The Big Country
1958 Directed by William Wyler
Synopsis
Gregory Peck stars as a sea captain who moves way out West to marry Carroll Baker and become part of the ranch owned by her father (Charles Bickford). But he discovers that daddy's top hand (Charlton Heston) carries a torch for Baker and doesn't particularly like Peck stepping into his place. Peck also finds himself caught in the midst of a power struggle between Bickford and his surly neighbor, Burl Ives (and his reprehensibly bullying son, Chuck Connors). This long, sprawling tale works because its characters are played by movie stars who know how to command the big screen in a big story. --Marshall Fine
Cast
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It's a William Wyler flick, so of course it's long winded and corny. But it's also brim full of interesting ideas and colourful characters. The cinematography - all bright colours, tiny humans being dwarfed by the vast, empty landscape, and ice cold, staring blue eyes - is absolutely amazing. In my book The Big Country is at least as good as The Best Years of Our Lives and Ben-Hur, a Hollywood epic of the kind they certainly don't make any more.
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Always bet on William Wyler.
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I generally don't like William Wyler's style of direction. He's too bloodless and long winded. But I could watch Charlton Heston and Gregory peck beat the shit out of each other all day.* And Burl Ives is fantastic. The movie's politics are overtly liberal, which is cool for a western.
*Not true.
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This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
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I generally don't like William Wyler's style of direction. He's too bloodless and long winded. But I could watch Charlton Heston and Gregory peck beat the shit out of each other all day.* And Burl Ives is fantastic. The movie's politics are overtly liberal, which is cool for a western.
*Not true.
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Always bet on William Wyler.
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A true epic. Good story, good acting, very enjoyable.
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The most gorgeously filmed western ever made. The epic nighttime fight between Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston is absolutely perfect. Some of Burl Ives' dialogue was quoted (well, paraphrased) in the Ren & Stimpy song "Happy Happy Joy Joy."
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It's a William Wyler flick, so of course it's long winded and corny. But it's also brim full of interesting ideas and colourful characters. The cinematography - all bright colours, tiny humans being dwarfed by the vast, empty landscape, and ice cold, staring blue eyes - is absolutely amazing. In my book The Big Country is at least as good as The Best Years of Our Lives and Ben-Hur, a Hollywood epic of the kind they certainly don't make any more.
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Magnificent western-epic with a pacifist message, as two rivaling farms are squaring off in a cold war like allignment. The images are grand, and so are the ideas, it is packed with great actors and ust very enjoyable all around.
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Epic Hollywood western saga in all its glory.
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