The Big Country (1958)

Cast

Gregory Peck
as James McKay
Jean Simmons
as Julie Maragon
Charlton Heston
as Steve Leech
Carroll Baker
as Patricia Terrill

Get more information about The Big Country (1958) on IMDb

Genres & Description

Romance Western

7.9 / 10

Retired, wealthy sea Captain Jame McKay arrives in the vast expanse of the West to marry fiancée Pat Terrill. McKay is a man whose values and approach to life are a mystery to the ranchers and ranch foreman Steve Leech takes an immediate dislike to him. Pat is spoiled, selfish and controlled by her wealthy father, Major Henry Terrill. The Major is involved in a ruthless land war, over watering rights for cattle, with a rough hewn clan led by Rufus Hannassey. The land in question is owned by Julie Maragon and both Terrill and Hannassey want it.

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Comments on this trailer
Comments may include spoiler!

Carol Baumeister

Showing in 35mm at Dryden Theater, Eastman Museum tonight. 6/30/18. 35mm = best viewing. - @Saturday, June 30, 2018 4:35 PM

Joe Francis

Great movie, but is it just me or is the plot basically everyone in the west was full of shit until the biggest liberal in Hollywood came out and showed them how to live? - @Monday, March 12, 2018 11:19 PM

David N

You hit it right on the head. The scene when Burl Ives comes in for the first time and shows up at the dance/party is the most riveting scene in the whole movie. That 2 minutes scene gave Ives the Academy Award, in my opinion. Without Burl, this movie would of been good BUT he made the movie terrific! this movie shows just how good Burl Ives was as an actor. Not only can he be the lovable snowman, the good natured grandpa but he can also be the cold hearted rancher in Big County with perfection. - @Monday, November 19, 2012 2:30 AM

Harold Jameson

A fucking awful cuntfest. - @Tuesday, November 13, 2012 7:43 AM

tsimahei

Ive and Heston, I miss them, but every actor on here was great and we're at a loss today without them. Great movie, time well worth spent watching it. - @Wednesday, September 26, 2012 3:28 AM

David N

Jack Palance was never in this film. Chuck Conners, Greg Peck, Burl Ives and just before he died, Alfonso Bedoya. Alfonso is the same actor that was the bandit who made the famous quote from the Treasure of the Sierra Madre "I dont have no stinkin badges"...... - @Sunday, August 14, 2011 4:39 AM

andreedazzle

Wonderful, Jerome Music, Burl Ives got the white carnation, Chuck Connors did a decent job as his son - @Monday, June 20, 2011 11:26 PM

Arcy Voz Cavalier

kool! - @Wednesday, June 15, 2011 5:07 AM

Victor Mancini

@babayabadabadu have been... fucking grammer nazi's. - @Tuesday, June 7, 2011 10:13 PM

race2run

One of my favorite roles of Chuck Connors and Burl Ives. I liked everybody in this movie, Gregory Peck, an all star cast that was awesome. Didn't B. Ives win an academy award for this? Great story and scenery also. Yeah, great movie I can watch again and again! - @Monday, June 6, 2011 4:48 PM

roy prydderch

@Punchyuk I agree - @Wednesday, May 18, 2011 1:32 AM

hunt2727

This movie is perfect! So good it is that half a century after it was made it is absolutely actual, you could not say it is an old movie!! - @Thursday, September 9, 2010 7:33 PM

Victor Mancini

havent seen this in about 10-12 years at least ( must of been around 7/8) wen i watchd it, but shit, it all comes flooding back 2 me - @Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:59 PM

Michael Myers

@JuanMacready Thats a good idea - @Saturday, March 20, 2010 1:34 PM

fred sims

The women were so hott in this film. - @Thursday, March 18, 2010 2:50 AM

RaftCoveProductions

I am not against fighting for my country and protecting her against all foes and I am very right winged, but the end results will ultimately be the same, more bloodshed over a spinning rock in space. Until every person on this planet understands that and learns to work together, we will continue to see blood in our streets. - @Monday, March 8, 2010 12:33 AM

RaftCoveProductions

The point of the film, and your observation at calling it left-wing, is that any battle between two opposing sides was going to cause bloodshed of many brave men. The men in this film and the men during the Cold War. The film is brilliant and can certainly be applied to today's front pages. - @Monday, March 8, 2010 12:32 AM

whiskeyify

@patsaxon what's really impressive is that greg peck I read seldom used a stunt double, he pretty much did all his own fight scenes. - @Monday, February 15, 2010 5:08 AM

whiskeyify

At least in the old days we had some really good actors, today there are a lot of big stars but few good actors. - @Thursday, January 7, 2010 2:41 AM

whiskeyify

Gregory Peck is just so good here, he's just so relaxed and natural in front of a camera.. chuck connors I hated his part...grew up watching him in the rifleman, he was my hero. I read that in real life chuck was tough as nails. - @Wednesday, December 30, 2009 11:54 PM

theprophet20

Surely the most entertaining western of 'em all! And fabulous music too. - @Wednesday, November 25, 2009 3:09 PM

gerladiant

Could some one please post "the greeting" from this film "the big Country" as it uses this piece of music without any talking , and the horse riding is fantastic. - @Sunday, October 11, 2009 8:35 PM

oldmoviemusic

This is one of my favorite movies, and I'm fifteen....My family has watched it ever since we were young! - @Tuesday, July 21, 2009 12:20 AM

5thcorps

This movie is Burl Ives' alone. Even Peck and Heston come up short when next to him. - @Monday, June 29, 2009 8:37 PM

BigDuke6ixx

'uncontrollable love hungers' LOL - @Sunday, May 10, 2009 8:32 AM

David Lyons

A great film......watched it tooo many times :~)).....Listen to my Eurovision 2009 entry for Ireland its on my site...leave a comment if you like..... - @Wednesday, May 6, 2009 4:20 PM

Bestmanme08

There is a great bio called "Charlton Heston: An Incredible lIfe" for sale at amazon! - @Monday, March 23, 2009 10:24 PM

Jaszladany

Not just "one of..." IT IS the greatest for me. - @Friday, March 13, 2009 10:34 PM

Michael D'Addario

One of the greatest westerns ever! - @Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:19 PM

condensedclassics

William Wyler the director of The Big Country offered Heston the supporting role knowing full well that in his next project the epic Ben-Hur, Charlton Heston would play the lead. - @Saturday, November 22, 2008 2:47 PM

The Sarge

An aboslutely wonderful score! Who writes music like this anymore? A true masterpiece from Moross. Was nominated for music Oscar, but did not win. And in the film, Jean Simmons... Could she EVER have imagined that she would be playing Starfleet Admiral Satie (1 episode) some 33 years later in an obscure show called "Star Trek, The Next Generation?" - @Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:39 PM

Chris Raven

i totally agree - @Saturday, March 1, 2008 4:33 PM

Sean Pultz

This movie gave Burl Ives the Oscar! - @Sunday, December 16, 2007 4:38 AM