The Big Country (1958)
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A former sea captain attempts to broker peace between two feuding ranchers over vital water rights in the American West.
The story
Former sea captain James McKay travels to the American West to join his fiancée Patricia at the enormous ranch owned by her father, Henry "the Major" Terrill. After meeting Patricia's friend, schoolteacher Julie Maragon, McKay and Patricia are accosted by a group of drunks led by Buck Hannassey, the son of the Major's implacable enemy, Rufus Hannassey. The two families have a longstanding feud over water access for cattle. Despite the harassment, McKay tries to defuse the situation, but the Major eventually gathers his men to raid the Hannassey ranch, leading to a cycle of escalating hostilities and tension.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
James McKay travels to the West to join his fiancée Patricia at the Terrill ranch. He is met with hostility from the Hannassey family, who are locked in a feud with the Major over water rights. After the Major raids the Hannassey ranch and the families engage in escalating violence, McKay secretly purchases the 'Big Muddy' ranch from Julie Maragon to provide unrestricted water access to both sides. However, Patricia leaves him when she learns of his plan. The conflict reaches a climax when Rufus takes Maragon hostage to lure the Major into an ambush. A shootout ensues between McKay and Buck Hannassey; McKay spares Buck after showing cowardice. Rufus is forced to kill his own son during the chaos. Finally, Rufus and the Major engage in a one-on-one showdown in a canyon, where they kill each other. The hostilities end, and McKay and Julie ride off together to start a new life.
- First release year
- 1958
- Runtime (minutes)
- 166
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Spanish
- Directors
- William Wyler
- Writers
- James R. Webb · screenplay; Sy Bartlett · screenplay; Robert Wilder · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Gregory Peck · James McKay; Jean Simmons · Patricia; Carroll Baker · Julie Maragon; Charlton Heston · Buck Hannassey; Burl Ives · Rufus Hannassey; Charles Bickford · Henry "the Major" Terrill; Chuck Connors · Steve Leech; Alfonso Bedoya
- Genres
- Western; Epic
- Themes
- Feud; Peace; Water Rights
- Tone and mood
- Epic; Serious
- Premise and plot tags
- Western; Epic; Drama; Frontier
- Source material / true-story basis
- Ambush at Blanco Canyon by Donald Hamilton (serialized magazine novel)
- Reception
- The film was a commercial success and a hit in Britain. It received mixed to positive critical reviews, with praise for its photography and performances by Ives and Bickford, but some criticism regarding its pacing and the portrayal of the lead character.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 7.4/10 · scale: 10 · review count: 13; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 100% · review count: 13
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · Win; Golden Globe Award · Best Supporting Actor · Win; Academy Award · musical score · Nomination
- Production trivia
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower screened the film on four successive evenings in the White House.; Playmobil designed an entire cowboy line based on the architecture of the film.; The film was one of the few in which Charlton Heston plays a major supporting role rather than the lead.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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