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Ride the High Country

Play trailer Poster for Ride the High Country 1962 1h 34m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Reduced to transporting gold from a distant mine to a small-town bank, retired lawman Steve Judd (Joel McCrea) recruits friend Gil Westrum (Randolph Scott), who has been performing in a traveling carnival. Unknown to Steve, the restless Gil and a young drifter intend to steal the next gold transport. On the way, the men help Elsa Knudsen (Mariette Hartley) to break free from her zealot father and join her fiance at the mine, not realizing the consequences that await them all.
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Ride the High Country

Critics Reviews

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Bosley Crowther New York Times 05/20/2003
4/5
Symbols of a waning era who eventually clash over right and wrong, Messrs. McCrea and Scott mesh perfectly, with the latter getting the drollest lines -- and there are plenty. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 06/25/2022
Peckinpah was always more of a romantic than most people realized and with 'Ride the High Country' he delivered a lovely western and an American classic. Go to Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia 06/06/2022
6/10
A revisionist western in which Peckinpah solidifies his style by demystifying the codes of the genre to dialogue about the friendship, loyalty and betrayal of decadent cowboys, but which lacks a bit of narrative gunpowder. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 04/10/2022
3.5/4
Joel McCrea's character is as inspiring as any of the pillars of virtue played by Gary Cooper or John Wayne -- when he states that his only wish is to enter my House i.e., Heaven justified, it can bring a tear to the eye. Go to Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine 12/10/2021
8/10
It is impressive to see just how much Ride the High Country muddies the water of the traditional western. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 08/27/2020
9/10
There's an eerie beauty to the picture, chiefly in the scenery and marginally in the premise, during which few decisions trump coming to the aid of a damsel in distress. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Per S Dec 12 Western legends Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea carry one of the more authentic films of the genre, at least being one from the golden western era. It's not without clichés, but still avoiding the most typical stereotypes. The platitude title is one exception. See more Isaiah Y @zayman2 Nov 6 An essential western film that put Sam Peckinpah on the map and ended Randolph Scott's career on a high note. See more Wade A Oct 28 Had no expectations. Really great! See more Aug 22 Seeing this on release entirely changed westerns for me. I was ready for anything but what I got - a rugged romantic tale that made stuff like "Liberty Valance" look pale and aged out. Peckipah explored many other trails in his career but this one is the closest to reverential in compounding the classic elements with grit and realism. For a while it looks like the action will involve the good guys just protecting the gold. But leaving the bride they have delivered to the drooling crazed mountain family is what truly puts them into the final gun battle. I cannot think of a Randolph Scott movie as good as this or any Joel McCrea western outing that matched it either. I admired many more of the director's films but this for me is the standout. See more Greg J Apr 27 One of Randolph Scott's best performances, coupled with excellent supporting actors. Not the regular old cliche western where the rich evil cattle rancher and his cowhands terrorize a town, begging for a hero. The story is well thought out, with an excellent script. It's a quintessential hard-nosed western with a great cast and lots of action. Recommend! See more Andrew Y 10/16/2024 Superb in every way. When you don’t have special effects to make up for deficiency that’s when you get great films like this. Brilliant acting and script. Beautifully filmed and directed. And a damn good yarn….. See more Read all reviews
Ride the High Country

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Cast & Crew

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Sam Peckinpah

Director

Randolph Scott

Gil Westrum

Joel McCrea

Steve Judd

Mariette Hartley

Elsa Knudsen

Ron Starr

Heck Longtree

R. G. Armstrong

Joshua Knudsen

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Ride the High Country

Ride the High Country (1962) Ride the High Country (1962) Ride the High Country (1962) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Reduced to transporting gold from a distant mine to a small-town bank, retired lawman Steve Judd (Joel McCrea) recruits friend Gil Westrum (Randolph Scott), who has been performing in a traveling carnival. Unknown to Steve, the restless Gil and a young drifter intend to steal the next gold transport. On the way, the men help Elsa Knudsen (Mariette Hartley) to break free from her zealot father and join her fiance at the mine, not realizing the consequences that await them all.
Director
Sam Peckinpah
Producer
Richard E. Lyons
Screenwriter
N. B. Stone Jr.
Distributor
MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 20, 1962, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 20, 2016
Runtime
1h 34m
Sound Mix
Mono
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