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The Big Country Details

1958 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 1290 members

Wyler's powerful Western covers a lot of territory with Gregory Peck a fish out of water as a sea captain who travels west to marry and settle, but finds himself in the middle of a bitter dispute over water rights and a jealous clash with the ranch foreman (Charlton Heston). He also discovers his fiancee isn't who he imagined .. Read more

Starring Charlton Heston, Carroll Baker, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons
Director William Wyler
Genres Action/Adventure

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The Big Country

Wyler's powerful Western covers a lot of territory with Gregory Peck a fish out of water as a sea captain who travels west to marry and settle, but finds himself in the middle of a bitter dispute over water rights and a jealous clash with the ranch foreman (Charlton Heston). He also discovers his fiancee isn't who he imagined and finds true romance with the local schoolmistress (Jean Simmons). Folk singer Burl Ives surprised audiences with his performance which garnered him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Starring Charlton Heston, Carroll Baker, Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford, Chuck Connors, Alfonso Bedoya, Buff Brady, Jim Burk, Chuck Hayward
Director William Wyler
Studio MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Certificate Certificate PG
Collections 100 Wild Westerns
Genres Action/Adventure
Language DVD: English
Dubbed French, German, Italian, Spanish
Hearing-impaired English, German
Subtitles DVD: Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
Released DVD: 11 Jun 2001
Production year: 1958
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Big Country

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  • 1 stars out of 5

    MGM's flag-waving series of eight episodes intended to illustrate the richness and diversity of American life scores straight zeroes, except for Gary Cooper's monologue about Texas, directed by Clarence Brown, which is momentarily amusing. Yawn at the mawkish or pointless material in which stars like Fredric March and Gene Kelly appear. An obvious embarrassment before release, the picture was cut down to a standard running time and barely released.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 3 stars out of 4

    Big-scale Western with a few pretensions to say something about the Cold War. All very fluent, star-laden and easy to watch.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Big Country

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  • 8 out of 14 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    The best western ever made

    Stunning scenery, marvellous performances by great actors, an engaging romance, comedy, feuds, action, moral dilemmas and a glorious soundtrack - in my top ten favourite films (I can't choose just one.) Plus Jean Simmonds for the chaps, and Gregory Peck AND Charlton Heston for the girls - its a perfect film and one of the all-time greats.

  • Most recent members' review of The Big Country

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    They don't make them like this any more

    This is a wonderful film, and Gregory Peck is fabulous. I wonder if a 'remake' is due, for the benefit of those who prefer more up-to-the-minute cinemetography. However, it would doubtless be ruined by a more up-to-the-minute slant, and lose the point entirely of strength of character vs brawn and bitterness. Refreshing to see a film that makes a worthwhile and enduring point.

      • A customer from Derby, England
      • Posted 18 Jul 2005 13:49

  • News and features

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    Major Dundee

    Charlton Heston 1924-2008

    • 08 Apr 2008

    There was nothing small about Charlton Heston. He was a big, lusty man, with a scowl that might have been chiselled out of granite, a famously noble brow, and the kind of sculpted upper torso he was happy to show off well into middle age. It was a physique built for Cinema-Scope. With the movies' fighting television for audiences in the 1950s, Heston was the man of the hour. Cecil B De Mille cast him as the circus master in The Greatest Show On Earth (Best Picture winner in 1952), then as... Read more

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Rating breakdown

1,290 Member ratings
  • 100
192
  • 90
125
  • 80
262
  • 70
241
  • 60
204
  • 50
105
  • 40
63
  • 30
43
  • 20
37
  • 10
18

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      • Wyler's powerful Western covers a lot of territory with Gregory Peck a fish out of water as a sea captain who travels west to marry and settle, but finds himself in the middle of a bitter dispute ...