Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Claire Dunne One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Catherina If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

SeaPilot I feel if you are an admirer of old classic American films this should be on the list. From the plots, dialogue, cast and filming this movie is hard to beat. Looking at all the Oscar nominees for 1958 it is my belief that this movie should have won more. Charleton Heston and Jean Simmons gave exceptional performances. Gregory Peck also was excellent. The entire cast could not be duplicated just like trying to remake the "Magnificent Seven". The bar was set too high. The music is epic and equal to the Grand Canyon Suite. I don't give out "10" easily but I lean towards it on this movie. Made in the late 50's this is amazing what Hollywood could do back then without all the HD CG of todays movies. This is a "pure" film.

jf-90133 Certainly one of the best western movies ever. I won't add to the spoilers (there have been enough of those already). But I will add that the original book of the same name by author Donald Hamilton is a must-have... it's just as good and is in fact different by a bit - enough to make it a great read and fill in more background details such as the backstory about the dueling pistols. The book is out of print, so you'll have to find a copy and it will not be cheap. Look for about $30 for a paperback copy. As you'll see, it's well worth every cent.

Leofwine_draca THE BIG COUNTRY is a grand old American western pairing William Wyler and Gregory Peck. The film is best known these days for its excellent and stirring theme music which has gone down in film history as one of the best of all time. Other than that, it feels largely dated as a western, a film more in line with the types of genre movies that John Ford was making in the 1940s rather than the action-packed offerings that, say, John Wayne churned out in the 1950s.This certainly isn't a bad film and there's plenty to recommend it here, not least Wyler's sweeping vistas and the all-star cast. The film's sole problem is the running time; at nearly three hours, this is just way too long and gives the movie numerous pacing issues. I think if they'd lost an hour of the romantic scenes and the endless non-furtherance of the plot with Jean Simmons' character, it would have been a lot better.Still, fans of Gregory Peck will be rewarded by another dependable turn from the star, and the supporting players are to die for. I only know Burt Ives from his sweet Disney roles but he makes for a fine and imposing villain, supported well by Chuck Connors playing his son. Charlton Heston appears on the cusp of stardom with BEN HUR to follow shortly, and Carroll Baker brings feistiness to her part. There are plenty of memorable set-pieces here, it's just that patience-testing running time that's at fault.

Sergeant_Tibbs I'm always appalled at how little William Wyler I've seen. I adore The Best Years of Our Lives and Roman Holiday, but Ben-Hur is underwhelming. Now with The Big Country winning my heart, he really deserves better. I'm a sucker for a good subversive Western. The myth of the American frontier in cinema is fascinating to me and any film that develops the ideas inherently has my attention. The Big Country is credited as the first pacifist Western as Gregory Peck refuses to fight until the last moment or acknowledge the seriousness of any conflict. He's an unconventional hero. One who teeters a line of cowardice. But this just makes him all the more endearing as a three dimensional character. Granted, the film has its caricature characters on the side, but the script has such a dry wit. Burt Ives won an Oscar for his role and coming in an hour into the film, there wasn't much spotlight left to share, but he certainly has his moments. It's a grand epic in visuals and length that I easily sunk into. It's a big country alright. Also boasts one of the best scores I've ever heard. Can't believe it's not considered a greater classic.8/10