Rating: 
Summary: what does it mean to be a man?
Review: James McKay (Gregory Peck)arrives from the east to a land where a man's honour and reputation -that is, what the others think of him- matter more than his actions, and need to be constantly proved and deffended by the use of force. McKay, a world-wise sea captain, does not agree with this state of things. By refusing to be always proving -in this beastly way- that he is a "real" man, he loses his fiancée's love and his future father-in-law's respect for him. But it is the latter's -Major Henry Terrill- and his life long enemy's -Rufus Hannasey- determination to follow this code of honour to the limit what brings disaster on and shows that McKay was right: one is not more of a man for being stronger, but for being more human and taking the responsability of one's actions towards other people.
Rating: 
Summary: Keep Going!
Review: This was a thoroughly enjoyable movie, well-written with
strong memorable characters, and a definite emotional pull
throughout.I'll quibble with some of the plot. For example, it doesn't
make sense that McKay (Peck), the paragon of matters, would run
out on his fiancee for two days without a word of warning. Favorite line of dialogue: The bad Henessey son (Conners) goes
into the house. "You want me, Dad?" Dad (Burl Ives): "I did
...before you wuz born." I found the DVD more than acceptable. It's a bright, beautiful
widescreen image throughout. There were flaws on occasion, but
they definitely didn't push the film into my unacceptable range.
And I'm picky!
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Poor Transfer
Review: This is simply one of the best movies ever made - script, acting, directing, score, cinematography - all the elements are there. Every character is confronted with issues of integrity, struggling in some way with living as an independent proud individual or living in the shadow of someone else. Only two get it right. Unfortunately, the transfer to DVD is simply awful. Somebody needs to be spanked for releasing this amateur piece of work under a studio label. Watching the DVD is about the same experience as watching a 2nd generation VHS copy of the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Fine direction, fine acting, a good yarn, DVD
Review: William Wyler was one of the great Hollywood directors of all time. There are a number of films made in the 30's, 40's and 50's that people remember as great, not realizing that the common thread is director Wyler. "The Big Country" is one of those films. I saw it on the big screen as a kid, and I have never forgotten the impact it had on me. Every time I see it on the small screen, I remember that feeling. The rousing Jerome Moross music score contributes a great deal to the feel of the film, but Wyler also knew when NOT to have music playing underneath the drama. There are many scenes where the fine ensemble cast bring the drama to life without the aid (or interference) of music; it's just them and the fine cinematic framing that was a Wyler hallmark. That wonderful scene of Heston and Peck duking it out alone at midnight in the vast, dead quiet expanse of prairie -- and all you hear is the grunting, panting and thudding of their fists. Great filmmaking. What director gives us action this way today? This film is for people who love movies that are more than just an assault on the senses. (I bought the DVD here. The other reviewers are right; the transfer is bad.)
Rating:
Summary: AMERICAs GREATEST WESTERN
Review: Gregory Peck is a very introspective actor. This character trait of his fits certain roles beautifully. I think Peck's best performance was in 1958s THE BIG COUNTRY. THE BIG COUNTRY is based on Donald Hamilton's novel of the same name. Gregory Peck plays the central character named James McKay. McKay was a sea captain who looked and acted like something of a dandy as he relocated out west from back east to marry his fiancée. McKay was a man who had nothing to prove to anyone but himself. I read the novel. Gregory Peck is James McKay. Peck chose this project and co-produced it because I think he recognized that particular character in the novel that mirrored his approach to many of the roles he chose. There are wooden people in everyday life. What is behind the wooden veneer? I think that a good actor takes the roles that work best for them. Look at Peck's performance as Lewt in DUEL IN THE SUN. That is not one of Peck's typical performances. I wonder after all these years what Peck's critique would be to his performance in that film. If you do watch THE BIG COUNTRY I think that Peck actually makes very subtle references to his performance in DUEL IN THE SUN with his awkward attempt at humor, which is consistent with the character of James McKay. THE BIG COUNTRY is one of America's greatest films. It is blessed with one of the finest scores ever written for an American film. What composer Jerome Moross gave us was true Americana as well as music in the Western genre. This score captures the spirit of what made America great. America is made up of different people and different ideals. Charlton Heston as Steve Leech, in what I think was also his best role and performance, showed us an overly assertive male quality. When he finally confronts McKay he comes away with a self-realization about his own motivations and what being a man really means. Later when put to the test he is truly torn for the first time between good sense and loyalty to the selfish and tyrannical Maj. Henry Terrill (Charles Bickford). Only the viewer can draw a conclusion on his actions. The pivotal music by Jerome Moross in this scene will tear your emotions apart. Burl Ives as Rufus Hannassey won an Academy Award for his role. For me he was the most enigmatic character in this film. Is he as tyrannical as his nemesis Henry Terrill is or not? I am still perplexed. Another good performance in this film was by Chuck Connors as the tragic Buck Hannassey. Chuck Connors as an actor deserved infinitely more recognition than he ever got and this film proves it. This was not a film of black and white characterizations. There was a lot of gray. I saw this film in the theatre when I was a little kid when it first got released. It is very strong on imagery. My heart went out to Chuck Connors as Buck Hannassey in the finale and it still does when I watch it today. This is one of my ten or so favorite films. It is slow and deliberate. It is not flashy. The critics at the time were very wrong. It is a long movie yet there is not a wasted shot in it. It packs a greater emotional punch every time I watch it. The older you get, the more you can identify with it. I was lucky enough to see it the first time when I was very young. This film has something knew to teach you every time you watch it. There are no real extras on the DVD but who cares. The film is what's important here. Some of the frames showed signs of age and breakage. I can live with that. I have this in widescreen on laserdisc but the DVD is still best overall as far as I am concerned. I'm pleased. Look beyond what technology has to offer and acknowledge the art.
Rating:
Summary: An All Time Classic -Non Better
Review: I must admit I am not much of a Western fan, but after watching this movie it provided me with great hours of entertainment. The acting is of the highest quality with rich characters professionally brought to life, especially from Burl Ives. The story line tells of the pathetic, bloody struggle between two completely different social factions, something that still dogs the human race today. Jim McCade (Gregory Peck) enters the West, having been brought up in the East, to marry a girl who is a daughter of one of the rival factions. His good will and humane ideas are put to the test when he is placed between the two waring factions. The acting, dialogue and soundtrack make this one of the all time classics. A must have and fully worthy of five stars. They just don't make them like this any more.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor reproduction
Review: I love this movie but I hate this DVD. This had to have been copied by high school students, no professional could have done this poor of a job. I have this movie on VHS, on two tapes, and it looks like they copied it from the VHS rather than the original movie stock. The background fades in and out just enough to be noticeable, obviously someone didn't turn off the security feature all the way. In the middle of the movie there is a moment of very dark video similar to the VHS, which fades to black on the first cassette and then fades back in on the second. This is sad and I will make sure to never purchase from this production company again!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Western
Review: I loved this movie, most of Gregory Peck's movies are great and I love Jean Simmons. He fit his character to a tee, and I was glad to see him change fiances. The movie was set in what looked like typical Texas, and I loved all of the story line. I have the movie and will enjoy watching it over and over.
Rating:
Summary: Big Country, Small Disappointment
Review: Color and sound for the most part on this Western classic are very good. Fortunately, the dual layer method of recording was used to preserve the film's presentation without the interruption of flipping sides. I noticed some scenes where it appears the actor is saying something, but there isn't any sound, probably due to the original editing job. For instance, when Peck is in the canyon towards the very end, the ranch hand asks how he likes the canyon. You can see Peck's mouth moving, but there isn't any sound for a moment. It would have been nice if MGM had placed some extras on the disc besides the trailer, but perhaps there wasn't much to offer.
Rating: 
Summary: MGM didn't do justice to The Big Country on DVD
Review: I was a little disappointed in the video transfer of The Big Country to DVD. This wasn't a great transfer as white spots and occassional film shivers in the picture occurred. Unfortunately, MGM seems to have joined the rush to market DVDs without taking the time and money to assure the film's fans of a good quality DVD version of the film. The movie is worth five stars, but the DVD version only three due to quality.
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