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The Big Country

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This article is about the 1958 film. For other uses, see Big Country (disambiguation).
The Big Country
Theatrical release poster by Saul Bass
Directed byWilliam Wyler
Written byRobert Wilder
Produced byGregory Peck
William Wyler
StarringGregory Peck
Jean Simmons
Charlton Heston
Carroll Baker
Burl Ives
Charles Bickford
Chuck Connors
CinematographyFranz F. Planer, ASC
Edited byRobert Belcher
John Faure
Robert Swink (sup)
Music byJerome Moross
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • October 1, 1958 (1958-10-01)
Running time
166 minutes
LanguageEnglish
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 that 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, considers him 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 astutely points out the fact to Terrill that it is unnecessary for Terrill and his men to administer "justice" on his behalf, that he considered the incident with Buck to be nothing more than hazing, and that if Terrill continued to insist on pursuing the matter, he is doing it for his own reasons. Terrill and his men led by Leech catch up to Buck's cowpokes, but Buck makes his escape while the others in his posse are punished and beaten senseless. Alone at Terrill's ranch except for the company of ranch hand Ramon (Alfonso Bedoyal), McKay then breaks Old Thunder, after being thrown out of the saddle numerous times. He swears Ramon, the only witness to McKay's triumph, to secrecy.

Later, Terrill hosts a Grand Gala for all of the prominent citizens in the community to formally announce McKay and Patricia's upcoming wedding. A ruffled and grizzled Hannassey, armed with a shotgun, spoils the festive mood of the evening when he confronts Terrill in front of all his well coiffed guests over the brutal beating of his men and threatens to start a range war with Terrill over his steadfast practice of denying water to Hannassey's cattle.

One morning, McKay rides out to the Big Muddy and persuades Julie to sell him the land, promising to continue her policy of unrestricted access to the river. A search party, led by Leech, spends two days looking for McKay, believing he has become lost. McKay explains that he was never 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. McKay quietly asks Leech exactly what it was that they proved by fighting. Leech has a new understanding of McKay, and a new found respect for him as well.

Later, Julie tells her friend Patricia that he bought the Big Muddy for her. Patricia breaks off their engagement when McKay shares his plans to give Hannassey access to his water.

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, a premonition that has begrudgingly come to pass for Hannassey as he laments over having to kill Buck.

"The Big Country"
Main theme from the film by Jerome Moross.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

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, 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

Main article: The Big Country (comics)

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]

See also

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. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  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
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