Blu-Ray Review: Kino Lorber’s The Big Country (KL Studio Classics) 

Greggory Peck and Charlton Heston lead an all-star cast in William Wyler’s The Big Country.  Kino Lorber has upgraded the film with a new special edition Blu-ray. 

The Film 

The Big Country is the prime example of people at the time being very wrong about a film.  The William Wyler-directed epic widescreen western is one of the best to come out of the Golden Age of the genre. 

Not an ordinary Western but one that’s almost anti-violent in its messages about the big open expanse of the West.  Wyler understands iconography better than any director of the era other than maybe John Ford.  The director’s use of stars Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Burt Ives, and Charles Bickford – beyond their normal archetypes is what makes The Big Country stand above and beyond as a unique film.  

The film is about an ex-shipping captain James McKay (Peck) as his courtship of Patricia Terrill (Carroll Baker) puts him inadvertently between the Terrill’s and the Hannassey’s two warring clans (hints of the Hatfields and the McCoys).  As McKay walks to the beat of his own drummer not being pulled into the ego-stroking affairs of machismo he begins to see the true nature of his betrothed and her family.  As violence escalates between the two families McKay takes a different approach to settling the grievances – one of intelligence and non-violence.  

Wyler’s film adroitly uses star Gregory Peck’s image to its great success.  The big fella’s easy charm and calm demeanor work perfectly for McKay in the moments when the man is being bullied or besieged by pecking order contests.  The simple quiet refusal is something that only Peck could do and do with the sort of strength that feels as powerful as anything that would have been confrontational.  When Peck’s McKay is finally pushed to act in a manner becoming of those around him – in the epic fistfight with Charlton Heston’s ranch hand Steve Leech – it’s to prove just how pointless it all is.  

However do not be fooled, The Big Country is as epic and western-y a western as there ever was.  Shootouts, cattle rustling, a schoolmarm, bad men, and even a duel … are all here and done with a beautiful eye for the Technirama deep focus composition employed by Wyler and cinematographer Franz F. Planer.  Though the film is smarter than your average Western having more on its mind than simple entertainment.  

By its end, The Big Country has given you everything you want from an epic western but done in the way that William Wyler could have done it – with a streak of humanity a mile wide. 

The Transfer

From the Blu-Ray Disc: 

THE BIG COUNTRY (1958)

Restored by the Academy Film Archive with funding provided by The Film Foundation and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

This restored transfer is another winner from KL.  The widescreen image is sharp, crisp, and colorful in a way that many of the biggest widescreen technicolor epics of the 1950s.  The subtle contrast levels and black detail – which thankfully doesn’t crush the blacks in any way. Kino has pushed the limitations of what’s possible with a Blu-ray transfer.  One will be shocked at how great it looks on Blu-ray including those vast widescreen vistas Wyler and company expertly shot. 

The Extras

• Audio Commentary by Noted Cultural Historian Sir Christopher Frayling
• Directed by William Wyler: Documentary
• Wyler Doc Outtakes with Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston and Billy Wilder
• Interviews with Cecilia Peck, Carey Peck, and Tony Peck
• Interview with Fraser Heston
• Interview with Catherine Wyler
• Fun in the Country – Featurette
• Larry Cohen on Chuck Connors
• Image Gallery
• TV Spot
• Theatrical Trailer

The Audio Commentary by Noted Cultural Historian Sir Christopher Frayling begins with a discussion of the title sequence by Saul Bass and the iconic score by Jerome Moross.  Some of the other details include Moross’s ties to Aaron Copland; the various locations that were used in California to double for Texas where story takes place; the casting and work of Heston; the origins of the story/novel – and a detailed discussion about the development of the story into the film, the various writers that worked on the script and the troubles during production; the dangers to Carrol Baker of the buck board scene as she was pregnant during the time; the Technirama cinematographic process and how it informed the production; the casting and of Chuck Connors – and Peck’s part in the casting; the casting and work of Jean Simmons – including her displeasure with the entire experience working with Wyler; Peck’s real life “cowboying” that was apart of the marketing/PR of the film; the real life gunsmith that’s name dropped in the film that created the dueling pistol; Wyler’s politics and how they influenced here and in his films – including a discussion of the Black Listing; the differences between the novel and the film; a discussion throughout about the various sets and builds that were used in the film; a larger discussion about the themes that are antithesis of normal western stories – including how this is accomplished in the story and through character; discussions throughout of the stunt crew that worked on the film – with many anecdotes about the stunt work in the film; discussions throughout of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more. Frayling gives us a great researched informative commentary track – with quotes from different sources. 

Directed by William Wyler: Documentary (58:09) – in this documentary from the 1980s directed by Aviva Slesin, this look at Wyler’s career features interviews from filmmakers Billy Wilder, Lillian Hellman, John Houston, and Wyler himself to literally every star that he directed from Bette Davis to Audrey Hepburn to Charlton Heston to Gregory Peck to Laurence Olivier to Barbara Streisand.  This wonderful documentary (shot on film no less) tracks the director’s life in film from his origins to the work in the silents to the prestige pictures to the epics and more.  The doc intercuts interviews with footage from the films, behind-the-scenes photos, and rare Super8 footage shot by Wyler himself.  This truly is a great astute documentary with some truly great stories.  

Wyler Doc Outtakes with Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston and Billy Wilder (22:46) – extended interviews with Peck, Heston, and Wilder discussing specifically about The Big Country both making and the film itself.  The biggest reveal is Peck’s admission that they began without a truly solid script and how this effected the production.  Some of the great details include Peck’s big fight that caused Wyler and him not to talk the second half of the production; Heston’s first meeting with Wyler over what Heston called a “supporting role” – and the drama of getting Heston to commit to the role; Wilder’s account of meeting Wyler for the first time; two stories about Wilder being confused with Wyler; a great story about Wyler talking about Lubistch at Lubistch’s funeral; and much more.  

Interviews with Cecilia Peck, Carey Peck, and Tony Peck (12:26) – in this all-new featurette the children of Gregory Peck look back at The Big Country and their father’s legacy that came out of the film and his collaboration with William Wyler.  

Interview with Fraser Heston (11:05) – in this all-new featurette Heston’s son discusses Heston’s taking a supporting role, his relationship with Peck, and the making of The Big Country which eventually turned into a relationship with Wyler and casting in Ben-Hur. 

Interview with Catherine Wyler (12:44) – in this all-new featurette the daughter of William Wyler discusses her father’s beginning as a filmmaker in two-reel westerns to eventually her recollections about his directing and being a father – and how both roles crossed lines in his perfectionist nature to the relationship between her father and Gregory Peck and more. 

Fun in the Country – Featurette (5:13) – this black and white EPK behind-the-scenes of Wyler’s western epic.  Narrated by Jean Simmons, this quick featurette is fun and flashy with nothing of substance about the making of the film.  It’s really an excuse to show the cast having fun.  Simmons and Wyler playing Gin; Peck and Ives playing chess; Heston looking for desert turtles; and more.  

Larry Cohen on Chuck Connors (2:46) – in this all too brief interview with Cohen from 2012 the screenwriter and director discusses Connors’ role in The Big Country and what if Connors had gotten the chance after the showy role in the Wyler film.  

Animated Image Gallery I (2:32) – this gallery of 30 black-and-white production stills features the iconic score by Jerome Moross. 

Animated Image Gallery II (4:12) – this gallery of 50 color behind-the-scenes stills features the iconic score by Jerome Moross. 

TV Spot (0:58) – note the spot is in black and white. 

Theatrical Trailer (2:56) 

The Final Thought 

Kino Lorber has given us a big special edition for The Big Country.  Highest Possible Recommendations!!!! 

Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray edition of The Big Country is out now.