The Big Country

This is an unreservedly great film, in so many respects. Previous reviewers have made good points about it that need no repetition from me. What intrigues me is that The Big Country is a neglected piece of cinema (I think the Radio Times Film Guide makes this very point). It shows what an astonishingly good actor the late Gregory Peck was, a master of quiet understatement and dignity. I believe he was a co-producer of the movie, so it was something of a labour of love. Whether you view it as an allegory of the Cold War, i.e. the pointlessly destructive head-to-head belligerence of two giant opponents, or you see it as a a cracking good western, you can't be disappointed. I think what intrigues and impresses me above all is that the style of the film doesn't date at all. It looks as if it could have been made last year, not nearly fifty years ago, and in fact looks better than slightly later Western classics such as The Magnificent Seven. It just has a fresh feel about it and is one of very few films that I could watch over and over again (if I had the time..!|). There is subtlety and nuance in every frame and the pace doesn't flag. The plot is clever and not stereotyped. Oh yes, and Jerome Moross' fabulous music score is unforgettable. And the cinematography. Oh well, everything about it really. Fantastic film. Watch. Enjoy.

This has long been one of my favourite films. I had a copy for many years which unfortunately went AWOL so I have just re-bought it. How I love it. For me it is one of the ultimate epics. The music starts just before the opening credits and sweeps through the whole film. Wonderful wide open country with the sun always shining. But nobody sweats and although dust clouds are raised everything is always spotlessly clean. A large cast of experienced actors. Young Gregory Peck extremely handsome, and young Charlton Heston sultry and menacing. Burl Ives gives a commanding performance. The first time we see him a back view head and shoulders shot against the colourful ball scene at his rival's house. It is a classic story of the hatred of two old men: young love, property and power in the wild west. It has been around for a long time so I am sure everyone who wants to see it has seen it but here are a few lines from me, for what they are worth. Oh yes and of course the lovers ride off together in the end, not into the sunset but to a viewpoint overlooking the panorama of the amazing rolling countryside, and presumably live happily ever after.

excellent quality worked a treat delivered on time.

Retired sea Captain James McKay (Gregory Peck) arrives in the sprawling land of the West to marry fiancée Patricia Terrill (Carroll Baker). With an amiable, almost pacifistic approach to life, McKay confounds the ranchers he is now mixing with. Particularly the Terrill ranch foreman Steve Leech (Charlton Heston) who takes an immediate dislike to him. Not only that but it seems that James has landed right in the middle of a family rivalry between the Terrill's and the Hannassey's: just as it's about to fully ignite into war. Directed by William Wyler (Ben-Hur/Mrs. Miniver), The Big Country is adapted from a short story called Ambush at Blanco Canyon that was written by Donald Hamilton. Beautifully photographed by Franz Planer on location at the Red Rock Canyon in Mojave, California and at the three-thousand acre Drais ranch in Stockton, the film is epic in many ways. Tho the story, with its twin themes of violence begets violence and you don't have to act tough to be tough, is a thin one, it's given such an operatic make over by Wyler it's not hard to be swept away by it all. Helped enormously by the afore mentioned Planer, music composer Jerome Moross and an impressive and on form cast (Heston in superb tough guy mode and Burl Ives delivering a Oscar winning performance as head Hannassey patriarch Rufus). Overall, The Big Country sees a small story made big as it's told in an astutely classic style. With memorable acting, gorgeous scenery, big music and notable moments of action {a fist fight between Peck & Heston alone is epic and apparently took three days to get right} it's a must see for the Western enthusiast. 8/10

One of the greatest Western epics ever made, The Big Country boasts one of Gregory Peck's finest performances playing an Eastern sea captain who trades in his sea legs to travel West and marry the daughter of a rich and powerful rancher. But once he arrives in the West, he becomes embroiled in a war over access to the waters of the Big Muddy, the River feeding water to this part of the country, inadvertently stepping into an open war between his father in law to be (played excellently by Ralph Bellamy) and Bellamy's long time sworn enemy, played magnificently in a well deserved Oscar winning performance by Burl Ives. Ives is incredible in this scene stealing role which is like nothing else he's ever done or that I had ever before imagined him capable of. I had no idea Ives had this level of acting chops to draw from and his performance was so powerful it shocked and amazed me. This was clearly the performance of his career--and oh my God what a performance it was! And Chuck Conners, as his ruthless, no account son, hands in the best performance of his own career as well, playing a despicably unforgettable bad guy. Jean Simmons is also memorable playing the best friend of Peck's wife to be who is sought after by the ruthless Conners, a man who simply won't take no for an answer, even though Simmons is utterly disgusted by him. And the movie even boasts a memorable performance from Charlton Heston as well. The film follows the slow burning model, building slowly, adding one single piece at a time, building everything slowly bit by bit until it all comes together and suddenly all hell breaks loose. Although the story may appear at first to meander a little untill you reach the climax it all leads up to, once that climax begins, you see very clearly that the film was merely setting up all the dominos in perfect order to have them fall all at once in the last 40 minutes, creating a truly riveting and exciting climax so intense and that you'll be riveted. You will be absolutely glued to your screen throughout the entire intense climax of this film. With an outstanding script, phenomenal acting, absolutely magnificent photography, and with top flight directing by the great William Wyler, this is a film that is not to be missed! Also nominated for an Oscar for the music, this masterpiece of a film treats us to one of the most memorable Western film scores of all time (to my estimation, The Big Country and The Magnificent Seven tie one another in this regard). This is an absolutely stellar, truly unforgettable Western classic masterpiece that MUST be seen by any real fan of the Western genre. If you love Westerns and haven't seen it yet, get this disc without hesitation. I promise that you won't be sorry! It would be impossible for me to recommend this movie any more highly than I already do! It's a masterpiece, a great classic film that's as good as classic films get! A truly superior Western.

Estupenda película, cuenta con las actuaciones de dos grandes Gregory Peck y Charlton Heston tiene subtítulos en español, sin duda para la colección.

Eso es lo que siento. Imaginad que rondando tiendas extranjeras, o por ejemplo en nuestro mismo amazon España, encuetras esta edición de Horizontes de grandeza: Imagen.... Increible, gran trabajo de restauración. Sonido, castellano, y subtítulos..... aquí está la puntilla... Cómo es posible que tengamos un disco, aparentemente edición mundial, que no tengamos editado en España? Esa calidad global, y con los requisitos que necesitamos... está todo mascado, solo falta tener la carátula en Castellano y distribuirla... Quien se anima?? Resumen: Misma edición que tendremos en ESpaña, pero con carátula Alemana. Audio y demás tal cual. Precio increible, ni cuando salga en España tendrá ese precio, seguro que ronda los 19,90€ a 24.90€. Ahora está en torno a los 12€ puesta en casa (cuenta premium). Recomendada 100% (o más).

Love this movie so I purchased it.

Goede staat, snelle verzending!