Review of The Big Country (1958) by Patrick G — 18 Mar 2009

'The Big Country' is intended to be an allegory about the Cold War with well-to-do rancher Major Henry Terrell (Charles Bickford) in the guise of Dwight Eisenhower (by the way, why the demotion from General?) and the crusty but strangly fair Rufus Hannassey (Burl Ives) as Nikita Khrushchev. Also on hand are the seconds-in-command with Terrell's hard-bitten major domo Steve Leech (Charleton Heston) and Hannassey's bully-coward son Buck (Chuck Connors).

Into the middle of the fray rides calm, cool James McKay (Gregory Peck), originally to marry Terrell's daughter (Carroll Baker at her stuck-up best), but finds life in the war zone not to his liking and instead saddles up with schoolmarm Julie Maragon (Jean Simmons), whose property holds a waterway desired by both factions. Out of the fryng pan...

Besides the fact this is a great stand-up Western with lots of gunfights, brawls, ambushes, romance, cattle and the other 8.5 yards, there is an ulterior motive to my fondness for this film.

It has to do with a song from the cartoon 'Ren and Stimpy' called 'Happy Happy Joy Joy'.

The 'singer' is a character named Stinky Wizzleteats, almost a picture-perfect parody of Ives, who steals the movie (as well as a Supporting Actor Oscar and Golden Globe) as Hannassey. In between the singing, Stinky espouses with a few seemingly random phrases that, as it turns out, were all taken from Ives' character in this movie.

'If you ain't the mother and father of all liars.'.

'...Teach your grandmother to suck eggs.'.

'I told you I'd do it, but you didn't believe me!'.

All in all, a top-notch gem for veteran director William Wyler.