Gregory Peck on "The Big Country"

[@marilynaicardi1860]

I’m quite old-82 years-and have been seeing movies since I was four. The Big Country is without a doubt the best Western ever made. The acting, the camera work, the subtle psychological stories, the music…there is no other Western that can compare with it. I not only watch it at least once a year (on DVD). I also have a recording of that incredible music which I play frequently. It’s the best of the best!

[@patrick4662]

That's a strong endorsement for someone with your experience! Good for you.

[@docalexander2853]

Agree

[@RETROGEMS]

This is my FAVORITE western of all time...I can watch it again and again. It has an underlying complexity and depth that many westerns lack, and I think that's why I love it so much.

[@199422adam]

Great film, a testament to his acting prowess to hide that aspect. Gregory Peck was a class act. So many films, a professional of his craft.

[@boltonkevin]

The Big Country is a masterpiece. Great acting; rounded and relatable characters; a fantastic soundtrack; and a very important moral message: you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone other than yourself. When Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons and Alphonso Bedoya ride off out of Blanca Canyon, you know that you have just lived through one of the best stories ever told on film.

[@RETROGEMS]

GREAT commentary! @@boltonkevin

[@TheAureusPress]

the music in this film really makes it above and beyond

[@PlatoCave]

One of the finest "actors" of all time. Gregory Peck was embodiment of style, class and craft. Very hardworking, genuine artist.

[@docalexander2853]

Hundred times better than Cary Grant.

[@jimrichardson5849]

My favourite western with the best soundtrack (imo) .

[@dragi2163]

These days I belong to the outgoing generation. My favorite genre is the Western, and I've watched several thousand of them, many more than once. I like High Noon, Shane, Rio Bravo, The big country, Warlock, Duel in the sun, Man who shot Liberty Valance, One-eyed jacks; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; Man from the West, Unforgiven, My Darling Clementine, Lonesome dowe, The Searchers True Grit, The nacked spur, Vera Cruz, and thousands other...

[@johnminger9610]

Best Western Ever, and I’ve seen a bunch of them in 68 yrs!

[@CornerTalker]

This seldom appears on lists of "best western movies of all time" - but it's on mine.

[@oldmoviemusic]

It's funny that he seems to be saying that the movie wasn't great - the Big Country was one of the best westerns of all time! Whatever issues happened behind the scenes certainly didn't make it on screen, because it's a practically perfect film of epic proportions.

[@jimmyj1969]

There were people with high standards, back then!

[@roedalacket]

The irony is that The Big Country is arguably Gregory Peck's best film.

[@amitabhsharma3916]

​@@roedalacket That's harsh. Performance wise, he has done much better work in Duel in the Sun and To Kill a Mockingbird.

[@carolsydney6905]

@@roedalacket Oh, sorry but no way, His best was certainly To Kill a Mocking Bird. The Big country is one of my favs too though.

[@lawsonj39]

Sounds like they revised the script a lot on the fly--testimony to how well improv can work out sometimes.

[@randallhuntley4466]

One of my favorite westerns supported by symphonic music and fine actors. I still love this classic.

[@5332wonderboy]

The man I admired all my life. Mr Gregory Peck, a beautiful human being.

[@mrlaw711]

He's apologizing for one of the greatest films ever made!! One of my two favorites....great cast, great story, great scenery, great score.

[@whoknows3906]

It is truly the best movie I have ever seen. I cannot count how many times I have watched it. Wonderful.

[@kathification1]

In my (not so humble) opinion, this is the greatest western ever made. LOVE THIS MOVIE !!!

[@hunt2727]

Of course it is.

[@garrettdavis6500]

One of the best Western's. Severely under-rated. I've been a huge Peck fan since I was a kid. I was in my 40's before I even heard of this movie. ( this was before KZbin, GOOGLE MOVIES, et.) It sounds like Peck didn't think much of the movie. It brings to mind to me how John Lennon thought little of some of his best songs.

[@tonysmyth1767]

Yep it has it all , story , morals and fantastic acting , brilliant scenes, and just THE BEST FILM SCORE EVER!

[@tomnanD3]

Agreed. Burl Ives stole every scene he was in. His Oscar was well-deserved.

[@partenopebella651]

we still need gentlemen like him, Im definitely living in wrong time...

[@lilifloyd007]

i'm totally agree with you! i feel the same

[@loveoldmovies2249]

amen... me too... born 50 yrs. too late (lol)

[@spockboy]

"Be the change you want to see in the world" (it needs more gentlemen) : )

[@Tonyconner74]

Indeed a great movie and Burl Ives did steal the show, fantastc acting by all. Chuck Connors was very underrated as an actor, I do not know why, he nailed this particular role. The sound track was superb...

[@MJ-dq8ik]

Yes, Connors was terrific in this.

[@floriego7]

Ives eyebrows huge he was from the stone age....

[@michaelverbakel7632]

The opening credits musical score for The Big Country by composer Jerome Moross has become an absolutely classic Hollywood musical score over the years. He was nominated for an Oscar for it.

[@mariedewitt5033]

@@michaelverbakel7632 yes magnificent with the photography of the stagecoach wagon

[@tinagibson485]

Yes he was GREAT I LOVED HIM IN THAT MOVIE AND LINES WERE JUST RIGHT EMOTIONAL AND A STANLE PERSON TO CARRY IT ALL OUT I LOVED HIS MOMENTS AND I KNOW HE WAS A POPULAR ACTOR IN HIS OWN RIGHT JUST GREAT FANTASTIC ACTUALLY I WONT FIRGET THE MOVIE NEVER HAVE YET

[@lbroderick783]

Love Gregory Peck! One of the classiest actors to come out of Hollywood! My favorite western. Someone else said Burl Ives stole the show, and I have to agree this was his best picture ever. I also loved Gregory Peck and Jean Simmons together and of course the wonderful music in this movie!

[@erikramaekers63]

Better picture? It's a masterpiece

[@AndreaKollo]

This is as near a perfect film as anyone could shoot. Whatever happened behind the scenes, and it sounds like plenty did, didn't end up on film and you'd never know it. Its brilliant including the actors and character development, the story itself. One of my top 10 films and certainly one of the best westerns. Lesson for us all, when in pursuit of perfection, you don't realize you've reached some version of it already.

[@Patsy-gb9vu]

I loved it 100 times

[@jackprescott9652]

His presence, deep and comanding voice, a total huge star, Mr Gregory Peck, one of the best actors of all time.

[@halcyon289]

And yet...............this is a classic movie !

[@genesis1765]

Gregory Peck is just class he is one those actors who dont make bad movies The Big Country is one of the best westerns ever made a proper western.

[@froggie46]

I just saw it again and it is an awesome movie. It is so much more interesting than many, it's psychologically often subtle where you see changes happening with Peck falling in love with this big country, and the way Burl Yves, supposed enemy respects him, so many great details. And It's great because it is really different from other westerns, where you are not sure where it's going. My favorite of all westerns.

[@patrickaturner9579]

I'm showing my age; I saw this movie when it came out at age 8. I loved it then and I love it now. I even bought the DVD and play it every couple of years. Unlike Peck, I saw no inconsistencies in the "buckboard scene" as he described but what the hell do I know. The music was exceptional and all the big stars did a great job. Without a doubt, one of the best Westerns ever portrayed on the screen. I even read the novel by Donald Hamilton!

[@jordandwiggins1026]

I’m jealous that you were able to watch such great movies as this as they came out. A truly great Western is probably my favorite kind of movie, and this is definitely one of the absolute best I’ve seen.

[@Redheadbeadedchik]

I’m watching it again now -I love the music - especially the theme song! It gives me chills! Perfect movie!

[@hotchihuahua1546]

It is one of the few movies I have watched many times in my life . Great story and great cast !

[@borusa32]

This was a pinnacle of Westerns.

[@jefbretschneider1607]

just watched this film on the Criterion Channel, it was the restored version (a flawless must see) IMHO: It is the perfect storm of all the film arts coming together to create A SPECTACULAR WESTERN CLASSIC!

[@waddellkate101]

difficult to understand how this magnificent film and score are never rated in top 10 westerns. To my mind, it rates far and away, the best. As for the score, well how evocative and a perfect fit.

[@devilsden2283]

Fully agree 100%....

[@joanteasdale2991]

I have watched this movie three times in the recent past and I love it he is such a fine actor it turned out so well to me that I didn't notice any discrepancy in the direction but then that's me I have had no experience they were all so good in this movie and true to character it's a very handsome classy actor I'm so glad that it turned out the way it did I watch it again when it's on

[@christopherpardell4418]

“Men like him are very rare.” The best line in the film, spoken by a supporting character actor.

[@docalexander2853]

I found that line strange for a Mexican to say. Something like saying He is a great hombre and man, would have been better. Something like that.

[@blackhawkswincup2010]

"You wanted me, Pa?" "Before ya was born, I did!" Script sounded pretty good to me...

[@mrlaw711]

A great line.

[@robertsprouse9282]

Brings back old family memories for ya; does it?..

[@colleenhenry940]

Loved the movie since I watched it for the first time earlier this year on Turner Classic Movie Channel

[@thomast8539]

This is like listening to the chef describe the enumerable ways to prepare a meal. We have to remember for the people involved in making films...that IS their job...so of course they are going to dissect and debate over all of the little things that the viewing public rarely catch or care about. The film is a masterpiece.

[@radiogramgramophonetoons5802]

Wonderful actor 👏👏 Wonderful film, my parents took myself and two sisters to see it at a cinema in Dublin in about 1963.

[@carolsydney6905]

There are already so many great comments... I adore this movie. My favorite scene comes at the end when Peck and Jean Simmons are on horseback and with no words, look at each other. Everyone knew by that look, it said it all. Greg Peck is my favorite actor of all time. His dignity on and off screen, his versatility as an actor, his excellence and calm professionalism and so many other qualities. The Big Country is one of my favorite westerns I love the classic iconic lines like, "It'll stick in your craw..." said by Burl Ives. what a great film.

[@xtbum3339]

That adoring look by Jean Simmons.

[@leebrn8588]

@@xtbum3339 Jean Simmons could be classy, and beautiful, without being sexy like today's female leads.

[@bbtreehaus]

Fascinating interview! But in spite of production issues, I still think this is a fine film and well-cast all around. The acting was terrific. Yes, Carroll Baker was whiny, but she was supposed to be a spoiled brat, so it worked well. Jean Simmons was lovely, and I think she played it just right--part lady, part cowgirl. Burl Ives stole the show--he deserved that Oscar. And I love the moral of the story--that courage comes from standing up for what you believe in, not in going around trying to show the world how tough you are. And that Jerome Moross score...exhilarating!

[@billbutler9862]

Totally agree

[@patrickaturner9579]

bbtreehaus that scene of Ives chewing out Major Terrell in Terrel's house was one of the best movie acting scenes I have ever seen in movies. Extraordinary.

[@bbtreehaus]

Oh yes, I totally agree! The acting was fine throughout, but that scene was one of the very best ever captured on film! Burl Ives had many talents, for certain.

[@dungnghiem3603]

bbtreehaus I

[@heavyhaul8621]

I fell in love with Jean Simmons on this movie.

[@MJ-dq8ik]

Just watched it for the first time. Terrific film with superb performances!

[@cgrscott]

I like Gregory Peck in The Big Country, Twelve O'Clock High, and Roman Holiday. I have not seen a lot of Gregory Peck movies. The camera scenes in this film looked like a 1970s motion picture production because William Wilder was so good at making good use of the wide screen format.

[@DIDYOUSEETHAT172]

I did not know he held those reservations about the picture. I enjoy it, I break it out every couple years and watch it.

[@2vintage68]

Well, Mr Peck, that all may be true, but I believe that TBC is one of the greatest Westerns. If this quality of film can be made with a faulty script, and without a strong and brilliant overall producer, that makes your achievement even more impressive. RIP to all the exceptional people who made this film

[@Justificus]

How amazing that the "script" didn't get in the way of the storyline - the movie was just great!

[@AuntieMamie]

This is extraordinary! I’m living this because I’ve lived this film all my life (73!). Thank you for such an informative piece.

[@vitaminK1121]

What a great movie! I so wish William Wyler were still alive and making movies. Genius.

[@cmdfarsight]

Gregory Peck was one of the best actors since acting was ever thought of........and that's a looooong time!

[@wun1234]

This is the movie I would place number one of all I have seen. I was very surprised to hear that GP was not happy with the script

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

Back When They Had Movie Stars!

[@PeterOHalloran-hf2ho]

Greg was my mum favourite actor of all time ❤

[@anissueofursincerity]

He says it we could've had a better picture. I don't see how! It's hard to find a movie as good as The Big Country.

[@rangiman7467]

This is a lovely movie,Gregory peck a legend.

[@mark-shane]

The Great Gregory Peck . wonderful

[@bettybhop]

Loved this movie!

[@scottmiller6495]

The greatest Western Motion picture of all time Period!!!!!

[@race2run]

I love this movie and I think all the cast was great. Chuck Connors as the scoundrel, Buck, and Peck looked and acted really good. Burl Ives won the academy award for best supporting actor. I think this was my favorite role for Connors. Chuck Heston was great as the Major's main man but when Connors tells him to "go on home and shine up the Major's boots", you can see that he realizes he's doing the dirty work for a bitter and angry boss. Just an outstanding movie!!

[@judithkellenberger6372]

Woogo eyes over Gregory and Charleston Heston. BEAUTIFULmen and intriguing actors .The Best of the best .

[@PeterOHalloran-hf2ho]

Gregory peck Burt Lancaster Richard widmark and so many more fine actors and gentlemen from that era not with us anymore it's not and hasn't been the same since they have left us TV entertainment hasn't been the same since ❤

[@MrNeluka]

A wonderful Actor is Mr.Gregory Peck

[@Davy.J.Y]

big country was a great movie,,heston and peck were fanatastic,,

[@refich]

I have the music from that film on my Spotify, and it plays a lot.

[@DavidNefelimSlayer]

It sure became a wonderful memorable movie. Rufus crashes the engagement party. And so many others.

[@carolgriffith5386]

One of the all-time classic westerns, to be sure. I think we can take what Peck says with a grain, in that he was too involved in the making of the picture to be totally objective. I believe history has given it's own judgement on this terrific movie. But I almost have to agree that the Heston-Baker sub-plot was very underdeveloped. I think all the elements were there for some real dynamite between the two, but it just sorta "petered out". I always felt Peck and Simmons were a great match, once they came together, and a "natural" -- but wondered why the filmmakers didn't play up Heston and Baker coming together "on the bumpy road to love" -- as they were a good match for each other. I have a sneaking hunch they ended up together, after the dust settled!

[@pjs69828]

"Take it , man" to Quinn, and "You're in it now, up to your neck," to the English actor are two of the best imperative sentences ever filmed on a Hollywood screen, both in the last 1/2 hour of The Guns of Navarone.

[@fasfutbol]

GREAT ACTOR.

[@mrlaw711]

Peck was a perfectionist. He did things over and over again to get them right.

[@stacybernardslay]

I remember this movie. It's where Burl Ives gives the lines that are later used in Ren and Stimpys' "happy happy joy joy" song, "I told you I would shoot! Why didn't you believe me! Why didn't you believe me!!". Kewl.

[@michaeltaylor939]

One of the best movies ever........the way they used to make 'em

[@robertwalker6584]

I liked the buckboard scene. I don't shot angles, jack about pan right or left but I know what I like. I liked everything about this picture

[@warragamba1977]

The Big Country is an epic Western. I have loved it since first viewing, despite Mr Peck’s misgivings.

[@dannyj2606]

My all time favorite western. Possibly a bit too long . Explores various emotions far more than a typical western and that is what grabbed me.

[@mauricioduron3193]

...danny: which sequences or characters would you have us do without for the movie to remains as regarding?

[@michaelreidperry3256]

Is this Peck fellow glorious, or what? I saw “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Some performances and films will blow your mind! The book and film leave me in a quake. Gregory Peck was eligible for Hollywood Sainthood at the release of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I still need to see this film he is talking about here. I just needed to take this opportunity to gush.

[@rosepicardie1832]

Great and beautiful actor

[@jay91fray]

I found it interesting, when he comes to a standstill and calculates his next move. Definitely noticeable when he's making his decision to ride old Thunder for the first time... He says "Some other time" Ha! Classic move. I like the life lesson in the words of...... "Tell me Leech, what did we prove?"

[@johnrobinson1020]

A true gentleman.

[@jslasher1]

Wyler, alongside Welles, would have to be in my humble opinion the finest of all the American film directors. If 'The Best Years of Our Lives' or 'The Heiress' don't impress you, then I am afraid nothing else will.

[@13spdRoadranger]

I find this interesting and I've found that some of the best movies come out of the improv when situations like this arise. This is probably my favorite movie. Thanks for posting it. :)

[@GA-1st]

Y'all did a fine job, anyway, Greg. An excellent movie, with a cast that could not be replicated in the 21st century...

[@bobmester3475]

So funny. I love that buckboard scene and I love almost all he dialog in the script. I think he’s a little hard on it. It’s a marvelous movie.

[@Pendre3]

How cool - thanks for sharing!

[@mduncan28]

One of the greatest westerns of all time, without John Wayne. This was a great film with some of the greatest actors of all time, with a quality and serious life lessons you don’t often see in a western.

[@stevedandy973]

Gregory Peck was the "actor's actor." His characters ran the gamut - good, bad, or ugly. Even the "ugly" ones - Johnny Ringo and Captain Ahab - you felt something for. His works will remain CLASSICS.

[@loveoldmovies2249]

I recommend reading actor, David Niven's books where he relates his own difficult experiences with director, Wyler. Long story short, he implied that they were good friends outside of work only. Apparently Wyler could be a scary guy on the set. (lol)

[@yellow6100]

I think Pecks acting was underrated in this movie. Was pretty damn good as far as I remember

[@billymcmillin4953]

yes l love that move

[@LizPorter-v8u]

❤ beautiful voice x

[@yaimavol]

what a decent and humble man.

[@pjs69828]

I think Peck's best film was "The Guns of Navarone" with Forman doing the script I believe. Niven, Peck, Stanley Baker and Anthony Quinn all had marvelous characters to emulate and blend.

[@thelibran11]

Agree 100%!

[@MJ-dq8ik]

Peck is in SO many great films THE GUNFIGHTER and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD to name a few

[@allanfranklin9615]

Too British for me, but watchable. Peck's role as Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird is his best for me, although I like his acting in most roles. Not too wild about the movie with Lauren Bacall (Designing Women, I think) I'd say romantic comedy was not his niche. He is, however, one of Hollywood's finest, no one today is even close.

[@Paul-lm5gv]

*One of my top 5 westerns - if for nothng else - the awesome musical score! But it was a very underrated film with an all-star cast esp. folk singer Burl Ives who won the 1959 Oscar for Best Supportig Actor! Chuck Connors was brilliant as Ives' rogue-ish son and this was after his professional baseball and basketball career - and just after his popular TV show 'The Rifleman' began.*

[@615855]

I first saw the Big country at the local picture theatre (about 1959) when I was in my mid teens. I really loved it then and have seen it many times since. It does not matter what might have gone on behind the scenes as the end product was a great film and one which one could enjoy every time one saw it. I loved the Chuck Connors role and as for Burl Ives, he was just brilliant and I remember when I first saw it, that I was hanging out for a gunfight between Charlton Heston's character and that of Chuck Connors but in hindsight, I guess it was natural that a gunfight should occur between Peck's character and Connors character which occur only for the Connors character to be killed off by his father. The film still remains, at least for me, one of the most memorable ever.

[@kaffeice7]

+Roger Green same here ,i was introduced to western movies by my late dad when i was a kid ,and this one together with pony express is my fav of all time ,and i love GP :)

[@Mdebacle]

Heston and Connors finally settled things in Soylent Green.

[@wendyellini]

a great man xx

[@MrGadfly772]

It's amazing that Gregory Peck should complain so much about the script as The Big Country seems do well written.

[@Baskerville22]

Great Western. The weakest element was the relationship between Peck & Baker. Hard to believe that the Peck character could have ever been attracted to the Baker character. AND I have never thought much of Baker's acting abilities.

[@KurtWal1]

Agree. She was way to immature and petulant. He finally saw that at the end and realized who she really was, so she had him fooled pretty well for awhile until she returned to Daddy and where she grew up.

[@Baileygeep7]

Peck's character in "to kill a mockingbird" was very similar to this and Burl Ives just reproduced this in his role as big daddy.

[@CBMTVNetwork]

My favorite is On The Beach, but we was the greatest in everything he did.

[@paulmoran217]

One part of the script that missed the cut has passed into folklore as one of the great monologues. Burl Ives as Rufus Hennassey crashes Major Terrill', (Charles Bickford), party and delivers one of THE menacing diatribes...here on YT

[@tessamorgan7076]

Big favourite with me

[@PeterOHalloran-hf2ho]

Still it came out alright in the finish 👌

[@stevep5408]

Was settled years later when they finally spoke again and Wyler said I'm still not reshooting the buckboard scene.

[@russellcampbell9198]

Strange - I thought the script was one of the best. Lots of memorable lines.

[@Joylibelle]

"Willy, will you take out that scene, because I look like a..... what??" What word did Gregory mention at 5:07 ? In spite of his malheur, I think this scene was absolutely brilliant because it showed perfectly the real persona of the character Gregory played. Yes Jubalcalif, I agree with you: Jerome Moross music is so great, he was a musical genius. My family and I love his music so much, he wrote the Charlton Heston movie "The War Lord", absolutely great piece of music.

[@xtbum3339]

He said he looked like a cretin.

[@hondo3313]

The scene he described when he and Baker were in the buckboard set the stage for the Hennessy boys and their Papa. BTW, one of the Hennessy brothers was played by Jim Burk, one of John Wayne's stunt men who was an expert horseman who was in many of John Waynes movies, (Undefeated, Chisum, Alamo, etc.)