The Big Country (1958)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Bob S

  
  It's a big movie. Don't get lost.

• Bruce B

  
  Excellent Movie, Charlton Heston arrives in a western town looking like a typical gentlemen from the east, he has to prove himself not only to local cow hands but also to the father of his future bride. Story has many turns and twist. Interesting to see Burl Ives and Chuck Connors in… More
  Excellent Movie, Charlton Heston arrives in a western town looking like a typical gentlemen from the east, he has to prove himself not only to local cow hands but also to the father of his future bride. Story has many turns and twist. Interesting to see Burl Ives and Chuck Connors in this movie. A Classic that should be of value in any collection. 5 Stars

• xGary X

  
  Intelligent and handsome western with a strong cast, but many will find it a bit too long on talk and a little too short on action; especially considering it's 3 hour length.

• Cameron J

  
  This film certainly lived up to the "Big" in its title, because it runs almost 170 minutes, and that's too much country for one man to handle. The only thing William Wyler seemed to love more than westerns were long movies. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it… More
  This film certainly lived up to the "Big" in its title, because it runs almost 170 minutes, and that's too much country for one man to handle. The only thing William Wyler seemed to love more than westerns were long movies. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that Michael Cimino actually stole Wyler's print of "Heaven's Gate" and marketed as his own film. Yeah, I know that Wyler probably would have told us, but when he watched the film in 1980, he must have decided to make the announcement after he finished, only to die of boredom in 1981, while he was still watching the film. Such a shame; he only had two more years to go on the film. Yeah, I know, I haven't seen "Heaven's Gate" yet, so I probably have no right to call it boring, but hey, if it's anything like this film, then, well, I'm probably still gonna enjoy it, just like I kind of enjoy this film. Of course, if it is anything like this film, then chances are, it will, in fact, be slow, because although I did still like this film, I wasn't just kidding when I said that this close to 170 minute runtime is too much country to for one man to handle. You can look up, down, left and right, but you will find few major genre determiners that would describe this massive film an epic, and quite frankly, they're right. The scope of this film lacks sweep and doesn't pump too much substance into the story, leaving development lacking, lengthy scenes to feel inorganic and the film, itself, kind of dull at points. Much of the film is quiet and dry in atmosphere, with limited intrigue and oomph, and it's made all the worse by the fact that, while the film does have enough material in its script to be somewhat lengthy, it still does not deserve to run close to 170 minutes. For long periods of time, absolutely nothing happens, and what does happen is padded out to no end, resulting in a 167 minute should-be epic that just does not warrant its massive length, one of the greatest sins a film of this type can commit. So, it's absurdly overlong, dry, underdeveloped, messily structured and slow, and yet it's still pretty decent, and I'll tell you why: Because it's old. No, but seriously though, this is a film given way too much credit by the critics for nostalgia's sake, even with its many, many flaws. This is a mess of a film if there ever was one, but it is a consistently watchable film, made so engaging by its many moves that are respectable, particularly when it comes to style. If nothing else, the film is beautifully-shot, not having the broad scope of the epic that it should have been, but still have a lot of dimension. For its time, the cinematography is something to behold, and now, it's still impressively bold and lively, with handsome lighting that will have moments of being purely awe-inspiring. The film's gorgeous look is enough to sustain your attention for much of it, and the just as excellent production designs help, recreating this world with a kind of rural touch found in most westerns, as well the bleed-over of then-modern times in an organic and immersive fashion. The production is elaborate, eye-catching and supplements the engagement, which would still dissipate, were it not for the charm that really saves this film. Now, remember that although this was 1958, it was still the '50s and very much plagued by some pretty bad actresses, and there are plenty to go around here. Of course, the real stars is Gregory Peck, who was then "the" definitive star of the show, and rightfully so, based on that voice alone. Well, sure enough, Peck is electrically charismatic, especially when he plays off of the other also sharply charming members of this colorful cast, giving the film some weight and humanity; maybe not as much to warrant the gratuitously mammoth runtime, but still enough to keep you going through all of the slow spots and low point, and render this film ultimately rather enjoyable. In the end (Yeah, I'm surprised this film ended eventually, as well), the film lacks the scope and intrigue to warrant its overlong length and makes that sting all the worse with spotty storytelling, limited exposition and overall slowness throughout, but the film goes supported by gripping photography and production designs that really bring this world to life, though not quite as sharply as Gregory Peck and company, all of whom boast the sharp charisma and chemistry needed to make "The Big Country" a charming and watchable classic piece, even with its missteps. 2.5/5 - Fair

• Deb S

  
  This movie has a strong message of non-violence, fair play and justice. Gregory Peck plays a sea Captain whose soft talk and quiet demeanor leads Charlton Heston's character to believe him weak and timid. A story of a man who steps into what is to him a totally alien world and… More
  This movie has a strong message of non-violence, fair play and justice. Gregory Peck plays a sea Captain whose soft talk and quiet demeanor leads Charlton Heston's character to believe him weak and timid. A story of a man who steps into what is to him a totally alien world and decides not to become a part of it. He cares not a whit what others think, only that he lives up to his own values and standards. He is a man of honor who proves nothing to anyone except to himself. What a story. A great asset to the film is the rousing musical score. Its upbeat tempo tells you that you're in for a grand western but this is not just a western. It is pure greatness from William Wyler and a cast that added strength to the film. Burl Ives and Charles Bickford played their respective roles with the intenseness and professionalism of a classic Shakespearean play and Charlton Heston was perfect as the antagonist to Gregory Peck. Jean Simmons was absolutely intriguing. As a woman watching this movie, I soon realized what Mr. Peck would begin to see in this woman as the movie progressed.It is a big country and wonderful one at that. If you have never seen it, please do. You will not regret it.

• Andre T

  
  This is a superb western, one of the best i ever seen.Directed by William Wyler. It stars Gregory Peck, who also co-produced the film with Wyler, plus Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford, and Chuck Connors. It was based on the serialized magazine… More
  This is a superb western, one of the best i ever seen.Directed by William Wyler. It stars Gregory Peck, who also co-produced the film with Wyler, plus Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives, Charles Bickford, and Chuck Connors. It was based on the serialized magazine novel Ambush at Blanco Canyon by Donald Hamilton. 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.With a beautiful cinematography, filmed entirely in open fields, and an exciting musical score, this is a must see movie!

• Sarah B

  
  One of the greatest westerns ever made. The scenery, acting and story are inspiring. But the music is the best thing in this film.

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