The Big Country

This article is about the 1958 film. For other uses, see Big Country (disambiguation).

The Big Country
Theatrical release poster by Saul Bass
Directed byWilliam Wyler
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Jessamyn West
  • Robert Wyler
Based onAmbush at Blanco Canyon
by Donald Hamilton
Produced by
  • William Wyler
  • Gregory Peck
Starring
CinematographyFranz F. Planer, ASC
Edited by
Music byJerome Moross
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • August 13, 1958 (1958-08-13) (Atlantic City)[1]
Running time
166 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Box office$3.5 million (US and Canada rentals)[2]

The Big Country is a 1958 American epic Western film directed by William Wyler, starring Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, and Burl Ives. The supporting cast features Charles Bickford and Chuck Connors. Filmed in Technicolor and Technirama, the picture was based on the serialized magazine novel Ambush at Blanco Canyon by Donald Hamilton[3] and was co-produced by Wyler and Peck. The opening title sequence was created by Saul Bass.

Burl Ives won the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance, as well as the Golden Globe Award. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for the musical score, composed by Jerome Moross. The film is one of the few in which Heston plays a major supporting role rather than the lead.

  1. ^ "Four Eastern Openings For 'Big' This Week". Motion Picture Daily: 2. August 13, 1958.
  2. ^ Cohn, Lawrence (October 15, 1990). "All-Time Film Rental Champs". Variety. p. M146.
  3. ^ "Detail view of Movies Page". Afi.com. Retrieved August 19, 2014.