The Big Country

This article is about the 1958 film. For other uses, see Big Country (disambiguation).
The Big Country

Theatrical release poster by Saul Bass
Directed by William Wyler
Produced by Gregory Peck
William Wyler
Written by Robert Wilder
Starring Gregory Peck
Jean Simmons
Charlton Heston
Carroll Baker
Burl Ives
Music by Jerome Moross
Cinematography Franz F. Planer, ASC
Edited by Robert Belcher
John Faure
Robert Swink (sup)
Distributed by United Artists
Release dates
  • October 1, 1958
Running time
 165 minutes
Language English
Box office $4 million (US/Canada rentals) [1]

The Big Country is a 1958 American epic Western film directed by William Wyler and starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston and Burl Ives. The supporting cast features Charles Bickford and Chuck Connors. The picture was based on the serialized magazine novel Ambush at Blanco Canyon by Donald Hamilton.[2] and was co-produced by Wyler and Peck. The opening title sequence was created by Saul Bass. The film is one of very few pictures in which Heston plays a major supporting role instead of the lead.

Ives won the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance as well as the Golden Globe Award. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for the musical score by Jerome Moross.

Plot

Wealthy sea captain James McKay (Gregory Peck) travels to the American West to join his fiancée Patricia (Carroll Baker) at the enormous ranch owned by her father, Henry Terrill (Charles Bickford), referred to by all as the "Major". Terrill has been feuding with Rufus Hannassey (Burl Ives), the patriarch of a poorer, less refined ranching clan, over water rights in the arid grazing lands of the high plains.

Patricia's friend, schoolteacher Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons), owns the "Big Muddy", a large ranch itself, with a source of water that is vital to Hannassey. Julie allows all to water their cattle and refuses to sell or lease Big Muddy to either side, so as to keep the fragile peace.

Meanwhile, McKay repeatedly refuses to be provoked into proving his manhood; he tells the Major his father died in a meaningless duel. He does nothing when Hannassey's trouble-making son Buck (Chuck Connors) and his shiftless companions harass him. He also declines an invitation by Terrill's foreman, Steve Leech (Charlton Heston), to ride an infamous, unbroken horse named "Old Thunder". Consequently, everyone, including Patricia, consider him to be a coward. When the Major and his men ride to the Hannassey canyon ranch in retribution for Buck's harassment of a Terrill guest, McKay pointedly declines to participate. McKay then breaks Old Thunder, after being thrown out of the saddle numerous times. He swears ranch hand Ramon (Alfonso Bedoya), the only witness to McKay's triumph, to secrecy.

One morning, McKay rides out to the Big Muddy and persuades Julie to sell him her land, promising to continue her policy of unrestricted access to the river. A search party spends two days looking for McKay, believing he has gotten lost. McKay explains that he was not in danger, but Leech calls him a liar. When McKay again refuses to be goaded into a fight, he sees that Patricia is disappointed in him; they agree to reconsider their engagement. Early the next morning, before anybody else is up, McKay settles his quarrel with Leech. They fight, without witnesses, to an exhausted draw.

Later, Julie tells her friend Patricia that he bought the Big Muddy for her. Patricia goes to see him, but when he tells her his plans to give Hannassey access to his water, she breaks their engagement.

Meanwhile, on Terrill's orders, Leech and his men chase Hannassey's cattle away from the Big Muddy. Hannassey, in retaliation, kidnaps Julie and uses her as bait to lure Terrill into an ambush in the narrow canyon leading to Hannassey's homestead. Buck tries to force himself on Julie, but his father stops him. Buck, furious, tries to strangle his father, but is overpowered. His father states, "One day I know I'm going to have to kill you".

When McKay finds out about Julie, he rides to the Hannassey place with Ramon. McKay shows Hannassey the deed to Big Muddy and promises him equal access to the water. When Hannassey says he intends to fight Terrill anyway, McKay tells him that it is just a personal vendetta between two old men.

When it becomes obvious that McKay and Julie have feelings for each other, Buck attacks McKay. They fight, but Hannassey steps in when Buck draws his gun on the unarmed McKay, and insists on a formal duel. After walking apart ten paces, Buck fires before the signal, grazing McKay's forehead. Hannassey is furious. Then McKay slowly takes aim. Buck drops to the ground in terror and crawls behind a wheel. After McKay fires into the dirt, Hannassey spits on Buck in disgust. As McKay and Julie start to leave, Buck grabs a gun, forcing Hannassey to shoot his son dead.
"The Big Country"
Main theme from the film by Jerome Moross.
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Meanwhile, Terrill insists on riding into the canyon. Initially, Leech and the rest of his men refuse to accompany him. However, after Terrill rides out alone, Leech joins him, followed by the rest of the outfit. They are quickly pinned down. However, Hannassey acknowledges the truth of McKay's accusation, orders his men to stop shooting and challenges Terrill to a one-on-one showdown. Terrill promptly agrees. Hannassey and Terrill, armed with rifles, then kill each other.

McKay and Julie ride off to start a new life together.

Cast

Reception

The film was a big hit, being the second most popular movie in Britain in 1959.[3]

Ives won the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for the musical score by Jerome Moross.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower liked the movie very much and screened it on four successive evenings in the White House during his second administration.[4]

In a poll of 500 films held by Empire Magazine, it was voted 187th Greatest Movie of all time.[5]

American Film Institute Lists

Comic book

A comic book adaptation of the novel and tie-in to the movie was first released in 1957.

Locations

The Blanco Canyon scenes were filmed in California's Red Rock Canyon State Park. The ranch and field scenes with greenery were filmed in the central California Sierra foothills near the town of Farmington.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "All-Time Top Grossers", Variety, 8 January 1964 p 69
  2. ↑ "Detail view of Movies Page". Afi.com. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
  3. ↑ FOUR BRITISH FILMS IN 'TOP 6': BOULTING COMEDY HEADS BOX OFFICE LIST Our own Reporter. The Guardian (1959-2003) [London (UK)] 11 Dec 1959: 4.
  4. ↑ Coyne, Michael (1997). The Crowded Prairie: American National Identity in the Hollywood Western. New York, New York: I. B. Tauris. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-86064-259-3.
  5. ↑ "Empire Features". Empireonline.com. 2006-12-05. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
  6. ↑ AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores Nominees
  7. ↑ AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers Nominees
  8. ↑ AFI's 10 Top 10 Ballot
  9. ↑ Orvis Cattle Company page about the film locations

External links