From William Wyler, the legendary director of Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years of Our Lives and Ben-Hur, comes this epic western featuring an incredible cast of screen legends Gregory Peck (The Guns of Navarone), Jean Simmons (Elmer Gantry), Charlton Heston (The Ten Commandments), Carroll Baker (The Carpetbaggers) and Burl Ives (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) in his Oscar-winning performance (Best Actor in a Supporting Role). This bold, sweeping tale of a ship’s captain (Peck) who ventures west to find a hotbed of jealousy, hatred, and dangerous rivalries. As the reluctant hero is thrust into the maelstrom, he must summon all of his resolve to save not only his own life, but also the life of the woman he loves. The Big Country is an action-packed adventure that triumphs as a work of art. The film’s legendary rousing score by Jerome Moross (The War Lord) was nominated for an Oscar. The stellar cast also includes Charles Bickford (Duel in the Sun) and Chuck Connors (TV’s The Rifleman and Branded).

For thoughts on The Big Country, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/pPsN6xv-QFw?si=y_FRIjC6l6sFnIGF&t=3191]

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents The Big Country with a fantastic 1080p transfer sourced from a 2K scan that was conducted back in 2018. Unlike some recent “Special Edition” releases of older titles from their catalog with new encodes and special features, this is the exact same Blu-Ray disc released in 2018, only now it comes with a slipcover for its first printing. This is not an issue, though, as that release was a significant improvement over the dated MGM Blu-Ray from 2011 which suffered from some stretching that was fixed with the Kino Classic release. While we would have loved to have seen a 4K UHD Blu-Ray upgrade, the state of the film elements is not strong enough to create a 4K UHD master that would financially make sense.

The detail and clarity that we get on this Blu-Ray are amazing with a sumptuous amount of natural film grain intact and resolved without issue. The film appears to be lacking any significant signs of dirt and damage for a very consistent, enjoyable viewing experience that captures the gorgeous landscapes favorably. This one does not suffer from any pesky digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. The film features some rich, natural colors within the landscapes complemented with some earthy costumes that capture the nuances of the hues. Black levels are deep with robust stability throughout. Kino Classics has treated this one very well.

Audio Quality

The film has been given a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that presents this soundscape in an ideal state. There are thankfully very few moments when the track shows any anomalies such as popping, dropouts, or other signs of damage. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear throughout without being swallowed up by any competing elements. The iconic Jerome Moross score maintains an enviable fidelity with no big swings in quality. The track balances vocals with the environmental sounds with impeccable clarity. Kino Classics has provided a standout audio presentation that presents the film as well as it deserves. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Noted Cultural Historian Sir Christopher Frayling provides a very informative commentary track in which he discusses the need for a cultural reevaluation of this film, the background details of the production, the background of the performers, the thematic details of the story, and more. This is a very enlightening track that is well worth a listen.

Directed by William Wyler: A 58-minute archival documentary on William Wyler is provided here that is worth a watch for any film fan.

Wyler Doc – Outtakes with Peck, Heston, and Billy Wilder: A 23-minute selection of additional footage is provided from the documentary.

Interview with Cecilia Peck, Carey Peck, and Tony Peck: A nearly 13-minute piece with Gregory Peck’s children is provided in which they reflect on his work in The Big Country, his relationship with William Wyler, his friendship with Charlton Heston, the film’s legacy, and more.

Interview with Fraser C. Heston: An 11-minute interview with Charlton Heston’s son in which he reflects on his father taking a step back in billing, his friendship with Gregory Peck, his respect for William Wyler, the shooting locations, and much more.

Interview with Catherine Wyler: A 13-minute interview with William Wyler’s daughter in which she reflects on her father’s legacy, his relationship with the performers, his thoughts on the film, the themes explored, and much more.

Fun In The Country: A five-minute behind-the-scenes video narrated by Jean Simmons which shows some of the activities on set.

Larry Cohen on Chuck Connors: A three-minute piece in which director Larry Cohen reflects on the career and missed opportunities of Chuck Connors.

Animated Image Gallery I (2:32)

Animated Image Gallery II (4:12)

TV Spot: There is a minute-long TV spot provided.

Original Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute theatrical teaser trailer for The Big Country is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Big Country is one of the best westerns we have ever seen. Its strength lies in the complexity given to the characters instead of the standard tropes that typically subdue a lot of the character development needed to make things interesting. The script is brought to life beautifully thanks to an unbelievable ensemble that sports no weak links. The film is a long one, yet it flies through its runtime with a gripping pace. This Blu-Ray release from Kino Classics offers up a top-notch A/V presentation and a robust selection of special features. This is an essential film for fans of the ensemble or westerns in general. Recommended

The Big Country (Special Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.