#2: The Big Country (1958)

Starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Burl Ives
Directed by William Wyler

The Big Country is not your typical Western. Are there gunfights? Yes. But there’s none of this “get yer stinkin’ carcass outta town or we’re gonna meet at high noon and kill each other” stuff.

Retired sea captain Gregory Peck stars in The Big Country as Jim McKay, a man from New England who’s come out west to marry his fiancée Pat Terrill (Carroll Baker) and meet her father, “the Major.” Because of his values and approach to dealing with difficult situations, McKay puzzles the ranchers and earns only dislike from some of them, including the foreman Steve Leech (Charlton Heston). He soon finds that his fiancee isn’t the girl he remembered, and also finds himself in the midst of a civil war between the Terrills and a neighboring ranch owned by the rough-natured Hannassey clan. The feud is over a watering hole owned by Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons), and both the Terrills and the Hannasseys will do anything to get their hands on it.

This movie, like Ben-Hur, was directed by William Wyler, and is the reason he picked Charlton Heston for the lead role of the epic 1959 film. I can honestly say I have never seen a movie by Wyler that I didn’t like. His creativity, attention to detail and perhaps unconventional directing methods make any of his films a treat to watch. He employed several of what I call “unconventional directing methods” in Ben-Hur, and also some in The Big Country. One such instance was whenhe gave Charlton Heston and Carroll Baker conflicting instructions - he told Heston to hold on to Baker, and make sure she couldn’t get away, and told Baker to do anything she could to get away from Heston. The result was a very realistic struggle.

I’m sure I’ll say it again in this blog somewhere, but I love Gregory Peck. To me, he is the epitome of classy Hollywood actors of a bygone era. He has such a demanding presence on film, and a grace, strength and dignity that can’t ignored.

Favorite Quotes:
“That’s soup aint it.”
“You all hate the major!”
“You want me pa?” “Before you was born I did.”
“You’re the lostest looking thing I’ve seen in ten years!”
“Go ahead and pick out any little spot that suits ya.”