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Ride the High Country

  • 19621962
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
13K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer2:46
1 Video
41 Photos
  • Drama
  • Western
An ex-union soldier is hired to transport gold from a mining community through dangerous territory. But what he doesn't realize is that his partner and old friend is plotting to double-cross... Read allAn ex-union soldier is hired to transport gold from a mining community through dangerous territory. But what he doesn't realize is that his partner and old friend is plotting to double-cross him.An ex-union soldier is hired to transport gold from a mining community through dangerous territory. But what he doesn't realize is that his partner and old friend is plotting to double-cross him.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
13K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sam Peckinpah
  • Writers
    • N.B. Stone Jr.
    • Sam Peckinpah(uncredited)
    • William Roberts(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Joel McCrea
    • Randolph Scott
    • Mariette Hartley
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sam Peckinpah
  • Writers
    • N.B. Stone Jr.
    • Sam Peckinpah(uncredited)
    • William Roberts(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Joel McCrea
    • Randolph Scott
    • Mariette Hartley
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 139User reviews
    • 57Critic reviews
    • 92Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:46
    Trailer

    Photos41

    Mariette Hartley, Joel McCrea, and Ron Starr in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Randolph Scott, Sam Peckinpah, and Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Randolph Scott, Mariette Hartley, and Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Mariette Hartley in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Joel McCrea in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Mariette Hartley and Ron Starr in Ride the High Country (1962)
    James Drury and Mariette Hartley in Ride the High Country (1962)
    Randolph Scott in Ride the High Country (1962)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joel McCrea
    Joel McCrea
    • Steve Juddas Steve Judd
    Randolph Scott
    Randolph Scott
    • Gil Westrumas Gil Westrum
    Mariette Hartley
    Mariette Hartley
    • Elsa Knudsenas Elsa Knudsen
    Ron Starr
    • Heck Longtreeas Heck Longtree
    Edgar Buchanan
    Edgar Buchanan
    • Judge Tolliveras Judge Tolliver
    R.G. Armstrong
    R.G. Armstrong
    • Joshua Knudsenas Joshua Knudsen
    Jenie Jackson
    • Kateas Kate
    James Drury
    James Drury
    • Billy Hammondas Billy Hammond
    L.Q. Jones
    L.Q. Jones
    • Sylvus Hammondas Sylvus Hammond
    John Anderson
    John Anderson
    • Elder Hammondas Elder Hammond
    John Davis Chandler
    John Davis Chandler
    • Jimmy Hammondas Jimmy Hammond
    Warren Oates
    Warren Oates
    • Henry Hammondas Henry Hammond
    Alice Allyn
    • Candyas Candy
    • (uncredited)
    Oscar Blank
    • Mineras Miner
    • (uncredited)
    Chet Brandenburg
    Chet Brandenburg
    • Mineras Miner
    • (uncredited)
    Don Brodie
    Don Brodie
    • Spieleras Spieler
    • (uncredited)
    Chris Carter
    • Roseas Rose
    • (uncredited)
    Byron Foulger
    Byron Foulger
    • Abner Samsonas Abner Samson
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Sam Peckinpah
    • Writers
      • N.B. Stone Jr.
      • Sam Peckinpah(uncredited)
      • William Roberts(uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Final film of Randolph Scott. NOTE: He retired from acting once he saw the finished film, saying he wanted to quit while he was ahead and that he would never be able to better his work here.
    • Goofs
      The 34 star flags at the opening of the movie do not match the bobby helmets, open automobiles and electric wiring over the streets. The US 34 star flag was only in use from 1861-1863.
    • Quotes

      Steve Judd: All I want is to enter my house justified.

    • Crazy credits
      Introducing Mariette Hartley
    • Connections
      Featured in Precious Images (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      The Washington Post
      (uncredited)

      Written by John Philip Sousa

    User reviews139

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Scottie, we'll miss you
    Ride the High Country is now a classic, for the beautiful scenery, the great chemistry between the two western stars, and the last film appearance of Randolph Scott. Perhaps he wanted to make one hundred movies and then retire, perhaps he felt he was getting old but didn't want his public to find out, perhaps he just didn't enjoy it as much as he used to during the shift of 1960s films. We'll never really know why he left, but we sure miss him. He could have been in The Carpetbaggers, The Sons of Katie Elder, The Rounders, Once Upon a Time in the West, or any number of other popular westerns later in the decade.

    Joel McCrea, another extremely popular western star, plays Scottie's pal as they transport a shipment of gold through the high country. This isn't his last movie, but he did retire shortly afterwards. In a hilarious opening sequence, Joel finds Scottie working at a Wild West carnival sideshow, with a handlebar mustache and long wig. He then recruits his old friend to help him with his next job, even though Scottie has a shady past and might not have the most honorable intentions.

    Even though Scottie and Joel are the headliners, if you look at the script, they're not actually the main focus of the movie. After all, sex sells in Hollywood, and neither one is given a love interest. "Old folks still got it" movies have grown increasingly popular through the decades, but in the silver screen they were nonexistent. Old actors either retired or took supporting roles as grandparents, judges, or landladies. Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell was the first movie to try and bring life back to the elderly, but it was incredibly sad and didn't really spark a subgenre. Ride the High Country was the movie that did. Two popular stars, with thirty years of mileage on them, stole every scene, told all the jokes, and managed to say "gee, my feet hurt" lines with twinkles in their eyes. Sure, they complain about getting old and roll their eyes at the young folks, but they are still more virile and magnetic than everyone else in the movie.

    While Scottie and Joel mostly stay off to the side lines, smirking and trading one-liners with each other, the actual leads of the movie are pretty irritating. Mariette Hartley runs away from home to marry a man against her father's wishes. He claims the guy's no good, and when we finally see him, he's despicable. He's uncouth, filthy, disrespectful, and treats her like a piece of meat to be passed around his brothers after he's had his fill. In other words, her father was right. On the way, as she trails along with the men, she starts to fall for Ron Starr. But they're just not likable, and their "relationship" doesn't give us much to root for. They're both stupid with poor judgment. The movie would have been better if it just followed the two old timers around and ditched the young folks - like The Rounders did a few years later. The Rounders would have been perfect for Randolph Scott and John Wayne; one character is an old cowboy who feels he's getting too old to keep roping in wild horses, and the other's name is Marion. Oh well. Scottie, we'll miss you.
    helpful•5
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    • HotToastyRag
    • Jul 29, 2021

    FAQ1

    • What is the origin of the red swastika drawn on the drapes in the judges quarters? Its about 1 hr 5 mins in.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 9, 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Chinese
    • Also known as
      • Guns in the Afternoon
    • Filming locations
      • Mammoth Lakes, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $813,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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