simmons
    Jean Simmons
    • Julie Maragon
    Carroll Baker
    Carroll Baker
    • Patricia Terrill
    Charlton Heston
    Charlton Heston
    • Steve Leech
    Burl Ives
    Burl Ives
    • Rufus Hannassey
    Charles Bickford
    Charles Bickford
    • Maj. Henry Terrill
    Alfonso Bedoya
    Alfonso Bedoya
    • Ramón Gutierrez
    Chuck Connors
    Chuck Connors
    • Buck Hannassey
    Chuck Hayward
    Chuck Hayward
    • Rafe Hannassey
    Buff Brady
    • Dude Hannassey
    Jim Burk
    • Blackie…
    Dorothy Adams
    Dorothy Adams
    • Hannassey Woman
    Chuck Roberson
    Chuck Roberson
    • Terrill Cowboy
    Bob Morgan
    Bob Morgan
    • Terrill Cowboy
    John McKee
    • Terrill Cowboy
    Slim Talbot
    • Terrill Cowboy
    • (as Jay Slim Talbot)
    Richard Alexander
    Richard Alexander
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Rudy Bowman
    Rudy Bowman
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • William Wyler
    • Writers
      • James R. Webb(screenplay)
      • Sy Bartlett(screenplay)
      • Robert Wilder(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Red River
    7.8
    Red River
    The Gunfighter
    7.7
    The Gunfighter
    The Naked Spur
    7.3
    The Naked Spur
    Rio Bravo
    8.0
    Rio Bravo
    Giant
    7.6
    Giant
    Vera Cruz
    7.0
    Vera Cruz
    Last Train from Gun Hill
    7.3
    Last Train from Gun Hill
    How the West Was Won
    7.0
    How the West Was Won
    The Bravados
    7.0
    The Bravados
    Shane
    7.6
    Shane
    The Searchers
    7.9
    The Searchers
    The Liberation of L.B. Jones
    6.8
    The Liberation of L.B. Jones

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Then US President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave the movie four consecutive showings at the White House and called it "simply the best film ever made. My number one favorite film."
    • Goofs
      At the beginning of the film Peck's character James McKay is mocked for his wearing of a bowler hat, which the characters make out as something only an easterner would wear. This is in stark contrast with history where the bowler hat was one of the most popular styles in the old west, beating out the Stetson and the sombrero. It has even been referred to as "The Hat that Won the West".
    • Quotes

      Patricia Terrill: But if he loved me, why would he let me think he was a coward?

      Julie Maragon: If you love him, why would you think it? How many times does a man have to win you?

    • Connections
      Edited into Bass on Titles (1977)

    User reviews202

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Enjoyable ranch-war Western with an outstanding Oscar-Nominated Musical Score...
    When Jim McKay (Gregory Peck) stepped off the stagecoach in the open range of the West, Steve Leech (Charlton Heston) was already his excellent rival and adversary...

    Steve - Major Terrill's strong right arm - was in love with the beautiful Pat (Carroll Baker) daughter of his boss, who intends to marry the innocent handsome Captain...

    Soon than expected, McKay discovered a bitter blood feud between the Terrills, owner of a huge ranch, and the Hannasseys, simple mountain men..

    Extreme hatred united the two families, the two cattlemen Major Terrill (Charles Bickford) and Rufus Hannassey (Burl Ives).

    Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons) was a strategic factor in the conflict... She was the key to supply water... Both, Terrill and Hannassey wanted her part of land to have their cattle watered, but she always said 'no' to either... Why not to say 'yes' now to Jim McKay! Julie was touched by his honesty, a quality she admired in a man...

    Jim, a perfect gentleman - suffering humiliation since his arrival to the big country - grew to unlike Pat's ideas and manners which were in a primitive set of values... He became aware of Julie as a sensitive woman, an understanding human being with great heart...

    When Julie is kidnapped by the Hannassey, McKay goes to meet Rifus... He wins esteem and consideration from the old man but fails to refrain a hostile confrontation between the two selfish, inflexible old barons...

    "The Big Country" is distinguished by its magnificent landscapes... The high, wide and impressive buggy ride spread out a lavish, sumptuous scale of the State of Texas as never has been carried to the silver screen..

    The film is about land and its influence and power over people... A story that can occur everyday in every country, zone and family... The love, the hatred, the war for land, for power, for water rights... always for an asset!

    Gregory Peck is outstanding as the calm anti-traditional hero, balancing a deed of bravery, strength and endurance...

    Jean Simmons is a big leading lady at that time, big enough to the 'Big Country.'

    Carroll Baker, famous as the thumb-sucking child-wife in "Baby Doll," is Charles Bickford's willful daughter, acting according to his law and dictate...

    Charlton Heston confirms a favorable impression by giving an excellent account as the grinning, menacing rival in love with the land and with McKay's attractive fiancée...

    Burl Ives - Winner of the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor in the film - is impeccably cast as the gray-haired patriarch of a shameful, indecent, discourteous clan...

    Charles Bickford (1891-1967) could play as easily the sincere man of virtue ("Duel in the Sun") as the dishonest villain... His generous character and his stubborn face fitted him perfectly to such roles as the proud misguided patriarch led by false and mistaken ideas in the range against Burl Ives...

    Chuck Connors (1921-92) is always remembered for his success on T.V. notably in "The Rifleman" series (58-63). Here he plays the heavy coward, the rude and vulgar, the hypocrite impolite noisy disorderly son...

    Directed by William Wyler, "The Big Country" is a spectacular Western featuring a brilliant cast at top shape...

    If you like big action, big fights, big love, don't miss it!
    helpful•73
    12
    • Nazi_Fighter_David
    • Sep 26, 1999

    FAQ1

    • When Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons) and James McKay (Gregory Peck) are exchanging scary stories the spoken words of the last part of Julie's story are intentionally obscured as though they're too scary for the audience to hear. What is she saying? You can see her lips moving but you can't hear her words. A lip reader may be able to tell us.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1958 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Velika zemlja
    • Filming locations
      • Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • Anthony Productions
      • Worldwide Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, and Burl Ives in The Big Country (1958)
    Top Gap
    What is the Hindi language plot outline for The Big Country (1958)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in August
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Back to top
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.