The Big Country
The Big Country is a 1958 American epic Western film directed by William Wyler, starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, and Burl Ives. The supporting cast features Charles Bickford and Chuck Connors. Filmed in Technicolor and Technirama, the picture was based on the serialized magazine novel Ambush at Blanco Canyon by Donald Hamilton and was co-produced by Wyler and Peck. The opening title sequence was created by Saul Bass.
Plot
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 a meeting with 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 ardent and implacable enemy Rufus Hannassey − with whom he's had a longstanding feud over water access for cattle. In spite of the harassment and mockery, McKay surprises Patricia by making light of the incident and stating that he's experienced worse and the boys meant no harm, they were just drunk.
Awards
More details
| author | James R. Webb Jessamyn West Sy Bartlett |
|---|---|
| award | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| contentLocation | Arizona |
| director | William Wyler |
| editor | Robert Swink |
| genre | western |
| keywords | abandon american old west american west drive-in drive-in theater falling in love meet morning new life ranch hand river run sea captain search party shoot terrorize wed |
| musicBy | Jerome Moross |
| nomination | Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| publisher | United Artists |
| recordedAt | Arizona California |
| theme | epic |