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Ride the High Country

Play trailer Poster for Ride the High Country Released Jun 20, 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

View All (19) Critics Reviews
Bosley Crowther New York Times 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. Rated: 4/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 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. Jun 25, 2022 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia 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] Rated: 6/10 Jun 6, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 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. Rated: 3.5/4 Apr 10, 2022 Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine It is impressive to see just how much Ride the High Country muddies the water of the traditional western. Rated: 8/10 Dec 10, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 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. Rated: 9/10 Aug 27, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (195) audience reviews
Andrew Y 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….. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/16/24 Full Review Johnathon W Classic early Sam Peckinpah film that while on the surface, appears a standard western but underneath shows the director was already deconstructing the genre. The cast is superb across the board, with Joel McCrea excellent as Steve Judd, a former lawman who still believes in right & wrong, despite what its cost him, while Randolph Scott is equally great as his more cynical best friend. Behind the camera, Peckinpah, shows how he started to deconstruct the western genre, despite the colorful picture and robust score, this does not give a simple view of the west. It's dirty with sad twists and turns, including a finale that doesn't end like you expect. A classic that show Peckinpah was already mastering his craft. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Peter K I've seen this film several times and in my opinion it ranks up there with the best, The Searchers. It is about relationships and the changing times. McCrea and Scot are wonderfully cast. The soundtrack and camera work are great. I'm over 60 and become quite melancholy when the credits run. Take a view you won't regret it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Steve M Great western and a beautiful soundtrack. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/28/23 Full Review Peter G Every time I see this wonderful film I appreciate it more. During the 1960s at least 2 of the greatest western films were made by Peckinpah. McCrea & Scott gave their greatest performances here & Scott made this his final film. The characters, location cinematography, music, & Peckinpah‘s vision (as in THE WILD BUNCH) of older representatives of the American west feeling out of place with the changing times, was a potent & significant statement that few western films were yet dealing with. This film was also more elegiac, less bitter, & did not emphasize the bloody violence apparent in Peckinpah‘s later work, The final confrontation, for example, between Gil & Steve Judd with the Hammonds, does not have the cathartic effect as in THE WILD BUNCH but was not intended to, I feel. It has another meaning entirely & builds beautifully to Judd‘s final comment about ˋentering my House justified‘. This Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/21/23 Full Review Robert B When I first saw this movie, I didn't like it. But, when I finally figured it out it became one of my favorites. The film has many layers to it, from long-time friends now at cross purposes, to the relationship between father and daughter, to the dying West's lifestyles, and more. My favorite part is drunken judge Edgar Buchanan delivering the best wedding ceremony I've ever heard. Not thought much of by the studio, the movie began winning praise, esteem and awards. It was chosen for preservation by the National Film Registry. Many deem this to be Sam Peckinpah's best movie. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Ride the High Country

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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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