THE BIG COUNTRY (1958) Movie REACTION! 

The Big Country is the greatest Western Motion picture of all time, it should have won Best Picture of 1958, PERIOD!!!!!

“To Kill A Mocking Bird” with Gregory Peck is a classic and a cameo of a young Robert Duval!!!

John McKay is a very ethical character. A character of rare and great integrity, which is what really distinguishes this movie. Moral clarity. Determined to do what's best for all.

Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Chuck Connors, Jean Simmons ...and Burl Ives, who won an Academy Award for his performance in this. One of my favorite films. And one of the best theme songs in film.

I'm 74, I saw this movie at a drive in with my mom and little brother when I was 8. I still believe it is the best western movie ever made, the story of a man with impeccable character.

The greatness of Burl shines through, what a role to pull off, and a very well deserved Oscar to boot. In case you don't know, he was also a great singer with the sweetest voice, "Rudolph the red nosed Reindeer" just one of his many hits. I miss him so.

Ben Hur and now The Big Country, the channel is reaching a high level.

You’re picking winners Madison. This one’s in my all-time top 10.

One of the most spectacular westerns ever made. And a score for the ages. Hard to believe it has never been reacted to. So congrats on being the first. And if you are now a Jean Simmons fan, she was in another spactacular movie made only 1 year later. It is not a western but it is every bit as good as this one, if not better. Talkin' bout Stanley Kubrik's epic masterpiece, SPARTACUS. This movie is loved by millions out here and as of now you'd be the first to my knowledge to react to this one too if ou did.

Old Man Hennessy is actually a fairly honorable guy. He's just overcome with his hatred for the Major.

Chuck Conners, who portrayed Buck, played The Rifleman, a popular TV character. He also played major league baseball with the Chicago Cubs.

The paint that Charlton Heston rode was named Domino, was also the horse in the TV show The Texan staring Rory Calhoun.

This movie was also directed by the late William Wyler who afterwards directed Ben Hur. Love Charlton Heston, Gregory Peck and Jean Simmons in this 🍿 movie

This is definitely one of the best westerns ever. Another one you must watch is Shane. It's about a gunfighter trying to put the past behind him but circumstances won't permit it. Another Gregory Peck movie with a similar theme to Shane is The Gunfighter.

"Crawl. You act like a dog. Crawl like one." Pop Hennessy was driven by his vendetta but there was decency in him.

The older classics are the best. No need for CGI just great locations and great actors.

Great Choice! Burl Ives was such an underrated Character Actor, but he did earn an Oscar for this role. Chuck Conners was a revelation. Loved, Loved , Loved her gown at the engagement ball. Before HD, I always thought her dress was black, but it’s actually a beautiful Navy blue. The score is just beautiful. This movie is such a gem!

My earliest childhood memories. My family moved to Nigeria in 1965 for dad’s job as a surveyor. We lived in a house in the middle of nowhere. No neighbors, no neighborhood kids to play with. Mom was a film buff and brought along her favorite LP of Mantovanni playing the greatest score from classic films. I would wake up in the morning with the exhilarating music of Big Country coming from the kitchen as mom made breakfast. Big Country was my favorite, looking at the album cover with an epic shot of Gregory Peck with open sky behind him. I was obsessed with finding out what Big Country was about. With just that one photo Gregory Peck became my favorite actor without ever seeing him act at all. I was 5 years old. I didn’t see the film until 1970 back in the Philippines. I was so excited when I heard the opening theme. I was traumatized by the violence and the film haunted me in my nightmares. I was only 10 years old. It took a long time before I could make myself see it again. Older, I appreciated it more. It was epic. It lived up to what I imagined it to be back when I was only 5 in Nigeria. I love the film and Gregory Peck was a hero for me. The music is still played by symphony orchestras around the world. Epic! I am an illustrator and sculptor. Horses are my favorite subjects with my artwork. I wonder where that came from….

Charleton Heston starred in a really good western titled WILL PENNY.

So much here. Burl Ives, Hannassey won the Academy Ward for Best supporting actor in this movie. He could play a tough meany or a very gentle man. Also a good singer. Charlton Heston was already a big star and leading man, but, took this part to work with the Director, which led to him being cast as Ben Hur. Chuck Conners, Buck, went on to star in The Rifleman tv series and was one of televisions best dads.

The wife and I watched this last evening. The new restored film. Just beautiful, great acting, great dialogue, great locations, and a great film. Just moved into the top 5 of my favorite horse operas.

Madison, one movie you much watch which stars Gregory Peck is “ To Kill a Mockingbird.” It is one of Pecks greatest role.

The actress playing the part of Julie is Jean Simmons, she was in a ton of movies!! Always gave a great performance!!

A superior script, superior direction, superior acting by every cast member, superior cinematography, superior set design and costuming..."Big Country" is in my top 5 westerns of all time. Great call, Ms. Madison. Enjoyed your reaction.

Excellent reaction. I was a teenager when I first saw this film. It was on television, late at night. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to watch it. Then I heard the score, along with the opening credits. It was such a powerful opening, I was hooked, and watched it all the way through. I agree with Madison about that ending scene, and the unspoken attraction between the two leads. Nothing needed to be said. It was clear with the they looked at each other.

1:37 Your editor should have also taken this opportunity to inform you that "The Big Country" is not only directed by the same director as "Ben Hur", but also "Roman Holiday" - William Wyler, one of Hollywood's ever greatest directors!

One other thing, another great western is Shane, staring Alan Ladd, a major star in the 40’s, and 50’s. It’s usually on the top 10 lists.

It's one of the best movies ever made. Perfection...actors, writing, direction, cinematography, The Big Country! Madison, YOU should write the sequel.

One of the greatest Westerns ever made, with absolutely EPIC characters and the perfect actors to play them. And one of the best scores ever.

Movie trivia: The actor who played Ramon was Alfonso Bedoya, who years earlier spoke the line usually misquoted as "Badges? We don't need any stinkin' badges!"

Always made me chuckle when they thought he was lost. He was a ship's captain, he would've known where he was better than any of them.

Absolutely my favorite western with an amazing score and cast all of whom were huge in film during the fifties and sixties. You're commentary is right on with the character development and love story of Julie and Jim. The moral goodness and humble traits of Jim make him one of my favorite characters in cinema. Good job!

Heston agreeing to be in this movie is actually what got him the role of Ben Hur. Heston had just come off of "The Ten Commandments", another great Biblical epic, but his portrayal of Moses was, to put it simply, epic to match the style. He wasn't sure he wanted to play in a smaller film right after such a big one, but he went for it anyway--and because the director saw how subtle Heston could play a role, especially with that hate and fury boiling just beneath the surface, he decided he was perfect. EDIT: Also, in the book, it is actually made clear that Steve and Pat were an item before she went off to the East and became "a lady". As such, she decided she was too good for Steve and got with Jim.

High time somebody reacted to this great movie. I'm pretty sure you're the first on RU-vid. The script, the plot, the directing, the acting, the incredible scenery, the fantastic music score, everything is just perfect. My mother could take or leave most Westerns, but The Big Country was one of her favorite movies of all times.

Gregory Peck always played an honorable man...except in the movie "The Boys From Brazil." Here he went in the totally opposite direction. and played one of the most heinous men in history.

Madison - There is a great underrated western that you will love - "The Professionals". It stars Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan and Jack Palance. It also stars the great African American actor Woody Strode for whom the "Toy Story" character Woody is named.

Saw it in a drive in theater with my folks and my sister. I was 10yo. Westerns were big where I grew up. El Paso Texas! Great film. And not finalizing all the relations at the end, as you observed, was just brilliant. As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.

So many great performances in this but for me, Chuck Connors and Carol Baker were superb. I hardly noticed Baker's performance when i saw this movie years ago but now i'm impressed with her portrayal of the spoilt daughter of a powerful, wealthy man.

I have always thought that Chuck Conners should have won the Oscar for Best Supporting actor that year. He expressed the whole gamit of emotions and his facial expressions made them REAL! He sold his character!

Heston did not want to do this movie, because he was not the star, but his agent convinced him to do it. His next role after this was Ben Hur.

Trivia note: the actor who played the Mexican ranch hand/side kick for Peck's character also appeared as the bandit leader in the movie Treasure of Sierra Madre.

Anything with Mr. Peck is good, but here are four MUST SEE movies of his. Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) Moby Dick (1956) The Guns of Navarone (1961) Twelve O'Clock High (1949)

"I'm not responsible for what people think." One of my favorite movie lines ever.

Burl Ives won the academy award for this. And, he was snowman in the Christmas special "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".

Back in 1957 Ray and Ruth Pollard bought land near Stockton, California on Hwy 99 and started a family style chicken dinner place. Much like the one at Knotts Berry Farm in Los Angles it was 1800's themed. When the movie The Big Country finished filming the Pollards bought most of the buildings used for the sets and moved them to their new western town called Pollard Ville. They later added steam train and boats rides and live entertainment at their giant opera house/saloon. It became quiet famous in the area and grew to be very large and interesting. It was always busy and for many years was especially popular with families and tourist traveling HWY 99. And, their fried chicken was top notch too! El Mirage Land and cattle Company

Omg I'm so glad you listened to our recommendation to watch this movie! So glad you enjoyed it too! I grew up watching Gregory Peck movies and this is one of my favorites! His next best movie would probably be THE GUNS OF NAVARONE! it's not a western, but a was movie, but my late father told me it was epic for the time that it came out. It doesn't really have the romance of BIG COUNTRY, but is still a movie you will enjoy. He also stars in one of the greatest adaptations of a book...ever....TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, for which he won an academy award. The book is fantastic too. Either movie will likely impress you I think. Thanks again for watching these wonderful movies. It's a load of fun to see it through your eyes! Keep smiling👍🙂

Great reaction & discussion! So much fun watching your work! The great Christmas classic, "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas", is sung by Burl Ives, aka Rufus Hannassey. What an underrated talent. Hope someday you watch one of Peck's greatest performances( many) in "To Kill a Mockingbird". It was a tremendous book and movie. Thx Madison!

Kudos to Alfonso Bedoya! The likeable ranch hand Ramón Gutierrez was his last film role. Unfortunately, he died shortly before the film was released. Fun fact: he was also the bandit leader "Gold Hat" in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

I'd highly recommend "Red River" as another classic epic underappreciated Western, with John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. A Howard Hawks film.

You must watch, To Kill A Mockingbird, both the picture, and G Peck received the Academy Award. It takes place in the south, during the 1930’s.

And Oh. My. God, the score! Jerome Moross was robbed of the Oscar. That main title score, Blanco Canyon, and the music for the Hennessys harassing James and Patricia on their ride back to the ranch is classic! (I think it's called "The Wecoming.) And Willie Wyler didn't like the score! Well, he was almost deaf at the time, so ...

Oh! That is possibly the greatest western (I’d call it a meta-western) that I’ve ever seen.

it was great hearing something about the horses from someone who actually knows something about them. Burl Ives was a folk singer. My parents had several of his albums and they were beloved in our house. He dabbled in acting later in life and it got him an Oscar for this role. I just discovered this movie about a year ago, and was drawn in by the fabulous score.

I love the the line " I know a skunk when I smell one "

THIS is a great - and greatly underrated - film!!! Am very happy that you watched this!

Such great themes in this film. The Terrells are all about pride and outward show-the opinion of the world. Jim is about moral integrity and true dignity. The Hanasseys are vulgar and rough, but the old man is closer to Jim 's values than not. Buck is just a lost soul. And perhaps the most interesting is Leech. He's been formed by old man Terrell, but once he is shown the meaning of true honor his true self comes out. A really fine film and another strong reaction.

When I saw The Big Country, and on the radio and TV about that time, I loved the theme music and the unusual rhythms. Later, when I became a Beatle fan, even the adult musicians who didn't even like them, were talking about how they broke all the musical, composition rules, yet with originality, and to great effect. I could imagine the Beatles going to matinees at downtown Liverpool theaters, and being inspired by cool movie music like The Big Country.

This is one of my personal favorites in westerns. The acting is fenominal and it is a great character study. the scenery and story are great. I just love it.

I love this movie so much, first and foremost my first horse I actually owned was a cheeky appy that bucked me a few times, second I was a Northern Navy Sailor who ended up on a Mississippi horse ranch and kinda was treated kinda the same way. Gregory Peaks character is the type of Man I strive to be. This is the type of stories we need in modern cinema.

There's a pretty underrated comedy called DESIGNING WOMAN, with Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck. Oddly enough, it also has him being terrorized by Chuck Connors.

My mother bought a beautiful all black gelding from our next door neighbor. He was named "Trouble". He was being kept in a corral as a colt. The rancher turned loose a couple of dozen chicks for free range eggs in his barn. The next morning he found every chick that had ventured into the corral had been stomped into the ground. My mother's theory was that Trouble just wasn't ridden enough. She tried to get my little brother to ride him but that didn't last long. When I returned from Viet., I got the job. Just like Old Thunder, you could saddle him in the corral without any problem. You could mount him without any trouble. However, as soon as Trouble felt you relax in the saddle that was his clue to start bucking. Or as soon as you road him out of the corral & he saw room to run. My mother hired a rodeo calf roper who was working on another ranch to break him. Trouble took the bit in his teeth & took off with him as well. Some horses are just too smart to be ridden! We had to chain the corral gate shut as Trouble learned to slide the gate latch over & let himself out. He wound up being our largest pet. He would follow us everywhere on our ranch as long as we didn't try to ride him.

Burl Ives and Chuck Connors played epic roles in the duel scene...it was done so well. I saw this picture years ago, and always remember the acting. Absolutely stunning performances.

Another Western that doesn't go by the "rules" is "The Bravados" with Gregory Peck. Burl Ives was a very popular singer with such songs as "A Little bitty tear", "Funny way of laughing," and "A holly, jolly Christmas".

Too many rivers to cross is a frontier movie staring Rob Taylor, Eleanor Parker, James Arness with many funny one liners between Taylor and Parker.

One of my favorite lines is when Julie says, “How many times does a man have to win you?” You should check out the 1957 film, A Face in the Crowd. It’s Andy Griffith’s first starring film role, and he is fantastic in it! It’s a great character study of how money and power corrupts. It’s a black and white film though.

Burl Ives was famous for playing much older than he was. He was only 48 years old when he he did this film. The same year he played Elizabeth Taylor's father-in-law 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof'.

A sweeping western epic you need to see is “How the West Was Won” (1962 movie). It’s covers several decades of western expansion and has an all star cast. I’m sure you would enjoy it.

Jim is a perfect male role model. A real man with nothing to prove to anyone but himself.

Thankyou. I always loved this movie. And I love, that you called out the story ending already in the beginning. All the honor that was in play, is what I feel made this movie a "big movie".

William Wyler also directed, "Roman Holiday." So he actually directed all 3 of the movies you mentioned here: "Ben Hur," " The Big Country" & "Roman Holiday." 😉

Everyone was sleeping on Jim because they didn’t respect his being a sailor. Anyone who sailed in those days had a life that was as hard as any cowboy’s. Speaking of: You might love watching Peck as a ship’s captain in Captain Horatio Hornblower.

So many stars in this, both at the time and later like Chuck Connors. And supporting cast who are recognizable such as the Mexican wrangler, Ramon, who was the bandit leader in Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

At last! I'd give you more thumbs up if I could. Next, you'll have to see Gregory Peck in "To Kill a Mockingbird" which is perhaps his best-known role.

Excellent! Glad to see you introduced to more actors who should be in your repertoire, especially Charles Bickford!

The actor (Chuck Connors) who played Buck, played in my favorite western TV show The Rifleman. He plays a completely different character. A God-fearing Christian ex Civil War veteran and single parent of a young boy. I hope someday you will check out The Rifleman at least the first episode.

The "Big Country" is a 12 county area of Texas (Callahan, Eastland, Fisher, Jones, Kent, Mitchell, Nolan, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, and Taylor) north of the Concho river, through the north end of the Colorado River to up around the Brazos River. And yes, that's pretty much what it looks like. I used the "what did we prove" and "I'm not responsible....." lines to raise my kids. You should react to "12 O'clock High"

There was definite pacifist thing going on in the postwar films of William Wyler, George Stevens & some other filmmakers. Not coincidentally, Wyler & Stevens had been WWII documentary filmmakers and had seen combat and the horrors of war up close. Not just strictly pacifist, but just ways of dealing with life than was typically shown in Hollywood films. This film shows Pecks character as being proud and only fighting when being forced too. Wyler further explored this in Friendly Persuasion with Gary Cooper. Stevens, mostly did screwball comedies before the war. His film crew was there when some of the concentration camps were freed. It really changed his outlook. His movies became more serious. He tackled some of the same themes as WW did in this film with another great western, Shane. It portrayed another reluctant hero, only fighting when forced too. He later made the Diary of Anne Frank. This was a brief, very unique, take on film making. These great directors were trying to show that you could be tough and self reliant while trying to solve problems without immediately resorting to violence.

I felt bad for Buck Hannassey and his Pa at the end. His Pa didn't realize that he raised Buck to be the way he was. Great reaction as usual Madison. Thank you for introducing me to this unusually credible western.

I grew up without a father. This was one of my favorite films. Jim McCay became a male role model for me., thank God!

Excellent reaction and your enjoyment is contagious. What is sad is that you can not experience this movie or the epics like Ben Hur like we did when it was new The Big Country….. oh my goodness on a giant screen in a dark theater with a music system that was alive. One thing I remember is how insignificant the people and civilization appeared on the screen . I don’t remember seeing any Western that made the land an important character like this great film. My most vivid memory was the fist fight between Peck and Heston. It seemed so brutal and real… longer than any Cowboy fight… but it was the cutaway shots that made these 2 appear to be small and insignificant. You have to remember that these 2 were men of great stature. Peck has been a major star… not only was he Horatio Hornblower he was also King David. And Charlton Heston was Moses and he parted the Red Sea. Just imagine if Harrison Ford and Mel Gibson had an onscreen fight in their prime… that was this fight but with an incredibly staged Western backdrop. Thank you for your reaction and very glad you discovered this overlooked classic.

Buck, who you love to hate, was of course well played by The Rifleman himself, Chuck Conners, who wound up as a bad guy opposite Heston again in "Soylent Green" (1973). His famous TV series ran from 1958 to 1963.

One of the best westerns, I think. I’m so glad you watched it, as I always enjoy your insightful and heartfelt reactions. Next, I hope you will turn to Peck’s “The Gunfighter,” often called the first psychological western. I was surprised at how little I remembered of this, even though I’ve seen it twice. I think I will show it to my daughter when she comes home from college (she graduates in May). The premiere experience was interesting, but the chat moves too fast for an old guy like me (I’m 69).

The director, William Wyler, directed both Ben Hur AND Roman Holiday!

Madison ... Bravo ... This is what a movie reaction is supposed to be - letting us enjoy your genuine reaction to a movie that you instinctively knew you'd enjoy. Two top-flight actors in a setting that you are naturally drawn to. It was very enjoyable to experience your joy. Looking forward to more.

Thanks, Madison, for reacting to this film. It's one of my favorites. The music by Jerome Moross is iconic. William Wyler also directed Roman Holiday.

Charlton Heston was also the narrator in the movie ARMAGEDDON. So you had two exposures prior.

I'm so glad you are reacting to this movie. I love this movie . It's definitely one of my favorite Gregory Peck movies. It has a stellar cast.

If you would like more Gregory Peck, I would recommend "12 O'clock High". This war drama was based on historical facts and characters. It was required viewing amongst the military academies and service schools.

Try Gentleman's Agreement (1947) or Elmer Gantry (1960).

You mentioned that you didn't realize Charleston Heston was on tombstone, we'll at the end of that movie another great actor Robert Mitcham was the voice narration at the end of that movie.

💫Maybe someone should mention that Charlton Heston's personal favorite of his movie roles happens to be another Western called "Will Penny" (1967). A good movie too, although for sheer entertainment value I would go with another of Heston's epics myself - "El Cid" (1961). And for his best performance, I like his turn as Cardinal Richelieu in "The Three Musketeers/The Four Musketeers" (1973). Gregory Peck also did a bunch of other good Westerns, the best known of which might be "The Stalking Moon" (1968) with Eva Marie Saint from "North by Northwest. And don't forget, Madison... it's a Biiiig Country! 🤠

Thank you so much for your reactions to these old classic epic movies, Ben Hur and now The Big Country. You have made some of us oldies very happy who have grown up with these brilliant movies as children. When I watched this as a kid I always imagined Gregory Peck as the proper upstanding naval captain of this movie when he played Captain Horatio Hornblower. But he also starred with Carroll Baker again in the other epic western of the time How The West Was Won. Another thought I used to have as a child when watching Ben Hur was that Charlton Heston's other epic period movie El Cid where he played the most noble Spanish knight Rodrigo de Vivar were so similar to each other in style and atmosphere even the titles were two-worded names. I think because both Ben Hur and El Cid had the same brilliant musical composer Miklos Rozsa. Jean Simmons is one of my favourite actresses, she is most remembered by me in her role in Spartacus (1960) a passion project by Kirk Douglas and directed by Stanley Kubrick and won 4 oscars. Very surprisingly and sadly, there are very few movie reactions to the 1960 movie of Spartacus and absolutely no movie reactions at all to El Cid on youtube, very much like The Big Country. Thanks again for giving these old movies a look.❤

One of my favorite films, and no one reacts to it. Thanks! I consider it a treatise on how to be a man. I love the fight in the middle of nowhere with no music. I love the line, "How many times does a man have to win you?" I love how Chuck Connors plays such a low down dog here, but plays the epitome of a fine man in "The Rifleman."

Chuck Connors played the son that the old man shot, the old man I think was Burl Ives. Chuck Connors played Lucas McCain in the Rifleman tv series. I think the horse that Gregory Peck rode was Slim Pickens' horse. There wasn't any closeup of the rider because it was Slim.

There are a few more Gregory Peck westerns, and a couple of westernesque movies, given that Jim was a sea captain - Moby Dick, and Captain Horatio Hornblowers.

Good one, Madison! Love this movie. Thanks for sharing it. 🙂 So, the Hannassey son you didn't like was played by Chuck Conners who was quite a big star in his own right. His two western themed TV series Branded and The Rifleman were both really good. You should check those out sometime, and give him a chance to redeem himself in your eyes. I think you will enjoy them!

This is in the Top 5 Westerns in my book. My kids grew up watching this movie and they love it. One of our favorite things to do when watching older movies is to play the "remake it today with current actors" game. This one is hard to cast with today's actors.

This western is one of my favorites, I really liked this reaction video about it. Greetings from Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany

Yes! I agree with Madison Posse! Great Choice! Loved this movie! Super Thanks and I know you enjoyed this! Note: The opening theme is so well known! The boys that are trouble are led by Chuck Connors way back he did a very famous western TV show ... "The Rifleman"!

one more thing...When Peck was trying to ride the appy, there was of course a stunt man really getting bucked off. I recently found out that appy was owned by Slim Pickens. He was a great character actor with a distinctive voice. He played Major Kong in Dr. Strangelove and had a part in Blazing Saddles. He did the stunt riding.