Big Country (1958)

"A giant-sized motion picture, lusty, rousing and with great sweep!  Variety

Editor's Note 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.

	Burl Ives
	Charlton Heston
	Gregory Peck
	Jean Simmons
	Donald Hamilton - Based on Novel By
	Emile Santiago, et al. - Costume Designer
	William Wyler - Director
	Franz Planer - Director of Photography
	Robert Belcher - Editor
	Jerome Moross - Musical Score
	Gregory Peck, et al. - Producer
	James R. Webb, et al. - Screenplay

Wyler's sprawling tale of the West, filled with feuds, vengeance and violent jealousy. In a dry, parched canyon located in the southwest, a rich rancher battles it out with a poor counterpart for water rights. Yet in fact, neither man has control of the precious liquid. It really belongs to Julie Maragon, and she generously allows them both to use it. But when a cultured Easterner arrives with plans to marry the wealthy rancher's daughter, his presence sparks a fresh round of anger and resentment. USA Today
"...Sprawling....Jerome Moross' musical score is widely regarded as one of the best ever..." 03/30/2001 p.4E

The Motion Picture Guide 8 of 10
Huge, sprawling western with just about everything; brilliant photography, superb music, an intelligent script, and excellent performances, including one from [Charlton] Heston that is one of the best of his...career... If you like westerns you'll love The Big Country. If you hate westerns, you'll still enjoy this picture because the story could have taken place in a board room, at sea, or anywhere else personalities clash...