Usually, when movie characters utter their movie's title, it's deliberately campy; or if it's not, then the movie's pretty idiotic. Not so with "The Big Country". It is actually an epic masterpiece. James McKay (Gregory Peck) is a sailor who moves to a Texas ranch in the late 1800s. This is a totally different environment for him, and so not only does he have sort of a hard time adjusting, but his very presence may be turning some people against each other.
Some "big" movies were epic to the point of being leaden, but not this one. "The Big Country" always has something good to say about whatever aspect. And Carroll Baker, Burl Ives, Jean Simmons and Charlton Heston all provide some good support, with near perfect direction by William Wyler. This may have been Wyler's best movie ever ("Ben-Hur" actually was epic to the point of being leaden).
Some "big" movies were epic to the point of being leaden, but not this one. "The Big Country" always has something good to say about whatever aspect. And Carroll Baker, Burl Ives, Jean Simmons and Charlton Heston all provide some good support, with near perfect direction by William Wyler. This may have been Wyler's best movie ever ("Ben-Hur" actually was epic to the point of being leaden).